despotism
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary EnglishRelated topics: Governmentdespotismdes‧pot‧is‧m /ˈdespətɪzəm/ noun [uncountable] PGrule by a despotExamples from the Corpusdespotism• It was the judges' commitment to freedom that was the main guarantee against despotism.• Cecilia, viuda attacks despotism in the government.• That notion is quite compatible with a certain residue of benevolent despotism exercised by Tory squires.• Ministerial despotism could not be profitably run by clerical reactionaries ignorant of the financial world.