Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

List of dictators

2013-06-09T16:21:12Z

Thatteapartyguy: /* Eastern Asia ("Far East") */

: ''For a list of [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] dictators, see [[Roman dictator#Roman dictators|Roman dictator]].''
: ''See also the [[#See also|related lists]] at the end of this article.''

The following is a list of national leaders ([[Head of state|heads of state]] and/or [[Head of government|heads of government]]) commonly regarded as modern [[dictator]]s. This usage usually carries a pejorative sense and refers to a ruler who:

* Rules by decree, via an [[Enabling Act]] or similar laws passed by a legislature allowing him to do so;
* is an [[absolute ruler]] of a [[state|sovereign state]], usually appointed, but without hereditary ascension;
* governs outside the otherwise accepted [[rule of law]];
* commonly (but not necessarily) gaining power through [[fraud]], a [[coup d'état]], resorting to either again to continue in power;
* may develop a [[cult of personality]];
* may be autocratic, oppressive, despotic or tyrannical.

Some so-called "[[Dictator#"The benevolent dictator"|benevolent dictators]]" may be viewed as beneficial and their leadership seen as a "necessary evil".
The modern usage of the term 'dictator' developed largely in response to instances of autocratic rule in [[republic]]s, so traditional [[monarch]]s are not usually described as dictators in historical commentary. Also excluded from this list are those who held [[absolute power]] during national [[State of emergency|emergencies]], but restored the rule of law soon thereafter. Otherwise those included have been widely cited by historians or described by the [[Mass media|media]] as dictators. Any controversy surrounding such characterisation is mentioned in the notes.

The list is sorted according to when each dictator began their years in power. This refers to any years in office as a head of state, government or the like before their dictatorship was established. Any years of elected and judicial rule may be indicated parenthetically.

==Africa==
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
|align=center|[[Gamal Abdel Nasser]] ||align=center| [[Egypt]] ||align=center| 1954–1970 || Prime Minister of Egypt 1954-1962; President of Egypt 1956-1970. Part of a group of officers in control of Egypt after the coup against British supported [[Farouk of Egypt|King Farouk]] in 1952; In February 1954, Nasser forced {{fact}} President [[Muhammad Naguib]] to appoint him prime minister and give up most practical power to him; later in that year Naguib resigned and Nasser became president by self-appointment; elected by popular vote (as only candidate) in 1956, and subsequently. Many personalistic elements to Nasser's rule, but nominal parliamentary system under Nasser's 1956-1970 presidency {{fact}}, until his death in 1970.
|-
|align=center|[[Ahmed Sékou Touré]] ||align=center| [[Guinea]] ||align=center| 1958–1984 || President of Guinea. Widely described as a dictator (see [http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog/DIAINS.html], [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/world/awards2003/profile_jazz.shtml]) with estimates of up to 50,000 extra-judicial killings during his rule (see [http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/warstat6.htm]) and 250,000 Guineans fleeing his rule ([http://www.africanet.com/africanet/country/guinea/history.htm]).
|-
|align=center|[[David Dacko]] ||align=center| [[Central African Republic]] ||align=center| 1960–1966 1979–1981 || President of the Central African Republic. Banned opposition (see [http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ad36]); Gained power by coup in 1979, though subsequently stood for election (see [http://www.african-geopolitics.org/show.aspx?ArticleId=3638]).
|-
|align=center|[[Modibo Keita]] ||align=center| [[Mali]] ||align=center| 1960–1968 || Schoolteacher and first president of Mali. Forced socialization and extensive protectionism severely harmed the economy and continued the country's dependence on aid donors. Discontent with these policies led Keita to implement his own "Cultural Revolution" and establish a network of people's militias to inform on and punish dissent. In the last few years of his presidency, full powers were vested in an extralegal "National Committee for Defense of the Revolution". He was deposed in a military coup.
|-
|align=center|[[François (Ngarta) Tombalbaye|François Tombalbaye]] ||align=center| [[Chad]] ||align=center| 1960–1975 || Head of State 1960-1962; President of Chad 1962-1975. Never fought a contested election; imprisoned opposition leaders. Launched a "Cultural Revolution" in the early 1970s encouraging ''[[authenticité]]''.
|-
|align=center|[[Félix Houphouët-Boigny]] ||align=center| [[Côte d'Ivoire]] ||align=center| 1960–1993 || President of Côte d'Ivoire. Ruled until 1990 with all opposition banned, but not considered particularly repressive. Relocated the official capital to his home village of [[Yamoussoukro]] and constructed the [[Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro]], the largest religious structure in Africa.
|-
|align=center|[[Milton Obote]] ||align=center| [[Uganda]] ||align=center| 1962–1972 1980–1985 || Prime Minister of Uganda 1962-1966; President of Uganda 1966-1971 and 1980-1985. Suspended the constitution and declared himself President and Prime Minister in 1966.
|-
|align=center|[[Hastings Kamuzu Banda]] ||align=center| [[Malawi]] ||align=center| 1963–1994 || Prime Minister of Malawi 1963-1966; President of Malawi 1966-1994. Banned all opposition in 1966; declared himself [[President for Life]] in 1971; exiled and killed opposition leaders. Ordered that a letter bomb be sent to exiled opposition leader [[Attati Mpakati]]; suspected of being involved in the car crash deaths of senior Congress Party leaders; violently crushed an attempted rebellion. Aged 98, he allowed and lost a free election in 1994.
|-
|align=center|[[Kenneth Kaunda]] ||align=center| [[Zambia]] ||align=center| 1964–1991 || President of the Republic of Zambia 1964-1991.Elected 1964, banned all political parties in Zambia, viewed himself as "WAMUYAYA" (eternal President).Accused of torturing political opponents.Defeated by Frederick Chiluba in 1991.
|-
|align=center|[[Houari Boumediene]] ||align=center| [[Algeria]] ||align=center| 1965–1978 || 
President of Algeria from June 19, 1965 to his death, (December 27, 1978); Chairman of the Revolutionary Council until December 12, 1976). In June 1965, Boumédienne seized power in a bloodless coup. Initially lacking a personal power base, he was seen as a weak ruler. But after a botched coup attempt against him by military officers in 1967 he tightened his rule, and then remained Algeria's undisputed ruler until his death in 1978.
|-
|align=center|[[Modibo Keita]] ||align=center| [[Mali]] ||align=center| 1960–1968 || Schoolteacher and first president of Mali. Forced socialization and extensive protectionism severely harmed the economy and continued the country's dependence on aid donors. Discontent with these policies led Keita to implement his own "Cultural Revolution" and establish a network of people's militias to inform on and punish dissent. In the last few years of his presidency, full powers were vested in an extralegal "National Committee for Defense of the Revolution". He was deposed in a military coup.
|-
|align=center|[[Jean-Bédel Bokassa]] ||align=center| [[Central African Republic]] ||align=center| 1966–1979 || President of the Central African Republic 1966-1976; Emperor Bokassa I of the Central African Empire 1976-1979. Bokassa overthrew the autocratic Dacko in a swift coup d'état and assumed power as president of the Republic and head of the sole political party, the Mouvement pour l'évolution sociale de l'Afrique Noire (MESAN). Bokassa abolished the constitution of 1959 on January 4 and began to rule by decree. He proclaimed himself emperor in 1976 (see [http://www.african-geopolitics.org/show.aspx?ArticleId=3638]).
|-
|align=center|[[Gnassingbé Eyadéma]] ||align=center| [[Togo]] ||align=center| 1967–2005 || President of Togo. Gained power in a coup; never fought a contested election until 1998; banned, tortured and killed opposition. Fostered a cult of personality that was reinforced after he was the sole survivor of an airplane crash in 1974. In late 1991, troops loyal to Eyadéma closed a constitutional conference that had shifted most executive power to a new transitional government and banned Eyadéma's RPT party. January 1993 saw a mass exodus of residents to neighboring states after security forces fired on pro-democracy demonstrators. Further repression followed a purported 1994 coup attempt (see[http://www.cidcm.umd.edu/inscr/mar/data/togoewechro.htm]).
|-
|align=center|[[Omar Bongo]] ||align=center| [[Gabon]] ||align=center| 1967–2009 || As vice president, he acceded to the presidency following the death of President [[Léon M'ba]]. In 1968, Bongo decreed a one-party state under his [[Gabonese Democratic Party]] and was thrice elected unopposed in the 1970s and 1980s. He became very wealthy during the country's oil boom. Open elections were held in 1990 and Bongo was re-elected in 1993, 1998 and 2005. Observers have criticized the elections as unfair and corruption watchdogs have accused the president of [[nepotism]]. Riots resulting from the mysterious death in 1990 of prominent dissident [[Joseph Rendjambe]] in a government hotel room were put down by French troops.
|-
|align=center|[[Moussa Traoré]] ||align=center| [[Mali]] ||align=center| 1968–1991 || Chairman of the Military National Liberation Committee 1968-1969; Head of State 1969-1979; President of Mali 1979-1991. Seized power in a coup; banned all opposition; installed a police state; established one-party state in 1979.
|-
|align=center|[[Francisco Macías Nguema]] ||align=center| [[Equatorial Guinea]] ||align=center| 1968–1979 || President of Equatorial Guinea 1968-1979. Elected in 1968 but declared himself [[President for Life]] in 1972; "extreme personality cult"; over a third of population fled his regime. Banned fishing and sanctioned the deaths of most of his pre-independence political rivals, including ex-prime minister [[Bonifacio Ondó Edu]] and foreign minister [[Atanasio Ndongo Miyone]]. Declared an atheist state by Spanish dictator [[Francisco Franco]]. As many as 50,000 civilians were killed, in particular those of the [[Bubi]] ethnic [[minority]] on [[Bioko]] associated with relative wealth and [[intellectual]]ism.
|-
|align=center|[[Gaafar Nimeiry]] ||align=center| [[Sudan]] ||align=center| 1969–1985 || Chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council 1969-1971; President of Sudan 1971-1985. Gained power in a military coup, banned opposition, dissolved southern Sudanese government, imposed sharia law. Executed several leading communists (the most prominent being [[Abdel Khaliq Mahjub]] and [[Joseph Garang]]) after a botched 1971 coup attempt.
|-
|align=center|[[Mohamed Siad Barre]] ||align=center| [[Somalia]] ||align=center| 1969–1991 || Chairman of the Supreme Revolutionary Council 1969-1976; President of Somalia 1976-1991. In 1969, during the power vacuum following the assassination of President Abdirashid Ali Shermarke, the military staged a coup and took over. Barre was to rule for the next twenty-two years. He attempted to develop a personality cult; large posters of him were common in the capital Mogadishu during his reign, many of which can still be seen today. He dreamed of a "[[Greater Somalia]]" and tried unsuccessfully to annex the [[Ogaden]]—legally Ethiopian territory—in 1977 to realize this end (see [[Ogaden War]]).
|-
|align=center|[[Anwar Sadat]] || align=center|[[Egypt]] || align=center|1970-1981 || President of Egypt 1970-1981. Unelected, suppressed opposition in what was termed "The Corrective Revolution". Assassinated.
|-
|align=center|[[Idi Amin]] ||align=center| [[Uganda]] ||align=center| 1971–1979 || [[President of Uganda]], later (1976) declared as [[President for Life|for Life]]. Deposed in 1979 after declaring war on [[Tanzania]].
|-
|align=center|[[Mengistu Haile Mariam]] ||align=center| [[Ethiopia]] ||align=center| 1974–1991 || Chairman of the Provisional Military Administrative Council ([[Derg]]) in 1974 and 1977-1987; President of Ethiopia 1987-1991. One-party state; repression of opposition; tens of thousands of extra-judicial killings.
|-
|align=center|[[Olusegun Obasanjo]] ||align=center| [[Nigeria]] ||align=center| 1976-1979 || Head of the Federal Military Government of Nigeria between 1976 and 1979. Elected President of Nigeria in 1999. Chairman of the [[African Union]] 2004-2006.
|-
|align=center|[[Jean-Baptiste Bagaza]] ||align=center| [[Burundi]] ||align=center| 1976–1987 || President of Burundi. Widely described as a military dictator (see [http://www.africanews.com/article265.html], [http://www.electionworld.org/history/burundi.htm]).
|-
|align=center|[[Albert René]] ||align=center| [[Seychelles]] ||align=center| 1977–2004 || President of Seychelles. Deposed the elected president Sir [[James Mancham]] and promulgated a one-party constitution after a period of rule by decree. Created the [[National Youth Service]] (NYS), a compulsory educational institution that included traditional curricula interlaced with political indoctrination and paramilitary training.
|-
|align=center|[[Daniel arap Moi]] ||align=center| [[Kenya]] ||align=center| 1978–2002 || President of Kenya. Changed constitution to establish a ''de jure'' one-party state; resorted to repressive rule, including torture and imprisonment without trial.
|-
|align=center|[[Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo]] ||align=center| [[Equatorial Guinea]] ||align=center| '''1979–present''' || Chairman of the Supreme Military Council 1979-1982; President of Equatorial Guinea 1982-present. Deposed his uncle in a violent coup; opposition is banned in all but name.
|-
|align=center|[[José Eduardo dos Santos]] ||align=center| [[Angola]] ||align=center| '''1979–present''' || President of Angola. One-party state; did not stand for election until 1992 (see [http://www.cpj.org/Briefings/2000/Angola_Marques_00/Angola_Marques_00.html]).
|-
|align=center|[[João Bernardo Vieira]] ||align=center| [[Guinea-Bissau]] ||align=center| 1980-1984 and '''2005-present''' || become president by a coup. killing and exiled opposition. faoumes for the [[Guinea-Bissau Civil War]].
|-
|align=center|[[Samuel K. Doe]] ||align=center| [[Liberia]] ||align=center| 1980–1990 || Chairman of the People's Redemption Council 1980-1984; President of Liberia 1984-1990. Gained power in a military coup that killed President [[William R. Tolbert, Jr.]], a [[Reform movement|reformer]]. Promoted [[Krahn]] chauvinism and "died a multi-millionaire and proud owner of mansions and estates" (see[http://www.theperspective.org/2004/oct/bookpeople.html]).
|-
|align=center|[[Robert Mugabe]] ||align=center| [[Zimbabwe]] ||align=center| '''1980–present''' ||
Gained power through election, and repeatedly re-elected, but criticized for steps used to maintain power. From 1999 on, used police and militant groups like the War Veterans Association and [[Border Gezi Youth]] to enforce [[ZANU-PF]] policies and to prevent opponents from voting; called "king" by his aides.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/1709488.stm] Arrested and tortured opponents and human rights activists; gave amnesty to murderers of his political opponents in 2000; ignores court rulings.[http://www.guardian.co.uk/elsewhere/journalist/story/0,7792,410850,00.html]
|-
|align=center|[[Jerry Rawlings]] ||align=center| [[Ghana]] ||align=center| 1981-1992 || Gained power in a military coup during 1979 but handed it over. Re-took power in another coup of 1981. Elected President in 1992 and again in 1996 before standing aside as per the constitution.
|-
|align=center|[[André Kolingba]] ||align=center| [[Central African Republic]] ||align=center| 1981–1993 || Chairman of the Military Committee of National Recovery 1981-1985; President of the Central African Republic 1985-1993. Gained power in a coup; persecuted opposition; allowed (and lost) free elections in 1993. Attempted second coup in 2001.
|-
|align=center|[[Hosni Mubarak]] || align=center|[[Egypt]] || align=center| 1981-2011 || Former President of Egypt. Did not stand in a contested election until 2005, when a highly-restricted democratic process was allowed. Was forced from power after a series of mass protests.
|-
|align=center|[[Paul Biya]] ||align=center| [[Cameroon]] ||align=center| '''1982–present''' || He served under President Ahmadou Ahidjo and became Prime Minister in 1975. Ahidjo resigned on November 6, 1982 and Biya became president. After years of totalitarian rule, he allowed the creation of opposition parties in 1990 but his re-elections have been marked by widespread fraud and intimidation.
|-
|align=center|[[Hissène Habré]] ||align=center| [[Chad]] ||align=center| 1982–1990 || Chairman of the Council of State 1982; President of Chad 1982-1990. Gained power in a coup; abolished post of Prime Minister; executed opposition leaders.
|-
|align=center|[[Thomas Sankara]] ||align=center| [[Burkina Faso]] ||align=center| 1983-1987 || President of Upper Volta 1983-1984; President of Burkina Faso 1984-1987. Gained power in coup. Lead millitary regime. Overthrown and killed in coup.
|-
|align=center|[[Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya]] ||align=center| [[Mauritania]] ||align=center| 1984–2005 || Deposed the military head of state, [[Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla]], on December 1984 and declared himself Chairman of the Military Committee for National Salvation. Deposed by [[Ely Ould Mohamed Vall]] in a bloodless coup d'état. 
|-
|align=center|[[Ibrahim Babangida]] ||align=center| [[Nigeria]] ||align=center| 1985-1993 || Annulled the most free and fair presidential election in the history of Nigeria, leading to the death of the presidenstial candidate [[Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola]].
|-
|align=center|[[Zine El Abidine Ben Ali]] ||align=center| [[Tunisia]] ||align=center| 1987–2011 || President of Tunisia. Although he announced [[Pluralism#Plualism in politics|political pluralism]] in 1992, his Democratic Constitutional Rally (formerly Neo-Destour party) continues to dominate the national politics and there is no genuine open political debate. In 1999, although two unknown alternative candidates were permitted for the first time to stand in the presidential elections, Ben Ali was re-elected with 99.66% of the vote. A controversial constitutional referendum in 2002 allowed him to seek re-election and contemplate the possibility of remaining in office until 2014. On October 24, 2004, he was again re-elected, officially taking 94.48% of the vote. Certain books, periodicals and internet sites are banned or blocked. The [http://www.tunisiatv.com National Television] frequently show his actions during a week, but often the President only appears in passing on television. In 2011 he was forced from power after mass protests.
|-
|align=center|[[Omar Hasan Ahmad al-Bashir]] ||align=center| [[Sudan]] ||align=center| '''1989–present''' || President of the Revolutionary Command Council for National Salvation 1989-1993; President of Sudan 1993-present. Took power in a military coup and increasingly centralized power into himself. Widely believed to be implicated in the [[Darfur]] [[Janjaweed]] [[pogrom]]s.
|-
|align=center|[[Idriss Déby]] ||align=center| [[Chad]] ||align=center| '''1990–present''' || Head of State 1990-1991; President of Chad 1991 to date. Gained power in a coup; continues to suppress opposition and press (see [http://web.amnesty.org/report2005/tcd-summary-eng]).
|-
|align=center|[[Sani Abacha]] ||align=center| [[Nigeria]] ||align=center| 1993–1998 || Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council 1993-1998. Seized power in a coup; persecuted opposition; never stood for election. Jailed Chief [[Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola]], the presumed winner of the annulled 1993 presidential election; presided over execution of activist [[Ken Saro-Wiwa]].
|-
|align=center|[[Paul Kagame]] || align=center|[[Rwanda]] || align=center|'''1994-present''' || Vice-President of Rwanda 1994-2000; President 2000-Present. Brouhgt to power by a guerilla movement which plunged the country into bloodshed and led to the Rwandan Genocide in 1994. Responsible of the the killings of innocent civilians, women and children in Kibeho refugee camp. Responsible of the killings of 4 millions congolese. Responsible of the killings of Priests and Archbishops in Kabgayi.
|-
|align=center|[[Yahya Jammeh]] ||align=center| [[The Gambia]] ||align=center| '''1994-Present''' || President of The Gambia. Gained power in coup d'état. Right to the press and free speech supressed. Stood for three elections (1996, 2001, and 2006); last election deemed unfair by opposition.
|-
|align=center|[[Laurent-Désiré Kabila]] ||align=center| [[Congo-Kinshasa]] ||align=center| 1997–2001 || President of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Overthrew [[Mobutu Sese Seko]] in coup. No elections held during ongoing, interstate [[First Congo War|First]] and [[Second Congo War]]s.
|-
|align=center|[[Charles G. Taylor]] ||align=center| [[Liberia]] ||align=center| 1997–2003 || President of Liberia 1997-2003. Elected, but widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.guardian.co.uk/sierra/article/0,2763,221878,00.html], [http://www.cij.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewNews&newsID=9], [http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2003/127/48.0.html]). Linked to "[[blood diamonds]]" and illegal arms trading. Believed to have interfered frequently in the internal affairs of neighboring states while a [[warlord]], before his election to the presidency.
|-
|align=center|[[François Bozizé]] ||align=center| [[Central African Republic]] ||align=center| 2003–2013 || President of the Central African Republic 2003 to date. Gained power in a coup and suspended the constitution, though he has restored some democracy (see [http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/02/28/1456242]).
|-
|align=center|[[Ely Ould Mohamed Vall]] ||align=center| [[Mauritania]] ||align=center| 2005-2007 || Chairman of the Military Council for Justice and Democracy. Gained power via a military coup. Though he has said to relinquish power to an elected government in 2007.
|-
|align=center|[[Michael Sata]] ||align=center| [[Zambia]] ||align=center| '''2011–present''' || Elected President of Zambia. Sata shut down the opposition and maintains relationships with [[Robert Mugabe]].
|-
|align=center|[[Mohamed Morsi]] ||align=center| [[Egypt]] ||align=center| '''2012–present''' || Supported by the Muslim Brotherhood. Described Jews as "apes and pigs". Massively expanded his presidential authority upon being elected, giving himself unlimited powers.
|}

