Concept information
Preferred term
tyranny
Definition
- In modern times the term tyrant has come to mean the worst kind of ruler—someone who exploits his or her power for personal ends, irrespective of the law. For the ancient Greeks, however, a tyrant was not necessarily a bad ruler; in its original form (tyrannos) the word was used to describe a man or woman who held absolute and personal power within a state, distinct from a king whose rule was bound by constitution and law. [Source: Encyclopedia of Political Theory; Tyranny]
Broader concept
Belongs to group
URI
https://concepts.sagepub.com/social-science/concept/tyranny
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