John C. Calhoun

How can this full, perfect, just and supreme voice of the people, embodied in the Constitution, be brought to bear, habitually and steadily, in counteracting the fatal tendency of the government to the absolute and despotic control of the numerical majority?

American Statesman

Frank Herbert

If you think of yourselves as helpless and ineffectual, it is certain that you will create a despotic government to be your master. The wise despot, therefore, maintains among his subjects a popular sense that they are helpless and ineffectual.

American Writer

Shelby Steele

Deference has been codified in American life as political correctness. And political correctness functions like a despotic regime. It is an oppressiveness that spreads its edicts further and further into the crevices of everyday life.

American Author

Dambisa Moyo

Under the all-encompassing aid system, too many places in Africa continue to flounder under inept, corrupt and despotic regimes who spend their time courting and catering to the demands of the army of aid organizations.

Zambian Economist

Sabine Baring-Gould

The original settlers in Iceland were the nobles of Norway who left their native land to avoid the tyranny of Harold Fairhair, who tried to crush their power so as to make himself a despotic king in the land.

English Clergyman

Tom Clancy

The control of information is something the elite always does, particularly in a despotic form of government. Information, knowledge, is power. If you can control information, you can control people.

American Novelist

Oriana Fallaci

Whether it comes from a despotic sovereign or an elected president, from a murderous general or a beloved leader, I see power as an inhuman and hateful phenomenon.

Italian Journalist

Lysander Spooner

The trial by jury might safely be introduced into a despotic government, if the jury were to exercise no right of judging of the law, or the justice of the law.

American Philosopher

Judd Gregg

We invaded Iraq to change a totalitarian, despotic regime, and we have been successful there.

American Politician

Honore de Balzac

When law becomes despotic, morals are relaxed, and vice versa.

French Novelist

The word 'despotic' carries a negative meaning, suggesting cruel and oppressive leadership.

Negative Connotation

'Despotic' implies a leader has absolute control without legal or moral boundaries.

Absolute Power

'Despotic' is often used to describe rulers in history known for harsh, absolute rule.

Historical Usage

 female geladas can't live with a high level of aggression they want to be left in peace to rear their offspring so they've got ways of preventing their despotic male from behaving too badly inviting him to groom them and grooming

Gelada Baboon Sexual...

 and all the other great despots of the 20th century on the side of the building, because then we'd honestly be saying what the building is really communicating to us. You know, that it's a despotic building;