==The Americas==
===North America===

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center|[[Agustín de Iturbide]] || align=center|[[Mexico]] || align=center|1822 - 1823 || Shortly after the Mexican War of Independence, he was declared Emperor of Mexico in 1822. Repressive, cracked down on free speech and any opposition. Desposed when popular opposition forced him to abdicate.
|-
| align=center|[[Antonio López de Santa Anna|Antonio López de Santa Anna]] || align=center|[[Mexico]] || align=center|1833 - 1855 (intermittent) || President or Provisional President of Mexico 1833-1837, then 1841 to February 1844, June to December 1844, March to September 1847 and finally 1853-1855. When [[Anastasio Bustamante]] led a coup overthrowing and killing President [[Vicente Guerrero]], Santa Anna seized power and then was elected President in 1833. At first he gave a free hand to his vice-president [[Valentín Gómez Farías]], a liberal reformer. Later he dismissed Gómez Farías, declared the Constitution suspended, disbanded the Congress and worked to concentrate power in the central government. He was overthrown and restored to power several times before his final overthrow in 1855.
|-
| align=center|[[Porfirio Díaz]] || align=center|[[Mexico]] || align=center|1879 - 1910 || Interim president 1876-1877; President of Mexico 1877-1880, 1884-1911. ''De facto'' ruler 1880-1884. Gained power in a coup, after his Revolution of Tuxtepac overthrew his predecessor, Lerdo. He did not run for reelection after his first term in order to keep his one-term promises that he made during his revolution. However, he retook the presidency a few years later and did not leave from power until the [[Mexican Revolution|Revolution of 1910]] kicked him from the Presidency. His rule saw the rapid modernization of Mexico, progress mainly caused by Diaz's encouragement of foreign investment in the country's infrastructure. However, the poor became quite miserable during this time. Political opposition was squelched and rebellions were put down by the ''rurals'', Diaz's personal guard. He was eventually overthrown by the [[Mexican Revolution|Revolution]] which lasted 10 years.
|-
| align=center|[[Victoriano Huerta]] || align=center|[[Mexico]] || align=center|1913 - 1914 || Appointed president, established a military dictatorship for about a year, and then was forced to resign.
|}

===Central America===
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center|[[Rafael Carrera]] || align=center|[[Guatemala]] || align=center|1844–1848 1851–1865 || President of Guatemala. Gained power in a coup; styled himself [[President for Life]].
|-
|align=center|[[William Walker]] ||align=center| [[Nicaragua]] ||align=center| 1856-1857 || An american fillibuster takes over and proclaims himself President of Nicaragua. Tried to conquer several central american countries. Eventually executed.
|-
| align=center|[[Justo Rufino Barrios]] || align=center|[[Guatemala]] || align=center|1873–1885 || President of Guatemala. Gained power in a bloody coup, but introduced reforms.
|-
| align=center|[[Manuel Estrada Cabrera]] || align=center|[[Guatemala]] || align=center|1898–1920 || President of Guatemala. Never elected; subverted constitution; widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9033093], [http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761558775/Estrada_Cabrera_Manuel.html]). Constructed numerous large [[Ancient Greece|Hellenic]]-style temples as monuments to his rule.
|-
| align=center|[[Maximiliano Hernández Martínez]] || align=center|[[El Salvador]] || align=center|1931–1934 1935–1944 || Acting President 1931-1934; President of El Salvador 1935-1944. Gained power in a coup; suppressed opposition; oversaw massacre of between ten and forty thousand suspected opponents. Presided over ''[[1932 Salvadoran peasant uprising|La Matanza]]'' in 1932, a massacre (genocide) of communists, suspected communists, [[campesinos]] and [[Pipil]] Indians (see [http://countrystudies.us/el-salvador/7.htm]).
|-
| align=center|[[Jorge Ubico]] || align=center|[[Guatemala]] || align=center|1931–1944 || President of Guatemala. Elected, but suppressed opposition and "assumed dictatorial powers".
|-
| align=center|[[Tiburcio Carías Andino]] || align=center|[[Honduras]] || align=center|1933–1949 || President of Honduras. Banned opposition and set up a [[Rubberstamp (politics)|rubber-stamp]] congress; suppressed unions (see[http://countrystudies.us/honduras/19.htm]).
|-
| align=center|[[Anastasio Somoza García]] || align=center|[[Nicaragua]] || align=center|1937–1956 || Somoza used his position as head of the [[National Guard (Nicaragua)|National Guard]] to overthrow President [[Juan Bautista Sacasa]]; centralized constitutional authority under his control; alternately rigged elections for himself or installed relatives in his place; kleptocrat.[http://www.immigrantinfo.org/kin/nicaragua.htm][http://www.country-data.com/cgi-bin/query/r-9212.html].
|-
| align=center|[[Carlos Castillo Armas]] || align=center|[[Guatemala]] || align=center|1954–1957 || Junta Chairman, 1954; President of Guatemala 1954-1957. Gained power in a coup; banned the popular [[Guatemalan Party of Labour|Communist party]]; purged trade unions of leftist influence; declared himself president in 1956. Assassinated.
|-
| align=center|[[Oswaldo López Arellano]] || align=center|[[Honduras]] || align=center|1963–1971 1972–1975 || Head of Military Government 1963-1965; President of Honduras 1965-1971; Head of State 1972-1975. Military officer who allowed elections in 1971 before re-seizing power the next year. According to Clara Nieto in ''Masters of War: Latin America and United States Aggression from the Cuban Revolution through the Clinton years'', p. 114 (ISBN 1-58322-545-5): "During this second term (1972-1975) López governed without a congress and by decree."
|-
| align=center|[[Anastasio Somoza Debayle]] || align=center|[[Nicaragua]] || align=center|1967-1979 || Succeeded his somewhat more liberal brother [[Luis Somoza Debayle|Luis]]; stepped down briefly in 1972, then resumed the presidency after an earthquake; outlawed several opposition parties; declared [[martial law]] in response to guerilla opposition; oversaw brutal repression by the National Guard.
|-
| align=center|[[Omar Torrijos]] || align=center|[[Panama]] || align=center|1968–1981 || Commander of the National Guard. Gained power in a coup; banned opposition, unions and free press.
|-
| align=center|[[Manuel Noriega]] || align=center|[[Panama]]|| align=center|1983–1989 || Commander of the National Guard and ''de facto'' military leader, widely described as a dictator (see [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9056130], [http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761561240/Noriega_Moreno_Manuel_Antonio.html], [http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/8155061.htm]).
|}

===South America===

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center|[[José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia]] || align=center|[[Paraguay]] || align=center|1813-1814 and 1814-1840 ||gained power in election. Outlawed all opposition. Installed a police state. Cult of personality; citizens forced to raise their hats or a brim when he passed by; styled himself with the position name "El Supremo". 
|-
| align=center| [[Simón Bolívar]] || align=center| [[Gran Columbia]] || align=center| 1821-1830 || Though an admirer of classical liberal democracy, the founder and president of Gran Colombia proclaimed himself dictator in 1828 after an unsuccessful constitutional convention. Resigned eighteen months later.
|-
| align=center|[[Juan Manuel de Rosas]] || align=center|[[Argentina]] || align=center|1835–1852 || Governor of Buenos Aires 1829-1832, 1835-1852; Supreme Chief of the Argentine Confederation 1851-1852. Assumed dictatorial powers; exiled opponents.
|-
| align=center|[[Carlos Antonio López]] || align=center|[[Paraguay]] || align=center|1841–1862 || First Consul 1841-1844; President of Paraguay 1844-1862. 
|-
| align=center|[[Manuel Belzu]] || align=center|[[Bolivia]] || align=center|1848–1855 || Provisional President of Bolivia 1848-1850; President of Bolivia 1850-1855. Unelected military ruler; ''[[caudillo]]''. A populist and nationalist who voluntarily relinquished power after 1855 elections, described in (ISBN 0-13-524356-4), p.131, as the "cleanest ever held" in (early) Bolivian history.
|-
| align=center|[[Francisco Solano López]] || align=center|[[Paraguay]] || align=center|1862–1869 || President of Paraguay. Inherited power from his father; had himself awarded immense powers by a congress he had packed with supporters. Killed in the [[War of the Triple Alliance]] (which Lopez had caused by invading Brazil), along with 90 per cent of the Paraguayan adult (age 14+) male population.
|-
| align=center|[[Mariano Melgarejo]] || align=center|[[Bolivia]] || align=center|1864–1871 || Provisional President 1864-1870; President of Bolivia 1870-1871. Gained power in a coup and ruthlessly suppressed opposition. In 1869 he sent the army to suppress an uprising by [[Huaichu]] Indians attempting to regain land privileges they enjoyed under President Belzu (see ISBN 1-55753-324-5).
|-
| align=center|[[Antonio Guzmán Blanco]] || align=center|[[Venezuela]] || align=center|1870–1888 || Acting President of Venezuela 1863, 1865; General-in-chief April-July 1870; Provisional President of Venezuela 1870-1873; President of Venezuela 1873 - 1877; Supreme Director 1879; Provisional President of Venezuela 1879 - 1880; President of Venezuela 1880 -1884, 1886 -1888. Described, perhaps inaccurately, as a "benevolent despot"; other sources mention his "long dictatorship" (see[http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:ghIhQZ7WhgUJ:www.normangall.com/artigos/Church_Militant.pdf+Antonio+Guzm%C3%A1n+Blanco+%22dictator%22]).
|-
| align=center|[[Cipriano Castro]] || align=center|[[Venezuela]] || align=center|1899–1909 || Supreme Chief 1899-1901; Provisional President 1901 - 1902, 1904 - 1905; President of Venezuela 1902 - 1904, 1905 - 1909. Took over in a military coup (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:kdvql1ZK2-4J:www.sg.inter.edu/revista-ciscla/volume29/singh.pdf+Antonio+Guzm%C3%A1n+Blanco+%22dictator%22]).
|-
| align=center|[[Rafael Reyes]] || align=center|[[Colombia]] || align=center|1904–1909 || President 1904 - 1909, as a military ruler representing the Conservatives. "In the course of his regime, Reyes improved the country’s finances, expanded roads and railroads, and encouraged increased coffee production. Large U.S. investments and purchases of coffee and minerals contributed to Colombia’s economic growth. However, Reyes ruled as a dictator. He dissolved the congress and replaced it with a handpicked legislature, jailed and exiled political opponents, and declared martial law." (''Colombia'', [[Encarta|Microsoft Encarta]] 2003)
|-
| align=center|[[Juan Vicente Gómez]] || align=center|[[Venezuela]] || align=center|1909–1914 1922–1929 1931–1935 || Provisional President 1909-1910; President of Venezuela 1910-1914, 1922-1929, 1931-1935. Gained power in a coup; never elected; kleptocrat; widely described as a dictator (see [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9037322], [http://movies2.nytimes.com/gst/movies/movie.html?v_id=156078], [http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761563557/Juan_Vicente_Gomez.html]).
|-
| align=center|[[Óscar Benavides]] || align=center|[[Peru]] || align=center|1914–1915 1933–1939 || Junta Chairman 1914; President of Peru 1914-1915, 1933-1939. Twice gained power by coup.
|-
| align=center|[[Augusto B. Leguía y Salcedo|Augusto Leguía]] || align=center|[[Peru]] || 1919–1930 || President of Peru. Gained power in a coup; ignored constitution; suppressed and exiled opposition.
|-
| align=center|[[Carlos Ibáñez del Campo]] || align=center|[[Chile]] || align=center|1927–1931 || Acting President 1927, President 1927 - 1931. Democratically elected to a six-year term in 1952.
|-
| align=center|[[Getúlio Vargas]] || align=center|[[Brazil]] || align=center|1930–1934 1937–1945 || Head of provisional government 1930-1934 after revolution; indirectly elected as Constitutional President 1934-1937; launched a coup in 1937 and became dictator 1937-1945; democratically-elected President of Brazil 1950-1954.
|-
| align=center|[[Gabriel Terra]] || align=center|[[Uruguay]] || align=center|1931–1938 || President of Uruguay. Suspended congress and dissolved constitution in 1933. 
|-
| align=center|[[Higinio Morínigo]] || align=center|[[Paraguay]] || align=center|1940–1948 || Provisional president 1940-1943; President of Paraguay 1943-1948. Seized absolute power; ruled by [[diktat]] until 1946.
|-
| align=center|[[Manuel Odría]] || align=center|[[Peru]] || align=center|1948–1956 || Chairman of military junta 1948 - 1950; President of Peru 1950 - 1956. Gained power in a coup; restricted civil rights; allowed election in 1956.
|-
| align=center|[[Marcos Pérez Jiménez]] || align=center|[[Venezuela]] || align=center|1948–1958 || Member of military junta 1948 - 1952; Provisional president 1952 -1953; President of Venezuela 1953 - 1958. Never elected; pursued opposition violently; credited with improvements to the country's infrastructure.
|-
| align=center|[[Gustavo Rojas Pinilla]] || align=center|[[Colombia]] || align=center|1953–1957 || President of Colombia. Gained power in a coup.
|-
| align=center|[[Alfredo Stroessner]] || align=center|[[Paraguay]] || align=center|1954–1989 || President of Paraguay. He took over in a military coup (see[http://www.foreignaffairs.org/19890301faessay5951/riordan-roett/paraguay-after-stroessner.html], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:vqkaVDmcvaIJ:www.columbia.edu/cu/polisci/pdf-files/apsa_krutz.pdf+Stroessner+dictator],[http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:qfMgvA6bakgJ:users.ox.ac.uk/~newc1465/Proudman%2520-%2520SoftPowerMeetsHard.pdf+Stroessner+dictator]). 
|-
| align=center|[[Humberto de Alencar Castelo Branco|Humberto Castelo Branco]] || align=center|[[Brazil]] || align=center|1964–1967 || President of Brazil. Gained power in a coup; abolished most opposition; subsequently appointed by congress.
|-
| align=center|[[René Barrientos]] || align=center|[[Bolivia]] || align=center|1964–1969 || Chairman of the military junta, 1964-January 1966 (jointly with [[Alfredo Ovando]] 1965-1966); President of Bolivia, August 1966 - 1969. Gained power in military coup; kleptocrat; responsible for [[Catavi massacre]] and execution of [[Che Guevara]] (ISBN 0-85345-991-6), p.136.
|-
| align=center|[[Forbes Burnham]] || align=center|[[Guyana]] || align=center|1966–1985 || Prime Minister 1966 - 1980; President 1980 - 1985. Elected, but became increasingly dictatorial; held dubious elections and encouraged leftist religious cults (such as the [[Peoples Temple]]) to settle in the Guyanese interior (see [http://www.jagan.org/janet_jagan29.htm], [http://www.hardbeatnews.com/editor/RTE/my_documents/my_files/details.asp?newsid=4498&title=Politics]).
|-
| align=center|[[Artur da Costa e Silva]] || align=center|[[Brazil]] || align=center|1967–1969 || President of Brazil 1967-1969. Elected in 1966, but centralised power; closed the Congress; banned opposition; suspended free press. Decreed [[Institutional Act No. 5]], described as "the most unconstitutional, anti-democratic, arbitrary, and repressive decree in Brazil's history." (ISBN 1-58322-545-5), p.167.
|-
| align=center|[[Emílio Garrastazu Médici]] || align=center|[[Brazil]] || align=center|1969–1974 || President of Brazil. Appointed by congress, but instituted a military government; suppressed press and opposition (see[http://www.wrm.org.uy/bulletin/62/index.rtf]).
|-
| align=center|[[Hugo Banzer]] || align=center|[[Bolivia]] || align=center|1971–1978 || President of Bolivia. Gained power in a coup; suppressed opposition; closed universities; 3,000 opponents arrested, 200 killed.
|-
| align=center|[[Juan María Bordaberry]] || align=center|[[Uruguay]] || align=center|1972–1976 || President of Uruguay 1972 - 1976. Elected, but installed a military government, dissolved Congress, suspended civil liberties and banned unions.
|-
| align=center|[[Augusto Pinochet]] || align=center|[[Chile]] || align=center|1973–1990 || Chairman of military junta 1973-1974; Supreme Head of the Nation 1974; President of Chile 1974 - 1990. Gained power in a coup; suppressed and exiled opposition; over 3000 "[[Forced disappearance|disappearances]]" and 28,000 tortured.
|-
| align=center|[[Ernesto Geisel]] || align=center|[[Brazil]] || align=center|1974-1979 || Congress-appointed President of Brazil. The fourth of the military dictators; party and union freedom were still inexistent during his term; had oppositionists like journalist [[Wladimir Herzog]] and factory worker [[Manoel Fiel Filho]] tortured and murdered.
|-
| align=center|[[Jorge Rafael Videla]] || align=center|[[Argentina]] || align=center|1976–1981 || President of Argentina. Gained power in a coup; never elected; between ten and thirty thousand opponents killed.
|-
| align=center|[[João Baptista de Oliveira Figueiredo]] || align=center|[[Brazil]] || align=center|1979-1985 || Congress-appointed President of Brazil. Society won some democratic measures these years, but there was still a major fraud during 1982 State government elections. His government was responsible for the 1983 bomb in the Riocentro.
|-
| align=center|[[Dési Bouterse]] || align=center|[[Suriname]] || align=center|1980–1988 || Chairman of the National Military Council 1980-1988. Gained power in a coup; never elected; widespread misrule. Most infamous atrocity is the ''[[Decembermoorden]]''.
|-
| align=center|[[Luis García Meza Tejada]] || align=center|[[Bolivia]] || align=center|1980–1981 || President of Bolivia. Gained power in the "Cocaine Coup" aided by [[Klaus Barbie]]; highly repressive; over 1,000 killed.
|-
| align=center|[[Gregorio Conrado Álvarez]] || align=center|[[Uruguay]] || align=center|1981–1985 || President of Uruguay. Ignored constitution; extensive human rights abuses (see [http://www.rulers.org/indexa2.html]).
|-
| align=center|[[Leopoldo Galtieri]] || align=center|[[Argentina]] || align=center|1981–1982 || President of Argentina 1981-1982. Gained power in a coup (see[http://www.guardian.co.uk/argentina/story/0,,873601,00.html], [http://english.pravda.ru/world/2003/01/14/41968.html]). Deposed after failed [[Falklands War|invasion of the Falkland Islands]] in 1982.
|-
|align=center| [[Alberto Fujimori]] || align=center|[[Peru]] || align=center|1992-1993 || President of Peru 1990-2000, widely critizised for his political authoritarism. [http://www.fpif.org/briefs/vol5/v5n34peru_body.html][http://www.aprodeh.org.pe/fujimori/delitos-eng.htm] [http://www.cverdad.org.pe/ingles/pagina01.php]. After enjoying a certain degree of popular support, Fujimori was forced from office following controvertial third term re-election[http://archives.cnn.com/2000/WORLD/americas/05/29/peru.elections.04/]. In 2000 political opponent Mario Vargas Llosa called Fujimori a "dictator" [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/741841.stm]. His government was also marked by the influence of the director of the SIN, [[Vladimiro Montesinos]] [http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1477-7053.2005.00165.x?cookieSet=1&journalCode=goop][http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB37/]. Currently in Peru, Fujimori is in trial for presumed charges ranging from corruption to participation in crimes against humanity. [http://www.hrw.org/backgrounder/americas/peru-qna-1030.htm].
|-
|align=center|[[Hugo Chávez]] ||align=center| [[Venezuela]] ||align=center| 1999-2012 || Appointed special powers, nationalized the media and oil companies,Shut down opposition media and banned "The Simpsons."
|-

|align=center|[[Nicolás Maduro]] ||align=center| [[Venezuela]] ||align=center| '''2013-present''' || Continues the corrupt ideology of Hugo Chavez, which destroys the economy of Venezuela.
|-
|}

===Caribbean===

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center|[[Jean-Jacques Dessalines]] || align=center|[[Haiti]] || align=center|1804-1806 || Governor-General of Haiti 1804; Emperor of Haiti (as Jacques I) 1804 - 1806. Ruled autocratically.
|-
| align=center|[[Henry Christophe]] || align=center|[[Haiti]] (northern)|| align=center|1806-1820 || Provisional Chief of the Haitian Government 1806-1807; President of Haiti 1807-1811; King of Haiti (as Henry I) 1811-1820. Ruled autocratically.
|-
| align=center|[[Pedro Santana]] || align=center|[[Dominican Republic]] || align=center|1844-1848, 1853 -1856, 1858 - 1861 || Never elected; suppressed opposition; widely considered a dictator.
|-
| align=center|[[Buenaventura Báez]] || align=center|[[Dominican Republic]] || align=center|1849-1878 (intermittent) || President of the Dominican Republic five times. Gained power following coups; never elected.
|-
| align=center|[[Ulises Heureaux]] || align=center|[[Dominican Republic]] || align=center|1882-1899 (intermittent) || President of the Dominican Republic three times. Never elected; widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.marcusgarvey.com/wmview.php?ArtID=507], [http://countrystudies.us/dominican-republic/8.htm], [http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-7709.2004.00452.x]).
|-
| align=center|[[Gerardo Machado]] || align=center|[[Cuba]] || align=center|1925-1933 || President of Cuba. A follower of [[Benito Mussolini]], he is widely described as a dictator (see [http://www.historicaltextarchive.com/sections.php?op=viewarticle&artid=672], [http://www.highbeam.com/ref/doc0.asp?docid=1E1:MachadoG]).
|-
| align=center|[[Rafael Trujillo]] || align=center|[[Dominican Republic]] || align=center|1930-1961 || President of the Dominican Republic 1930 - 1938, 1942 - 1952; ''de facto'' ruler 1930-1961. Gained power in a coup; cult of personality (renamed the capital [[Ciudad Trujillo]]); promoted racism against Haitians and ordered the massacre of 20,000 blacks.
|-
| align=center|[[Paul Magloire]] || align=center|[[Haiti]] || align=center|1950-1956 || President of Haiti. Gained power in a coup; never elected.
|-
| align=center|[[François Duvalier]] || align=center|[[Haiti]] || align=center|1957-1971 || President of Haiti. Elected in 1957, but banned opposition; declared himself [[President for Life]] in 1964; highly repressive.
|-
| align=center|[[Fidel Castro]] || align=center|[[Cuba]] || align=center| 1959-2006 || Prime Minister of Cuba 1959-1976; President of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers from 1976. Gained power after [[Cuban Revolution|revolution]]. Castro was elected President [[Elections in Cuba|after 1976]], but within a one-party [[Communist state]].
|-
| align=center|[[Jean-Claude Duvalier]] || align=center|[[Haiti]] || align=center|1971-1986 || President of Haiti. Inherited presidency aged 19 from his father; never elected.
|-
| align=center|[[Eric Gairy]] || align=center|[[Grenada]] || align=center|1974-1979 || Prime Minister of Grenada 1967-1979. Widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.factbites.com/topics/Eric-Gairy], [http://www.paradise-inn-carriacou.com/grenada_revolution.php], [http://counterpunch.org/gibson06052004.html]). 
|-
| align=center|[[Raoul Cédras]] || align=center|[[Haiti]] || align=center|1991-1994 || ''De facto'' ruler for a relatively short period of time. Gained power in a coup (see [http://www.haitisupport.gn.apc.org/infamous.htm]).
|-
|align=center|[[Raul Castro]] ||align=center| [[Cuba]] ||align=center| '''2006-present''' || Appointed successor by his brother of the Communist Party of Cuba.
|-
|}

==Asia==

===Western Asia ("Middle East")===

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|
|-
| align=center|[[Abdul Karim Qassem]] || align=center|[[Iraq]] || align=center|1958–1963 || Gained power by coup; viewed by some as benevolent (see [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/03/18/wisad18.xml]).
|-
| align=center|[[Abdul Salam Arif]] || align=center|[[Iraq]] || align=center|1963–1966 || Gained power in a coup; military ruler.
|-
| align=center|[[Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr]] || align=center|[[Iraq]] || align=center|1968–1979 || Gained power in a coup; never elected.
|-
| align=center|[[Hafez al-Assad]] || align=center|[[Syria]] || align=center|1970–2000 ||Gained power in a coup; totalitarian;{{fact}} cult of personality; oversaw [[Hama massacre]] yielding twenty to forty thousand dead (see [http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=M1ARTM0012197]).
|-
| align=center|[[Ruhollah Khomeini]] || align=center|[[Iran]] || align=center|1979–1989 || As [[Supreme Leader of Iran|Supreme Leader]], held ultimate and uncontested authority over all government matters under the principle of [[Guardianship of the Islamic Jurists|Guardianship]]. Created the extra-constitutional [[Special Clerical Court]] system in 1987, accountable only to the Supreme Leader and used principally for suppression of political dissent. Instituted routine torture, beheadings for children.
|-
| align=center|[[Saddam Hussein]] || align=center|[[Iraq]] || align=center|1979–2003 || Pressured Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr to resign in 1979 and formally became president. Repressive; developed extensive personality cult; deposed by [[United States]] and coalition forces in an invasion.
|-
| align=center|[[Ali Khamenei|Ayatollah Ali Khamenei]]||align=center| [[Iran]] ||align=center| '''1989-present''' || Continues Khomeini's [[Islamist]] path & uses religion as a tool, cracks down on all authentic dissent, tortures, and has given orders that permit killings like that of [[Akbar Mohammadi]] and [[Zahra Kazemi]]. Only permitts [[government-organized demonstrations]]. Allows a multi-party government but disallows the candidacy of true moderates.[http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=9940][http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1527919/][http://www.nationalreview.com/ledeen/ledeen200505310823.asp][http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1154652871.shtml][http://isd.georgetown.edu/demo_0102.pdf][http://www.boycottliberalism.com/liberalcelebrity.htm]ISBN 0-16-074590-X
|-
| align=center|[[Bashar al-Assad]] || align=center|[[Syria]] || align=center|'''2000–present''' || No opposition permitted in election following death of his father; widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.opinionjournal.com/best/?id=110007449], [http://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP92405], [http://www.freeman.org/m_online/feb04/pasko.htm]).
|}

===Central Asia===

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center|[[Askar Akayev]] || align=center|[[Kyrgyzstan]] || align=center|1990–2005 || Appointed but became increasingly authoritarian; widely described as a dictator (see [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4542783.stm], [http://www.villagevoice.com/blogs/bushbeat/archive/000935.php], [http://www.eurasianet.org/resource/kazakhstan/hypermail/200507/0023.shtml]).
|-
| align=center|[[Islam Karimov]] || align=center|[[Uzbekistan]] || align=center|'''1991–present''' || Described as authoritarian who is increasingly centralizing power (see [http://www.ingentaconnect.com/search/expand?pub=infobike://bell/soviet/2003/00000019/00000004/art00002&unc=], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:uuOVzdj_xBoJ:www1.dogus.edu.tr/dogustru/journal/sayi_6/M00073.PDF+%22Islam+Karimov%22+%22dictator%22]). Elections essentially uncontested and unmonitored. Opposition repressed. 
|-
| align=center|[[Saparmurat Niyazov]] || align=center|[[Turkmenistan]] || align=center|1991–2006 || Declared [[President for Life]] in 1999; [[cult of personality]]; his book ''[[Ruhnama]]'' is to be treated with reverence (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:blnbM3mP0eAJ:www.eurasianet.org/turkmenistan.project/files2/050603Turkmenreport.pdf+%22Niyazov%22+%22dictatorship%22], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:Ie2QfLuR_ysJ:www.ndu.edu/ctnsp/tamerlane/Tamerlane-Chapter2.pdf+%22Niyazov%22+%22dictatorship%22]).
|-
| align=center|[[Muhammed Omar]] || align=center|[[Afghanistan]] || align=center|1996–2001 || Considered a Theocratic Dictator who excercized strict sharia laws; allowed the persecution of Hazaras; gave Al Qaeda refuge in Afghanistan. (see[http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0881088.html][http://www.afghan-web.com/bios/today/momar.html]).
|-
| align=center|[[Ilham Aliyev]] || align=center|[[Azerbaijan]] || align=center|'''2003–present''' || Dubious election; opposition suppressed (see[http://www.underreported.com/print.php?sid=1241]).
|-
| align=center| [[Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedow]] || align=center|[[Turkmenistan]] || align=center|'''2006-present''' ||Unelected, appointed as successor upon Niyazov's death. Turkemnistan still continues to be oppresive and a single-party state.
|}

===South Asia===
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center|[[Ayub Khan]] || align=center|[[Pakistan]] || align=center|1958–1969 || Gained power in a coup. Subsequent elections considered dubious (see[http://www.storyofpakistan.com/articletext.asp?artid=A069], [http://www.indianexpress.com/messages.php?content_id=71414]).
|-
| align=center|[[Yahya Khan]] || align=center|[[Pakistan]] || align=center|1969–1971 || Military ruler, gaining power from coup (see [http://presidentyahya.com],[http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/pakistantimeline.html], [http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/kpsgill/terrorism/04Jan10Pio.htm]).
|-
| align=center|[[Maumoon Abdul Gayoom]] || align=center|[[Maldives]] || align=center|1978–2008 || [[Autocracy|Autocrat]]; widely considered to be a dictator; no opposition or free press allowed.
|-
| align=center|[[Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq]] || align=center|[[Pakistan]] || align=center|1978–1988 || Took over following coup. Claimed government to be legitimate because it was Islamic (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:dcmhb0vRS4wJ:smartech.gatech.edu:8282/dspace/bitstream/1853/6901/1/kulkarni_nikhil_v_200505_ms.pdf+%22Muhammad+Zia%22+%22dictator%22]).
|-
| align=center|[[Rahimuddin Khan]] || align=center|[[Balochistan (Pakistan)]] || align=center|1978–1984 || Appointed supreme Martial Law Governor of Balochistan by central Pakistani military government following coup. (see [http://www.answers.com/rahimuddin%20khan]).
|-
|align=center|[[Hossain Mohammad Ershad]] || align=center|[[Bangladesh]] || align=center|1982–1990 ||Gained power in a coup; declared martial law; never elected.
|-
|align=center| [[Pervez Musharraf]] || align=center| [[Pakistan]] || align=center| 1999-2008 || Deposed Nawaz Sharif in a military coup, calling it a necessity during a state of emergency. Governed directly as commander in chief until Parliament reconvened in November 2002. Assumed the title of President upon Rafiq Tarar's resignation and stood in a referendum in 2002. Opposition parties state that the rule of law in his custody has deteriorated further.
|}

===Eastern Asia ("Far East")===
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in   power !! Notes
|-
|align=center|[[Tokugawa Ieyasu]] || align=center|[[Japan]] || align=center|1600-1616|| Shogun of [[Japan]] and founder of the long reigning [[Tokugawa shogunate]]. Gained power by unifying the warring clans during [[Japan]]'s long period of civil unrest. He also created an "alternate attendance" system to pacify the [[daimyo]] warlords, as well as closing and isolating trade and the economy, in order to retain his power. His rule was also marked by persecution of european missionaries and japanese christians.
|-
|align=center|[[Yuan Shikai]] || align=center|[[Republic of China]] || align=center|1912–1916 || [[President of the Republic of China]] 1912 - 1915, self-proclaimed [[Emperor of China]], 1916. Ignored legislative consent as defined by the [[Constitution of the Republic of China|Constitution]]; dissolved the [[National Assembly of the Republic of China|National Assembly]]; assassinated [[Song Jiaoren]]; disbanded the [[Kuomintang]].
|-
| align=center|[[Roman von Ungern-Sternberg]] || align=center|[[Mongolia]] || align=center|1921 || 
Born, Baron Roman Nicolaus von Ungern-Sternberg (Роман Фёдорович Унгерн фон Штернберг), in Graf, Austria of Prussian nobility, von Ungern-Sternberg fought, against his own Prussians, in the Imperial Russian Army during World War I and fought the [[Bolsheviks]], in [[Siberia]], after 1917. A rabid [[monarchist]], von Ungern-Sternberg soon thereafter became an independent [[warlord]] with the intention of establishing an independent Russo-Sino-Mongolian monarchy in [[Urga]] under the nominal rule of [[Bogd Khaan]] (the [[Living Buddha]]). Although considered the paragon of bravery, von Ungern-Sternberg was reckless, brutal and mentally unstable.

After a savage battle against occupying [[Chinese republic]]an forces, on March 13, 1921, [[Mongolia]] was proclaimed an independent [[monarchy]], and Ungern von Sternberg became Mongolian [[dictator]]. His brief rule of Mongolia was characterised by looting, raping and a reign of terror by his army. Eventually, the [[Bolsheviks]] invaded Mongolia and after a series of battles, von Ungern-Sternberg was defeated in a August 1921, captured by his own soldiers, and handed over to the [[Red Army]] on August 21, 1921.

|-
| align=center|[[Horloogiyn Choybalsan]] || align=center|[[Mongolia]] || align=center|1936–1952 || Unelected; opponents purged; cult of personality.
|-
| align=center|[[Kim Il-sung]] || align=center|[[North Korea]] || align=center|1948–1994 || Appointed prime minister in 1948; purged rivals in the [[Workers' Party of Korea]] to consolidate power in 1956 (see [http://muse.jhu.edu/cgi-bin/access.cgi?uri=/journals/korean_studies/v026/26.1lankov.pdf]); introduced "[[Juche]]" ideology demanding absolute loyalty to him and the party; created most pervavise cult of personality in recent history. Declared "Eternal President" on his death.
|-
|align=center|[[Ho Chi Minh]] ||align=center| [[North Vietnam]] ||align=center| 1945-1969 || Unelected; killed thousands of political rivals in the 1940s; killed tens of thousands more during the land reforms of the 1950s; presided over a one-party state.
|-
|align=center| [[Sukarno]] || align=center|[[Indonesia]] || align=center| 1949-1968 ||First President of Indonesia. Consolidated his powers, and got proclaimed President for LIfe. Was overthrown by the then Dictator of Indonesia, Suharto.
|-
|align=center|[[Mao Zedong]] || align=center|[[People's Republic of China]] || align=center|1949–1976 || Chairman of the PRC (1949 – 1959), Chairman of the [[Communist Party of China]] (1945 – 1976), Chairman of the [[Central Military Commission]] (1936 – 1976). Immense cult of personality; purged members of government; silenced opposition. Circumvented Communist Party hierarchy after the 1966 [[Cultural Revolution]]; imprisoned head of state [[Liu Shaoqi]]. Millions of Chinese citizens killed or murdered as a result of his policies and repression.
|-
| align=center|[[Park Chung Hee]] || align=center|[[South Korea]] || align=center|1961–1979 || Took power in 1961 coup. Although initially welcomed by much of the population, he suspended the constitution in 1971 and introduced a new constitution that greatly increased his power.
|-
| align=center|[[Ne Win]] || align=center|[[Burma]] || align=center|1962–1988 || Seized power in a coup; instituted extreme repression (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:rSAOt9c_lU0J:www.iseas.edu.sg/62003.pdf+%22Ne+Win%22+%22dictator%22], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:yqkmuBoqlnYJ:www.asiapacificms.com/papers/pdf/burma_india_china.pdf+%22Ne+Win%22+%22dictator%22]).
|-
| align=center|[[Thanom Kittikachorn]] || align=center|[[Thailand]] || align=center|1963–1973 || Military dictator, known as one of Thailand's so-called "Three Tyrants". Oppressed student-led uprisings in October 1973 and 1976.
|-
| align=center|[[Suharto]] || align=center|[[Indonesia]] || align=center|1967–1998 || His ''[[New Order (Indonesia)|New Order]]'' imprisoned Communists and alleged Communists; repressed Chinese inhabitants; made existing parties subordinate. Also a cleptocrat (with personal and family's assets at least worth US$ 15 billion, based on [[Time]] Magazine investigation in 1998). Described as a dictator in many sources (see[http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:Bbh_caM50o4J:www.aut.ac.nz/depts/commstud/journ/docs/reviewscronau.pdf+%22Suharto+dictatorship%22], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:128rEIvvRD4J:www.civiced.org/research/pdfs/RisingTide.pdf+%22Suharto+dictatorship%22], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:_233mw5azNkJ:cmbc.ucsd.edu/content/1/docs/laurance2004.pdf+%22Suharto+dictatorship%22]).
|-
| align=center|[[Lon Nol]] || align=center|[[Cambodia]] || align=center|1972–1975 || Gained power by coup; not elected.
|-
| align=center|[[Pol Pot]] || align=center|[[Democratic Kampuchea]] || align=center|1975–1979 || Unelected; led a [[Khmer Rouge]] dictatorship; responsible for deaths of at least 1 million Cambodian citizens during his rule.
|-
| align=center|[[Chun Doo Hwan]] || align=center|[[South Korea]] || align=center|1980–1988 || Gained power in a coup; declared martial law; oversaw [[Gwangju Massacre]].
|-
|align=center|[[Mahathir bin Mohamad]] ||align=center| [[Malaysia]] ||align=center| 1981-2003 || Authoritarian; suppresed opposition, media.
|-
| align=center|[[Khamtai Siphandon]] || align=center|[[Laos]] || align=center|1992–2006 || Unelected; one-party state (see[http://www.arthuredelstein.org/worlddictators]).
|-
| align=center|[[Than Shwe]] || align=center|[[Myanmar]] || align=center|1992–2011 || Unelected; persecution of minorities (especially [[Karenni]] and [[Rohingya]] groups [http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2005/51506.htm]) leading 250,000 to flee, either becoming [[IDP]]s or moving across the border to Thailand; consolidated power into himself from the [[SPDC]] - he moved to a new capital in Kyat Pyay in 2006 , &renamed it as Nay Pyi Daw ,i.e the Royal Palace City"; gained power via a military [[coup]] and announced that he would not hand over the power to [[Aung San Suu Kyi]]'s Elected Party (the [[NLD]]); no free press (see [http://www.bbc.co.uk/burmese/forum/story/2004/10/041020_khin_nyunt_ousted.shtml]).
|-
| align=center|[[Kim Jong-il]] || align=center|[[North Korea]] || align=center| 1994–2011 || Became General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and Chairman of the National Defense Commission (the highest state offices) on his father's death. Continues his father's "[[Juche]]" ideology.
|-
| align=center|[[Sonthi Boonyaratglin]] || align=center|[[Thailand]] || align=center|'''2006–present''' || Army chief seized power while Prime Minister [[Thaksin Shinawatra]] was out of the country. A state of martial law was declared, parliament was dissolved and the constitution abrogated. Instituted press censorship and restrictions on protests. The first Muslim in charge of the mostly Buddhist army.
|-
| align=center|[[Kim Jong-un]] || align=center|[[North Korea]] || align=center| '''2011-present''' || Became General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and Chairman of the National Defense Commission (the highest state offices) on his father's death. Continues his grandpa's "[[Juche]]" ideology.
|-
|}

==Europe==

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center| [[Oliver Cromwell]] || align=center| [[Commonwealth of England]] || align=center| 1653-1658 || A [[Puritan]] general in the [[English Civil War]] who quickly rose through the ranks to become ''de facto'' head of the Parliamentary forces. After the Royalist defeat and the execution of [[Charles I]] the newly constituted [[Rump Parliament]] was overthrown by Cromwell who refused the Crown, choosing instead the title of Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland. After his death the monarchy was reinstated. [http://www.olivercromwell.org/].
|-
| align=center| [[Maximilien Robespierre]] || align=center| [[France]] || align=center| 1793–1794 || Head of the Committee of Public Safety during the French Revolution. To purge french society of "Counter Revolutionaries", he instituted the heavily repressive Reign of Terror, a period which killed thousands of french citizens, many of those killed were simply killed under mere suspicion, with little or no proof. Desposed when the National Convention declared him an outlaw.
|-
| align=center| [[Napoleon Bonaparte]] || align=center| [[France]]|| align=center| 1799–1814 || First Consul, 1799-1804. Emperor of the French 1804-1814. Declared himself "First Consul for Life" in 1802 and then Emperor in 1804.
|-
| align=center| [[Józef Chłopicki|Józef Grzegorz Chłopicki]] || align=center| [[Poland]] || align=center| 1830–1831 || Held official title of dictator for one year only.
|-
| align=center| [[Napoleon III of France|Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte]] || align=center| [[France]] || align=center| (1848–1851) 1851–1870|| President of France from 1848 to 1852. In 1851 he launched a coup against the legislature, making himself absolute ruler. From 1852 to 1870 he styled himself Emperor of the French under the name Napoléon III from 1852 to 1870. Later during his reign constitutional liberties were gradually restored. In 1870 he was captured during the abortive [[Franco-Prussian War]] and deposed in his absence by the [[Third Republic]] of France.
|-
| align=center| [[Romuald Traugutt]] || align=center| [[Poland]] || align=center| 1863–1864 || Held official title of dictator for one year. Succeeded [[Marian Langiewicz]] who had declared himself dictator previously, but only lasted less than a year in 1863. 
|-
|align=center|[[Nicholas II]] ||align=center| [[Russia]] ||align=center| 1894-1917 || Ruthless, overthrown by the "October Revolution" and the newly established communist government. The last Tsar of Russia.
|-
| align=center| [[Vladimir Lenin]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center| 1917-1924 || Head of Bolshevik Revolution took power in 1917. Secured victory in the Russian civil war. Headed effort to transform the Russian economy to a socialist model.[http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/lenin_vladimir.shtml] 
|-
| align=center|[[Mustafa Kemal Atatürk]] || align=center|[[Turkey]] || align=center|1918-1938 || Led the Turkish national movement. Transformed Turkey into a secular republic through broad authoritarian reforms.
|-
| align=center| [[Benito Mussolini]] || align=center| [[Italy]] || align=center| 1922–1943, and in part of the country 1943-1945 || Prime Minister of Italy 1922-1943; head of the so-called [[Italian Social Republic]] until 1945. "He introduced strict censorship and altered the methods of election so that in 1925–1926 he was able to assume dictatorial powers and dissolve all other political parties" (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:0PFM13qC39YJ:www.ablongman.com/history_rh_bridge/assets/0321025865_ch15.pdf+%22Italian+dictator+Benito+Mussolini%22],[http://doi.contentdirections.com/mr/greenwood.jsp?doi=10.1336/0275979377]).
|-
| align=center| [[Miguel Primo de Rivera]] || align=center| [[Spain]] || align=center| 1923–1930 || Prime Minister of Spain. Gained power in a coup; suspended the constitution; established martial law; imposed strict censorship; banned all political parties. Widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9061388], [http://www.bartleby.com/65/pr/PrimRivM.html], [http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761565186/Miguel_Primo_de_Rivera.html]). 
|-
| align=center| [[Aleksandar Tsankov]] || align=center| [[Bulgaria]] || align=center| 1923-1926 || Established Right wing nationalist, anti communist coup against [[Stamboliyski]]’s democratic elected [[Agrarians]]. Forced out of power by Tsar [[Boris III]]. [http://www.bartleby.com/65/ts/TsankovA.html]. 
|-
| align=center| [[Joseph Stalin]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center| 1924–1953 || General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, 1922 - 1953; Premier of the Soviet Union 1941 - 1953. Never elected; cult of personality; heavily repressive; responsible for deaths of millions of Soviet citizens (see [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9108469], [http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761559200/Stalin_Joseph.html],[http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/commandingheights/shared/minitextlo/prof_josephstalin.html]).
|-
| align=center| [[Ahmet Bej Zogu]] || align=center| [[Albania]] || align=center| 1925–1939 || Originally elected Prime Minister of Albania 1922-1924 and 1925; President of Albania 1925-1928; crowned himself King of the Albanians (as Zog I) 1928-1939. Described as a dictator (see[http://www.albanian.com/information/history/independ.html], [http://www.diplom.org/manus/talossa/?lingo=&page=Statute&act=25RZ13], [http://www.electionworld.org/history/albania.htm]). Forced to flee with his wife, Queen Geraldine, the imminent takeover of the country by Italy under [[Benito Mussolini]].
|-
| align=center| [[José Mendes Cabeçadas]] || align=center| [[Portugal]] || align=center| 1926 || Leader of [[Ditadura Nacional]] during the first part of June immediately after the [[28th May 1926 coup d'état]]
|-
| align=center| [[Gomes da Costa]] || align=center| [[Portugal]] || align=center| 1926 || Succeeded Cabeçadas as head of the [[Ditadura Nacional]] for less than a month
|-
| align=center| [[António Óscar Carmona]] || align=center| [[Portugal]] || align=center| 1926-1928 || Head of [[Ditadura Nacional]]
|-
| align=center| [[Józef Piłsudski]]|| align=center| [[Poland]] || align=center| 1926–1935 || Polish Head of State 1918-1922, but regained power in 1926 via coup. Prime Minister of Poland 1926-1928 and 1930; Commander in Chief of the Army 1926-1935. Initiated authoritarian [[Sanacja]] government; often described as a "benevolent dictator".
|-
| align=center| [[Antanas Smetona]] || align=center| [[Lithuania]] || align=center| 1926–1940 || President of Lithuania. Seized power in a 1925 military coup (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:wEZn53dBGtoJ:www.gla.ac.uk/departments/dcees/Duvold.pdf+Antanas+Smetona+%22dictatorship%22]); authoritarian rule. His description as a dictator is common (see[http://www.encyclopedia.com/searchpool.asp?target=@DOCKEYWORDS%20balthistbio&unkey=balthistbio&clientIp=216%2E63%2E197%2E211&userAgent=Mozilla%2F4%2E0+%28compatible%3B+MSIE+6%2E0%3B+Windows+NT+5%2E1%3B+SV1%3B+%2ENET+CLR+1%2E1%2E4322%29]), but not universal.
|-
| align=center| [[António de Oliveira Salazar]] || align=center| [[Portugal]] || align=center| 1928–1968 || Prime Minister of Portugal. Established an anti-democratic, anti-parliamentarian, ultra-[[Clericalism|clericalist]], [[Corporativism|corporativist]], extremely conservative, repressive and authoritarian dictatorship, connoted with the Italian fascism, highly supported by the [[Roman Catholic Church]]. Longest right-wing dictatorship ever (four complete decades).
|-
| align=center| [[Alexander I of Yugoslavia|Alexander I]] || align=center| [[Yugoslavia]] || align=center| 1929-1934 || King of Yugoslavia from 1921. On January 6, 1929 he abolished the constitution, prorogued parliament and established the so-called "January 6 Dictatorship." A new constitution in 1931 left all significant political power in the hands of the King.
|-
| align=center| [[Engelbert Dollfuss]] || align=center| [[Austria]] || align=center| 1933–1934 || Chancellor of Austria 1932-1934. Suspended parliament indefinitely in March 1933, governing thereafter by decree. Rule sometimes compared to Mussolini or Franco (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:PUVNNLui6y4J:www3.la.psu.edu/hrsweb/majmin/Theses/Houlihan/Thesis.pdf+%22dictator%22+%22Dollfuss%22]).
|-
| align=center| [[Konstantin Päts]] || align=center| [[Estonia]] || align=center| 1933–1940 || State Elder 1933 - 1937; State Protector 1937 - 1938; President of Estonia 1938-1940. Established authoritarian rule following a coup. Allowed (and won) election in 1938.
|-
| align=center| [[Adolf Hitler]] || align=center| [[Nazi Germany]] || align=center| 1933–1945 || Chancellor of Germany 1933-1945; ''Führer'' (Leader) 1934-1945. The 1933 [[Enabling Act]] suspended most of the constitution and allowed Hitler to [[rule by decree]]. Heavily repressive; ordered imprisonment of millions of political opponents and members of ethnic minorities in concentration camps, where they were abused and killed.
|-
| align=center| [[Kimon Georgiev]] || align=center| [[Bulgaria]] || align=center| 1934 || Took power in coup. Overthrown by Tsar Boris III. 
|-
| align=center| Tsar [[Boris III]] || align=center| [[Bulgaria]] || align=center| 1934-1943 || Overthrew Kimon Geogiev. Took power him self ruled through puppet Prime Ministers Georgi Kyoseivanov. His Regime banned all opposition parties. Took Bulgaria into alliance with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. 
|-
| align=center| [[Kurt Schuschnigg]] || align=center| [[Austria]] || align=center| 1934–1938 || Chancellor of Austria. Maintained his predecessor Dollfuss' oppressive rule.
|-
| align=center| [[Karlis Ulmanis|Kārlis Ulmanis]] || align=center| [[Latvia]] || align=center| 1934–1940 || Prime Minister of Latvia 1934-1940; President of Latvia 1936 - 1940. Gained power in a coup and dissolved parliament; generally viewed as a "benevolent dictator" (see [http://www.ltn.lv/~krz/latvia/lat_history.html], [http://www.sciencedaily.com/encyclopedia/karlis_ulmanis], [http://www.bartleby.com/65/la/Latvia.html]).
|-
| align=center| [[Ioannis Metaxas]] || align=center| [[Greece]] || align=center| 1936–1941 || Prime Minister of Greece. Never elected; banned political parties; arrested opponents; criminalized unions; censored media. Widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.bartleby.com/65/pa/PapandrG.html], [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9052304], [http://www.ahistoryofgreece.com/biography/metaxas.htm]). 
|-
| align=center| [[Francisco Franco]] || align=center| [[Spain]] || align=center| 1936–1975 || Prime Minister of Spain 1938-1975 and Head of State 1939 - 1975 (in the Nationalist Zone, both only to 1939). Purged opposition; often referred to as a dictator or ''caudillo'' (see[http://www.policyreview.org/jun03/diamond.html], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:B1Mmefo38twJ:www.personal.psu.edu/mlb300/spainsocprob.pdf+%22dictator+Francisco+Franco%22],[http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:NsfbKjiVUowJ:www.acad.carleton.edu/curricular/POSC/faculty/montero/Spain%2520Paper%25201.pdf+%22dictator+Francisco+Franco%22], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:9ZzXaMENcm8J:www.artcult.org/cst/spain_prepack_participants.pdf+%22Francisco+Franco%22+%22dictatorship%22]). Strongly supported by the [[Roman Catholic Church]] worldwide.

|-
| align=center| [[Jozef Tiso]] || align=center| [[Slovakia]] || align=center| 1939–1945 || President of [[Slovak Republic (1939-1945)|WWII Slovak Republic]]. Led a partly Roman Catholic clerical, partly pro-Nazi, one-party state. Described by some as a dictator (see [http://www.adl.org/PresRele/HolNa_52/3578_52.asp], [http://dominican-republic.asinah.net/en/wikipedia/j/jo/jozef_tiso.html], [http://www.ce-review.org/00/19/vaknin19.html]).
|-
| align=center| [[Ion Antonescu]] || align=center| [[Romania]] || align=center| 1940–1944 || Prime Minister of Romania. Two days after his appointment, forced King Carol II (see above) to abdicate in favor of his son, Mihai. Named himself ''Conducător'' (Leader), assumed dictatorial powers and relegated monarchy to decorative role.
|-
| align=center| [[Philippe Pétain]] || align=center| [[Vichy France]] || align=center| 1940–1944 || Prime Minister of France 1940 - 1942; Head of State 1940 - 1944. The ''Assemblée Nationale'' of Vichy France suspended the [[Third Republic]] and granted Pétain dictatorial power, although ultimately he was answerable to the German Nazi hierarchy.
|-
| align=center| [[Ante Pavelic|Ante Pavelić]] || align=center| [[Croatia]] || align=center| 1941–1945 ||''Poglavnik'' ("Leader") of Croatia. Not elected; ordered massacres of Serbs, Jews, Gypsies and dissidents; hundreds of thousands slaughtered; led the genocial, devoutly Roman Catholic Ustase (see [http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/tyrants.htm], [http://www.cuttingedge.org/articles/RC130.html], [http://emperors-clothes.com/vatican/cpix.htm]). Supported by most, if not all, of the Roman Catholic church in Croatia.
|-
| align=center| [[Vidkun Quisling]] || align=center| [[Norway]]|| align=center| 1942–1945 || Minister President of Norway between 1942-1945, and founder of the fascist "National Unity" party . Traitor to his country. Executed by firing squad. Described as being the Hitler of Norway.
|-
| align=center| [[Ferenc Szálasi]] (Szálasi Ferenc) || align=center| [[Hungary]] || align=center| 1944–1945 || Leader of the [[fascist]] [[Arrow Cross]] party, Szálasi was installed as a fascist ruler by the [[Nazis]] following their overthrow of [[regent]] [[Miklós Horthy]].
|-
| align=center| [[Josip Broz Tito]] || align=center| [[Yugoslavia]] || align=center| 1944–1980 || Secretary-General of the Yugoslav Communist Party 1937 - 1963; Prime Minister of Yugoslavia 1945–1953; Premier of Yugoslavia 1953 - 1963; President of Yugoslavia 1953 - 1980; President of the ''Presidium of the League of Communists'' from 1963 until 1980. Declared himself [[President for Life]] in 1963. Viewed favorably in Yugoslavia despite authoritarian rule.
|-
| align=center| [[Enver Hoxha]] || align=center| [[Albania]] || align=center| 1944-1985|| General Secretary of the Albanian Party of Labour. Leader of single-party Communist state; extensive personality cult; Declared his nation to be the world's only officially atheist state and banned all practice of religion in 1967.
|-
| align=center| [[Mátyás Rákosi]] || align=center| [[Hungary]] || align=center| 1949-1953|| General Secretary of the [[Hungarian Workers Party]] and Prime Minister of the [[Hungarian People's Republic]]. Leader of single-party Communist state; nicknamed "Stalin's best Hungarian disciple"; Invented the phrase "[[salami tactics]]" to describe piecemeal assumption of power.
|-
| align=center| [[Nikita Khrushchev]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center| 1953-1964 || First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union between 1953-1964. Allowed limited liberalisation in the arts and media later on. 
|-
| align=center| [[Todor Zhivkov]] || align=center| [[Bulgaria]] || align=center| 1956-1989 || Head of pro soviet communist regimen in Bulgaria. Became party secretary in 1956 and prime minister in 1962. Forced out of power in 1989 by communist party to comply with demands of protesters.
|-
| align=center| [[Antonín Novotný]] || align=center| [[Czechoslovakia]] || align=center| 1957-1968 || Antonín Novotný, the First Secretary of the Communist Party and President of the Republic, was leader of Czechoslovakia during the Stalinisation of the country, resulting in the replacement of the Czechoslovakian democracy by a one-party communist state. His dictatorship centralized power and used force to protect his regime which lasted fifteen years.
|-
| align=center| [[Walter Ulbricht]] || align=center| [[German Democratic Republic]] || align=center| 1950/1960-1971 || General Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany 1950-1971 and Head of State 1960-1973.
|-
| align=center| [[Leonid Brezhnev]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center| 1964–1982 || First/General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union between 1964-1982. Formed a [[cult of Personality]] later on.
|-
| align=center| [[Nicolae Ceauşescu]] || align=center| [[Romania]] || align=center| 1965–1989 || General Secretary of the Romanian Communist Party, 1965-1989; President of Romania, 1974-1989. Leader of single-party Communist state; extensive personality cult developed during the 1970s. Lived lavish lifestyle while country was still using donkey carts.
|-
| align=center| [[George Papadopoulos]] || align=center| [[Greece]] || align=center| 1967–1973 || Prime Minister of Greece 1967 - 1973; Regent 1972 - 1973; President of Greece 1973. Gained power in a coup; lead military regime. Widely described as a dictator (see [http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0778782.html], [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/379334.stm], [http://www.hellas.net]).
|-
| align=center| [[Marcelo Caetano]] || align=center| [[Portugal]] || align=center| 1968–1974 || Prime Minister of Portugal 1968 - 1974; Upon the death of [[António de Oliveira Salazar]] he continued the dictatorial regime. Some liberties were improved but the situation of the country and the [[Portuguese Colonial War|colonial wars]] lead to the [[Carnation Revolution]].
|-
| align=center| [[Gustáv Husák]] || align=center| [[Czechoslovakia]] || align=center| 1969-1987 || Came into power through soviets, Crushed the Prague spring. Headed brutal secret police stepped down from power in 1987 two years before communism fell. 
|-
| align=center| [[Erich Honecker]] || align=center| [[German Democratic Republic]] || align=center| 1971-1989 || General Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany 1971-1989 and Head of State 1976-1989.
|-
| align=center| [[Phaedon Gizikis]] || align=center| [[Greece]] || align=center| 1973-1974 || President of Greece 1973-1974. Gained power in coup. Lead millitary regime installed by previous head of state.
|-
| align=center| [[Wojciech Jaruzelski]] || align=center|[[Poland]] || align=center|1961-1990 || Imposed martial law in Poland in 1981 in response to Solidarity party led strikes. Made himself head of the "Commission for National Salvation." Stated his actions were taken in order to prevent a Soviet invasion of Poland. Was President of Poland until his resignation in 1990. 
|-
| align=center| [[Yuri Andropov]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center| 1982-1984 || General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union between 1982-1984. Early signs of [[Perestroika]] and [[Glasnost]].
|-
| align=center| [[Konstantin Chernenko]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center| 1984-1985 || General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union between 1984-1985. Ailing stop-gap leader. 
|-
| align=center| [[Mikhail Gorbachev]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center| 1985-1991 || General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991 when the Soviet Union collapsed and the CPSU was banned. Oversaw democratisation in the Soviet Union, but was never directly elected as leader.
|-
| align=center| [[Slobodan Milošević]] || align=center| [[Serbia]], [[Yugoslavia]] || align=center| 1989-1997, 1997-2000 || In 1984 he became the head of the local Communist party in Belgrade and adopted a populist style, the party's leader. He successfully took over as head of the Serbian Communist party in 1987. He challenged the federal government, championed Serbian control of the autonomous provinces of Kosovo and Vojvodina, and advocated stridently socialist economic policy. By 1988, he had replaced party leaders in Kosovo and Vojvodina, and in 1989 he became president of Serbia. However, in September 1990, a new democratic constitution was passed allowing direct, multi-party presidential and parliamentary elections. Milosevic was elected president of Serbia for the first time in December 1990, although allegations persist of electoral fraud during the Milosevic years.
|-
| align=center| [[Alexander Lukashenko]] || align=center| [[Belarus]] || align=center| '''1994-present''' || President of Belarus. Said to have an "authoritarian ruling style". Lack of democratic standards. Human rights violations. Referred to as "Europe's last dictatorship."
|-
| align=center| [[Herman Van Rompuy]] || align=center| [[European Union]] || align=center| '''2009-present''' || President of the European Council (Head of State of the European Union). Unelected. Was involved in the deposition of the elected Prime Ministers of Greece of Italy. Has been accused of being a dictator.
|}

==Oceania==
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center| [[Sitiveni Rabuka]] || align=center|[[Fiji]] || align=center|1987–1992 || Twice gained power through coup, allowed elections in 1992, which he won.
|-
| align=center| [[Frank Bainimarama]] || align=center|[[Fiji]] || align=center|'''2006-present''' ||Launched a coup d'etat in December 2006 after weeks of threats against the elected government.
|}

==See also==
* [[Constitutional crisis]]
* [[Cult of personality]]
* [[List of political leaders who held active military ranks in office]]
* [[List of political leaders who suspended the constitution]]
* [[List of successful coups d'état]]
* [[President for Life]]
* [[Single-party state]]

==External links==
*[http://www.thedictatorship.com The Dictatorship]
*[http://www.dkosopedia.com/wiki/Dictators_and_Non-Democratic_Governments Dictators and Non-Democratic Governments]
*[http://www.lkwdpl.org/schools/horacemann/dictators/ Modern dictators and Human Rights Violations]
*[http://www.dkosopedia.com/wiki/Oppressive_Regimes Oppressive Regimes]
*[http://www.parade.com/articles/editions/2006/edition_01-22-2006/Dictators The World’s 10 Worst Dictators]

[[Category:Lists|dictators]][[Category:Totalitarianism]]

List of dictators

2013-06-09T16:20:49Z

Thatteapartyguy: /* Eastern Asia ("Far East") */

: ''For a list of [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] dictators, see [[Roman dictator#Roman dictators|Roman dictator]].''
: ''See also the [[#See also|related lists]] at the end of this article.''

The following is a list of national leaders ([[Head of state|heads of state]] and/or [[Head of government|heads of government]]) commonly regarded as modern [[dictator]]s. This usage usually carries a pejorative sense and refers to a ruler who:

* Rules by decree, via an [[Enabling Act]] or similar laws passed by a legislature allowing him to do so;
* is an [[absolute ruler]] of a [[state|sovereign state]], usually appointed, but without hereditary ascension;
* governs outside the otherwise accepted [[rule of law]];
* commonly (but not necessarily) gaining power through [[fraud]], a [[coup d'état]], resorting to either again to continue in power;
* may develop a [[cult of personality]];
* may be autocratic, oppressive, despotic or tyrannical.

Some so-called "[[Dictator#"The benevolent dictator"|benevolent dictators]]" may be viewed as beneficial and their leadership seen as a "necessary evil".
The modern usage of the term 'dictator' developed largely in response to instances of autocratic rule in [[republic]]s, so traditional [[monarch]]s are not usually described as dictators in historical commentary. Also excluded from this list are those who held [[absolute power]] during national [[State of emergency|emergencies]], but restored the rule of law soon thereafter. Otherwise those included have been widely cited by historians or described by the [[Mass media|media]] as dictators. Any controversy surrounding such characterisation is mentioned in the notes.

The list is sorted according to when each dictator began their years in power. This refers to any years in office as a head of state, government or the like before their dictatorship was established. Any years of elected and judicial rule may be indicated parenthetically.

==Africa==
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
|align=center|[[Gamal Abdel Nasser]] ||align=center| [[Egypt]] ||align=center| 1954–1970 || Prime Minister of Egypt 1954-1962; President of Egypt 1956-1970. Part of a group of officers in control of Egypt after the coup against British supported [[Farouk of Egypt|King Farouk]] in 1952; In February 1954, Nasser forced {{fact}} President [[Muhammad Naguib]] to appoint him prime minister and give up most practical power to him; later in that year Naguib resigned and Nasser became president by self-appointment; elected by popular vote (as only candidate) in 1956, and subsequently. Many personalistic elements to Nasser's rule, but nominal parliamentary system under Nasser's 1956-1970 presidency {{fact}}, until his death in 1970.
|-
|align=center|[[Ahmed Sékou Touré]] ||align=center| [[Guinea]] ||align=center| 1958–1984 || President of Guinea. Widely described as a dictator (see [http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog/DIAINS.html], [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/world/awards2003/profile_jazz.shtml]) with estimates of up to 50,000 extra-judicial killings during his rule (see [http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/warstat6.htm]) and 250,000 Guineans fleeing his rule ([http://www.africanet.com/africanet/country/guinea/history.htm]).
|-
|align=center|[[David Dacko]] ||align=center| [[Central African Republic]] ||align=center| 1960–1966 1979–1981 || President of the Central African Republic. Banned opposition (see [http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ad36]); Gained power by coup in 1979, though subsequently stood for election (see [http://www.african-geopolitics.org/show.aspx?ArticleId=3638]).
|-
|align=center|[[Modibo Keita]] ||align=center| [[Mali]] ||align=center| 1960–1968 || Schoolteacher and first president of Mali. Forced socialization and extensive protectionism severely harmed the economy and continued the country's dependence on aid donors. Discontent with these policies led Keita to implement his own "Cultural Revolution" and establish a network of people's militias to inform on and punish dissent. In the last few years of his presidency, full powers were vested in an extralegal "National Committee for Defense of the Revolution". He was deposed in a military coup.
|-
|align=center|[[François (Ngarta) Tombalbaye|François Tombalbaye]] ||align=center| [[Chad]] ||align=center| 1960–1975 || Head of State 1960-1962; President of Chad 1962-1975. Never fought a contested election; imprisoned opposition leaders. Launched a "Cultural Revolution" in the early 1970s encouraging ''[[authenticité]]''.
|-
|align=center|[[Félix Houphouët-Boigny]] ||align=center| [[Côte d'Ivoire]] ||align=center| 1960–1993 || President of Côte d'Ivoire. Ruled until 1990 with all opposition banned, but not considered particularly repressive. Relocated the official capital to his home village of [[Yamoussoukro]] and constructed the [[Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro]], the largest religious structure in Africa.
|-
|align=center|[[Milton Obote]] ||align=center| [[Uganda]] ||align=center| 1962–1972 1980–1985 || Prime Minister of Uganda 1962-1966; President of Uganda 1966-1971 and 1980-1985. Suspended the constitution and declared himself President and Prime Minister in 1966.
|-
|align=center|[[Hastings Kamuzu Banda]] ||align=center| [[Malawi]] ||align=center| 1963–1994 || Prime Minister of Malawi 1963-1966; President of Malawi 1966-1994. Banned all opposition in 1966; declared himself [[President for Life]] in 1971; exiled and killed opposition leaders. Ordered that a letter bomb be sent to exiled opposition leader [[Attati Mpakati]]; suspected of being involved in the car crash deaths of senior Congress Party leaders; violently crushed an attempted rebellion. Aged 98, he allowed and lost a free election in 1994.
|-
|align=center|[[Kenneth Kaunda]] ||align=center| [[Zambia]] ||align=center| 1964–1991 || President of the Republic of Zambia 1964-1991.Elected 1964, banned all political parties in Zambia, viewed himself as "WAMUYAYA" (eternal President).Accused of torturing political opponents.Defeated by Frederick Chiluba in 1991.
|-
|align=center|[[Houari Boumediene]] ||align=center| [[Algeria]] ||align=center| 1965–1978 || 
President of Algeria from June 19, 1965 to his death, (December 27, 1978); Chairman of the Revolutionary Council until December 12, 1976). In June 1965, Boumédienne seized power in a bloodless coup. Initially lacking a personal power base, he was seen as a weak ruler. But after a botched coup attempt against him by military officers in 1967 he tightened his rule, and then remained Algeria's undisputed ruler until his death in 1978.
|-
|align=center|[[Modibo Keita]] ||align=center| [[Mali]] ||align=center| 1960–1968 || Schoolteacher and first president of Mali. Forced socialization and extensive protectionism severely harmed the economy and continued the country's dependence on aid donors. Discontent with these policies led Keita to implement his own "Cultural Revolution" and establish a network of people's militias to inform on and punish dissent. In the last few years of his presidency, full powers were vested in an extralegal "National Committee for Defense of the Revolution". He was deposed in a military coup.
|-
|align=center|[[Jean-Bédel Bokassa]] ||align=center| [[Central African Republic]] ||align=center| 1966–1979 || President of the Central African Republic 1966-1976; Emperor Bokassa I of the Central African Empire 1976-1979. Bokassa overthrew the autocratic Dacko in a swift coup d'état and assumed power as president of the Republic and head of the sole political party, the Mouvement pour l'évolution sociale de l'Afrique Noire (MESAN). Bokassa abolished the constitution of 1959 on January 4 and began to rule by decree. He proclaimed himself emperor in 1976 (see [http://www.african-geopolitics.org/show.aspx?ArticleId=3638]).
|-
|align=center|[[Gnassingbé Eyadéma]] ||align=center| [[Togo]] ||align=center| 1967–2005 || President of Togo. Gained power in a coup; never fought a contested election until 1998; banned, tortured and killed opposition. Fostered a cult of personality that was reinforced after he was the sole survivor of an airplane crash in 1974. In late 1991, troops loyal to Eyadéma closed a constitutional conference that had shifted most executive power to a new transitional government and banned Eyadéma's RPT party. January 1993 saw a mass exodus of residents to neighboring states after security forces fired on pro-democracy demonstrators. Further repression followed a purported 1994 coup attempt (see[http://www.cidcm.umd.edu/inscr/mar/data/togoewechro.htm]).
|-
|align=center|[[Omar Bongo]] ||align=center| [[Gabon]] ||align=center| 1967–2009 || As vice president, he acceded to the presidency following the death of President [[Léon M'ba]]. In 1968, Bongo decreed a one-party state under his [[Gabonese Democratic Party]] and was thrice elected unopposed in the 1970s and 1980s. He became very wealthy during the country's oil boom. Open elections were held in 1990 and Bongo was re-elected in 1993, 1998 and 2005. Observers have criticized the elections as unfair and corruption watchdogs have accused the president of [[nepotism]]. Riots resulting from the mysterious death in 1990 of prominent dissident [[Joseph Rendjambe]] in a government hotel room were put down by French troops.
|-
|align=center|[[Moussa Traoré]] ||align=center| [[Mali]] ||align=center| 1968–1991 || Chairman of the Military National Liberation Committee 1968-1969; Head of State 1969-1979; President of Mali 1979-1991. Seized power in a coup; banned all opposition; installed a police state; established one-party state in 1979.
|-
|align=center|[[Francisco Macías Nguema]] ||align=center| [[Equatorial Guinea]] ||align=center| 1968–1979 || President of Equatorial Guinea 1968-1979. Elected in 1968 but declared himself [[President for Life]] in 1972; "extreme personality cult"; over a third of population fled his regime. Banned fishing and sanctioned the deaths of most of his pre-independence political rivals, including ex-prime minister [[Bonifacio Ondó Edu]] and foreign minister [[Atanasio Ndongo Miyone]]. Declared an atheist state by Spanish dictator [[Francisco Franco]]. As many as 50,000 civilians were killed, in particular those of the [[Bubi]] ethnic [[minority]] on [[Bioko]] associated with relative wealth and [[intellectual]]ism.
|-
|align=center|[[Gaafar Nimeiry]] ||align=center| [[Sudan]] ||align=center| 1969–1985 || Chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council 1969-1971; President of Sudan 1971-1985. Gained power in a military coup, banned opposition, dissolved southern Sudanese government, imposed sharia law. Executed several leading communists (the most prominent being [[Abdel Khaliq Mahjub]] and [[Joseph Garang]]) after a botched 1971 coup attempt.
|-
|align=center|[[Mohamed Siad Barre]] ||align=center| [[Somalia]] ||align=center| 1969–1991 || Chairman of the Supreme Revolutionary Council 1969-1976; President of Somalia 1976-1991. In 1969, during the power vacuum following the assassination of President Abdirashid Ali Shermarke, the military staged a coup and took over. Barre was to rule for the next twenty-two years. He attempted to develop a personality cult; large posters of him were common in the capital Mogadishu during his reign, many of which can still be seen today. He dreamed of a "[[Greater Somalia]]" and tried unsuccessfully to annex the [[Ogaden]]—legally Ethiopian territory—in 1977 to realize this end (see [[Ogaden War]]).
|-
|align=center|[[Anwar Sadat]] || align=center|[[Egypt]] || align=center|1970-1981 || President of Egypt 1970-1981. Unelected, suppressed opposition in what was termed "The Corrective Revolution". Assassinated.
|-
|align=center|[[Idi Amin]] ||align=center| [[Uganda]] ||align=center| 1971–1979 || [[President of Uganda]], later (1976) declared as [[President for Life|for Life]]. Deposed in 1979 after declaring war on [[Tanzania]].
|-
|align=center|[[Mengistu Haile Mariam]] ||align=center| [[Ethiopia]] ||align=center| 1974–1991 || Chairman of the Provisional Military Administrative Council ([[Derg]]) in 1974 and 1977-1987; President of Ethiopia 1987-1991. One-party state; repression of opposition; tens of thousands of extra-judicial killings.
|-
|align=center|[[Olusegun Obasanjo]] ||align=center| [[Nigeria]] ||align=center| 1976-1979 || Head of the Federal Military Government of Nigeria between 1976 and 1979. Elected President of Nigeria in 1999. Chairman of the [[African Union]] 2004-2006.
|-
|align=center|[[Jean-Baptiste Bagaza]] ||align=center| [[Burundi]] ||align=center| 1976–1987 || President of Burundi. Widely described as a military dictator (see [http://www.africanews.com/article265.html], [http://www.electionworld.org/history/burundi.htm]).
|-
|align=center|[[Albert René]] ||align=center| [[Seychelles]] ||align=center| 1977–2004 || President of Seychelles. Deposed the elected president Sir [[James Mancham]] and promulgated a one-party constitution after a period of rule by decree. Created the [[National Youth Service]] (NYS), a compulsory educational institution that included traditional curricula interlaced with political indoctrination and paramilitary training.
|-
|align=center|[[Daniel arap Moi]] ||align=center| [[Kenya]] ||align=center| 1978–2002 || President of Kenya. Changed constitution to establish a ''de jure'' one-party state; resorted to repressive rule, including torture and imprisonment without trial.
|-
|align=center|[[Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo]] ||align=center| [[Equatorial Guinea]] ||align=center| '''1979–present''' || Chairman of the Supreme Military Council 1979-1982; President of Equatorial Guinea 1982-present. Deposed his uncle in a violent coup; opposition is banned in all but name.
|-
|align=center|[[José Eduardo dos Santos]] ||align=center| [[Angola]] ||align=center| '''1979–present''' || President of Angola. One-party state; did not stand for election until 1992 (see [http://www.cpj.org/Briefings/2000/Angola_Marques_00/Angola_Marques_00.html]).
|-
|align=center|[[João Bernardo Vieira]] ||align=center| [[Guinea-Bissau]] ||align=center| 1980-1984 and '''2005-present''' || become president by a coup. killing and exiled opposition. faoumes for the [[Guinea-Bissau Civil War]].
|-
|align=center|[[Samuel K. Doe]] ||align=center| [[Liberia]] ||align=center| 1980–1990 || Chairman of the People's Redemption Council 1980-1984; President of Liberia 1984-1990. Gained power in a military coup that killed President [[William R. Tolbert, Jr.]], a [[Reform movement|reformer]]. Promoted [[Krahn]] chauvinism and "died a multi-millionaire and proud owner of mansions and estates" (see[http://www.theperspective.org/2004/oct/bookpeople.html]).
|-
|align=center|[[Robert Mugabe]] ||align=center| [[Zimbabwe]] ||align=center| '''1980–present''' ||
Gained power through election, and repeatedly re-elected, but criticized for steps used to maintain power. From 1999 on, used police and militant groups like the War Veterans Association and [[Border Gezi Youth]] to enforce [[ZANU-PF]] policies and to prevent opponents from voting; called "king" by his aides.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/1709488.stm] Arrested and tortured opponents and human rights activists; gave amnesty to murderers of his political opponents in 2000; ignores court rulings.[http://www.guardian.co.uk/elsewhere/journalist/story/0,7792,410850,00.html]
|-
|align=center|[[Jerry Rawlings]] ||align=center| [[Ghana]] ||align=center| 1981-1992 || Gained power in a military coup during 1979 but handed it over. Re-took power in another coup of 1981. Elected President in 1992 and again in 1996 before standing aside as per the constitution.
|-
|align=center|[[André Kolingba]] ||align=center| [[Central African Republic]] ||align=center| 1981–1993 || Chairman of the Military Committee of National Recovery 1981-1985; President of the Central African Republic 1985-1993. Gained power in a coup; persecuted opposition; allowed (and lost) free elections in 1993. Attempted second coup in 2001.
|-
|align=center|[[Hosni Mubarak]] || align=center|[[Egypt]] || align=center| 1981-2011 || Former President of Egypt. Did not stand in a contested election until 2005, when a highly-restricted democratic process was allowed. Was forced from power after a series of mass protests.
|-
|align=center|[[Paul Biya]] ||align=center| [[Cameroon]] ||align=center| '''1982–present''' || He served under President Ahmadou Ahidjo and became Prime Minister in 1975. Ahidjo resigned on November 6, 1982 and Biya became president. After years of totalitarian rule, he allowed the creation of opposition parties in 1990 but his re-elections have been marked by widespread fraud and intimidation.
|-
|align=center|[[Hissène Habré]] ||align=center| [[Chad]] ||align=center| 1982–1990 || Chairman of the Council of State 1982; President of Chad 1982-1990. Gained power in a coup; abolished post of Prime Minister; executed opposition leaders.
|-
|align=center|[[Thomas Sankara]] ||align=center| [[Burkina Faso]] ||align=center| 1983-1987 || President of Upper Volta 1983-1984; President of Burkina Faso 1984-1987. Gained power in coup. Lead millitary regime. Overthrown and killed in coup.
|-
|align=center|[[Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya]] ||align=center| [[Mauritania]] ||align=center| 1984–2005 || Deposed the military head of state, [[Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla]], on December 1984 and declared himself Chairman of the Military Committee for National Salvation. Deposed by [[Ely Ould Mohamed Vall]] in a bloodless coup d'état. 
|-
|align=center|[[Ibrahim Babangida]] ||align=center| [[Nigeria]] ||align=center| 1985-1993 || Annulled the most free and fair presidential election in the history of Nigeria, leading to the death of the presidenstial candidate [[Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola]].
|-
|align=center|[[Zine El Abidine Ben Ali]] ||align=center| [[Tunisia]] ||align=center| 1987–2011 || President of Tunisia. Although he announced [[Pluralism#Plualism in politics|political pluralism]] in 1992, his Democratic Constitutional Rally (formerly Neo-Destour party) continues to dominate the national politics and there is no genuine open political debate. In 1999, although two unknown alternative candidates were permitted for the first time to stand in the presidential elections, Ben Ali was re-elected with 99.66% of the vote. A controversial constitutional referendum in 2002 allowed him to seek re-election and contemplate the possibility of remaining in office until 2014. On October 24, 2004, he was again re-elected, officially taking 94.48% of the vote. Certain books, periodicals and internet sites are banned or blocked. The [http://www.tunisiatv.com National Television] frequently show his actions during a week, but often the President only appears in passing on television. In 2011 he was forced from power after mass protests.
|-
|align=center|[[Omar Hasan Ahmad al-Bashir]] ||align=center| [[Sudan]] ||align=center| '''1989–present''' || President of the Revolutionary Command Council for National Salvation 1989-1993; President of Sudan 1993-present. Took power in a military coup and increasingly centralized power into himself. Widely believed to be implicated in the [[Darfur]] [[Janjaweed]] [[pogrom]]s.
|-
|align=center|[[Idriss Déby]] ||align=center| [[Chad]] ||align=center| '''1990–present''' || Head of State 1990-1991; President of Chad 1991 to date. Gained power in a coup; continues to suppress opposition and press (see [http://web.amnesty.org/report2005/tcd-summary-eng]).
|-
|align=center|[[Sani Abacha]] ||align=center| [[Nigeria]] ||align=center| 1993–1998 || Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council 1993-1998. Seized power in a coup; persecuted opposition; never stood for election. Jailed Chief [[Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola]], the presumed winner of the annulled 1993 presidential election; presided over execution of activist [[Ken Saro-Wiwa]].
|-
|align=center|[[Paul Kagame]] || align=center|[[Rwanda]] || align=center|'''1994-present''' || Vice-President of Rwanda 1994-2000; President 2000-Present. Brouhgt to power by a guerilla movement which plunged the country into bloodshed and led to the Rwandan Genocide in 1994. Responsible of the the killings of innocent civilians, women and children in Kibeho refugee camp. Responsible of the killings of 4 millions congolese. Responsible of the killings of Priests and Archbishops in Kabgayi.
|-
|align=center|[[Yahya Jammeh]] ||align=center| [[The Gambia]] ||align=center| '''1994-Present''' || President of The Gambia. Gained power in coup d'état. Right to the press and free speech supressed. Stood for three elections (1996, 2001, and 2006); last election deemed unfair by opposition.
|-
|align=center|[[Laurent-Désiré Kabila]] ||align=center| [[Congo-Kinshasa]] ||align=center| 1997–2001 || President of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Overthrew [[Mobutu Sese Seko]] in coup. No elections held during ongoing, interstate [[First Congo War|First]] and [[Second Congo War]]s.
|-
|align=center|[[Charles G. Taylor]] ||align=center| [[Liberia]] ||align=center| 1997–2003 || President of Liberia 1997-2003. Elected, but widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.guardian.co.uk/sierra/article/0,2763,221878,00.html], [http://www.cij.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewNews&newsID=9], [http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2003/127/48.0.html]). Linked to "[[blood diamonds]]" and illegal arms trading. Believed to have interfered frequently in the internal affairs of neighboring states while a [[warlord]], before his election to the presidency.
|-
|align=center|[[François Bozizé]] ||align=center| [[Central African Republic]] ||align=center| 2003–2013 || President of the Central African Republic 2003 to date. Gained power in a coup and suspended the constitution, though he has restored some democracy (see [http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/02/28/1456242]).
|-
|align=center|[[Ely Ould Mohamed Vall]] ||align=center| [[Mauritania]] ||align=center| 2005-2007 || Chairman of the Military Council for Justice and Democracy. Gained power via a military coup. Though he has said to relinquish power to an elected government in 2007.
|-
|align=center|[[Michael Sata]] ||align=center| [[Zambia]] ||align=center| '''2011–present''' || Elected President of Zambia. Sata shut down the opposition and maintains relationships with [[Robert Mugabe]].
|-
|align=center|[[Mohamed Morsi]] ||align=center| [[Egypt]] ||align=center| '''2012–present''' || Supported by the Muslim Brotherhood. Described Jews as "apes and pigs". Massively expanded his presidential authority upon being elected, giving himself unlimited powers.
|}

==The Americas==
===North America===

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center|[[Agustín de Iturbide]] || align=center|[[Mexico]] || align=center|1822 - 1823 || Shortly after the Mexican War of Independence, he was declared Emperor of Mexico in 1822. Repressive, cracked down on free speech and any opposition. Desposed when popular opposition forced him to abdicate.
|-
| align=center|[[Antonio López de Santa Anna|Antonio López de Santa Anna]] || align=center|[[Mexico]] || align=center|1833 - 1855 (intermittent) || President or Provisional President of Mexico 1833-1837, then 1841 to February 1844, June to December 1844, March to September 1847 and finally 1853-1855. When [[Anastasio Bustamante]] led a coup overthrowing and killing President [[Vicente Guerrero]], Santa Anna seized power and then was elected President in 1833. At first he gave a free hand to his vice-president [[Valentín Gómez Farías]], a liberal reformer. Later he dismissed Gómez Farías, declared the Constitution suspended, disbanded the Congress and worked to concentrate power in the central government. He was overthrown and restored to power several times before his final overthrow in 1855.
|-
| align=center|[[Porfirio Díaz]] || align=center|[[Mexico]] || align=center|1879 - 1910 || Interim president 1876-1877; President of Mexico 1877-1880, 1884-1911. ''De facto'' ruler 1880-1884. Gained power in a coup, after his Revolution of Tuxtepac overthrew his predecessor, Lerdo. He did not run for reelection after his first term in order to keep his one-term promises that he made during his revolution. However, he retook the presidency a few years later and did not leave from power until the [[Mexican Revolution|Revolution of 1910]] kicked him from the Presidency. His rule saw the rapid modernization of Mexico, progress mainly caused by Diaz's encouragement of foreign investment in the country's infrastructure. However, the poor became quite miserable during this time. Political opposition was squelched and rebellions were put down by the ''rurals'', Diaz's personal guard. He was eventually overthrown by the [[Mexican Revolution|Revolution]] which lasted 10 years.
|-
| align=center|[[Victoriano Huerta]] || align=center|[[Mexico]] || align=center|1913 - 1914 || Appointed president, established a military dictatorship for about a year, and then was forced to resign.
|}

===Central America===
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center|[[Rafael Carrera]] || align=center|[[Guatemala]] || align=center|1844–1848 1851–1865 || President of Guatemala. Gained power in a coup; styled himself [[President for Life]].
|-
|align=center|[[William Walker]] ||align=center| [[Nicaragua]] ||align=center| 1856-1857 || An american fillibuster takes over and proclaims himself President of Nicaragua. Tried to conquer several central american countries. Eventually executed.
|-
| align=center|[[Justo Rufino Barrios]] || align=center|[[Guatemala]] || align=center|1873–1885 || President of Guatemala. Gained power in a bloody coup, but introduced reforms.
|-
| align=center|[[Manuel Estrada Cabrera]] || align=center|[[Guatemala]] || align=center|1898–1920 || President of Guatemala. Never elected; subverted constitution; widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9033093], [http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761558775/Estrada_Cabrera_Manuel.html]). Constructed numerous large [[Ancient Greece|Hellenic]]-style temples as monuments to his rule.
|-
| align=center|[[Maximiliano Hernández Martínez]] || align=center|[[El Salvador]] || align=center|1931–1934 1935–1944 || Acting President 1931-1934; President of El Salvador 1935-1944. Gained power in a coup; suppressed opposition; oversaw massacre of between ten and forty thousand suspected opponents. Presided over ''[[1932 Salvadoran peasant uprising|La Matanza]]'' in 1932, a massacre (genocide) of communists, suspected communists, [[campesinos]] and [[Pipil]] Indians (see [http://countrystudies.us/el-salvador/7.htm]).
|-
| align=center|[[Jorge Ubico]] || align=center|[[Guatemala]] || align=center|1931–1944 || President of Guatemala. Elected, but suppressed opposition and "assumed dictatorial powers".
|-
| align=center|[[Tiburcio Carías Andino]] || align=center|[[Honduras]] || align=center|1933–1949 || President of Honduras. Banned opposition and set up a [[Rubberstamp (politics)|rubber-stamp]] congress; suppressed unions (see[http://countrystudies.us/honduras/19.htm]).
|-
| align=center|[[Anastasio Somoza García]] || align=center|[[Nicaragua]] || align=center|1937–1956 || Somoza used his position as head of the [[National Guard (Nicaragua)|National Guard]] to overthrow President [[Juan Bautista Sacasa]]; centralized constitutional authority under his control; alternately rigged elections for himself or installed relatives in his place; kleptocrat.[http://www.immigrantinfo.org/kin/nicaragua.htm][http://www.country-data.com/cgi-bin/query/r-9212.html].
|-
| align=center|[[Carlos Castillo Armas]] || align=center|[[Guatemala]] || align=center|1954–1957 || Junta Chairman, 1954; President of Guatemala 1954-1957. Gained power in a coup; banned the popular [[Guatemalan Party of Labour|Communist party]]; purged trade unions of leftist influence; declared himself president in 1956. Assassinated.
|-
| align=center|[[Oswaldo López Arellano]] || align=center|[[Honduras]] || align=center|1963–1971 1972–1975 || Head of Military Government 1963-1965; President of Honduras 1965-1971; Head of State 1972-1975. Military officer who allowed elections in 1971 before re-seizing power the next year. According to Clara Nieto in ''Masters of War: Latin America and United States Aggression from the Cuban Revolution through the Clinton years'', p. 114 (ISBN 1-58322-545-5): "During this second term (1972-1975) López governed without a congress and by decree."
|-
| align=center|[[Anastasio Somoza Debayle]] || align=center|[[Nicaragua]] || align=center|1967-1979 || Succeeded his somewhat more liberal brother [[Luis Somoza Debayle|Luis]]; stepped down briefly in 1972, then resumed the presidency after an earthquake; outlawed several opposition parties; declared [[martial law]] in response to guerilla opposition; oversaw brutal repression by the National Guard.
|-
| align=center|[[Omar Torrijos]] || align=center|[[Panama]] || align=center|1968–1981 || Commander of the National Guard. Gained power in a coup; banned opposition, unions and free press.
|-
| align=center|[[Manuel Noriega]] || align=center|[[Panama]]|| align=center|1983–1989 || Commander of the National Guard and ''de facto'' military leader, widely described as a dictator (see [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9056130], [http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761561240/Noriega_Moreno_Manuel_Antonio.html], [http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/8155061.htm]).
|}

===South America===

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center|[[José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia]] || align=center|[[Paraguay]] || align=center|1813-1814 and 1814-1840 ||gained power in election. Outlawed all opposition. Installed a police state. Cult of personality; citizens forced to raise their hats or a brim when he passed by; styled himself with the position name "El Supremo". 
|-
| align=center| [[Simón Bolívar]] || align=center| [[Gran Columbia]] || align=center| 1821-1830 || Though an admirer of classical liberal democracy, the founder and president of Gran Colombia proclaimed himself dictator in 1828 after an unsuccessful constitutional convention. Resigned eighteen months later.
|-
| align=center|[[Juan Manuel de Rosas]] || align=center|[[Argentina]] || align=center|1835–1852 || Governor of Buenos Aires 1829-1832, 1835-1852; Supreme Chief of the Argentine Confederation 1851-1852. Assumed dictatorial powers; exiled opponents.
|-
| align=center|[[Carlos Antonio López]] || align=center|[[Paraguay]] || align=center|1841–1862 || First Consul 1841-1844; President of Paraguay 1844-1862. 
|-
| align=center|[[Manuel Belzu]] || align=center|[[Bolivia]] || align=center|1848–1855 || Provisional President of Bolivia 1848-1850; President of Bolivia 1850-1855. Unelected military ruler; ''[[caudillo]]''. A populist and nationalist who voluntarily relinquished power after 1855 elections, described in (ISBN 0-13-524356-4), p.131, as the "cleanest ever held" in (early) Bolivian history.
|-
| align=center|[[Francisco Solano López]] || align=center|[[Paraguay]] || align=center|1862–1869 || President of Paraguay. Inherited power from his father; had himself awarded immense powers by a congress he had packed with supporters. Killed in the [[War of the Triple Alliance]] (which Lopez had caused by invading Brazil), along with 90 per cent of the Paraguayan adult (age 14+) male population.
|-
| align=center|[[Mariano Melgarejo]] || align=center|[[Bolivia]] || align=center|1864–1871 || Provisional President 1864-1870; President of Bolivia 1870-1871. Gained power in a coup and ruthlessly suppressed opposition. In 1869 he sent the army to suppress an uprising by [[Huaichu]] Indians attempting to regain land privileges they enjoyed under President Belzu (see ISBN 1-55753-324-5).
|-
| align=center|[[Antonio Guzmán Blanco]] || align=center|[[Venezuela]] || align=center|1870–1888 || Acting President of Venezuela 1863, 1865; General-in-chief April-July 1870; Provisional President of Venezuela 1870-1873; President of Venezuela 1873 - 1877; Supreme Director 1879; Provisional President of Venezuela 1879 - 1880; President of Venezuela 1880 -1884, 1886 -1888. Described, perhaps inaccurately, as a "benevolent despot"; other sources mention his "long dictatorship" (see[http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:ghIhQZ7WhgUJ:www.normangall.com/artigos/Church_Militant.pdf+Antonio+Guzm%C3%A1n+Blanco+%22dictator%22]).
|-
| align=center|[[Cipriano Castro]] || align=center|[[Venezuela]] || align=center|1899–1909 || Supreme Chief 1899-1901; Provisional President 1901 - 1902, 1904 - 1905; President of Venezuela 1902 - 1904, 1905 - 1909. Took over in a military coup (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:kdvql1ZK2-4J:www.sg.inter.edu/revista-ciscla/volume29/singh.pdf+Antonio+Guzm%C3%A1n+Blanco+%22dictator%22]).
|-
| align=center|[[Rafael Reyes]] || align=center|[[Colombia]] || align=center|1904–1909 || President 1904 - 1909, as a military ruler representing the Conservatives. "In the course of his regime, Reyes improved the country’s finances, expanded roads and railroads, and encouraged increased coffee production. Large U.S. investments and purchases of coffee and minerals contributed to Colombia’s economic growth. However, Reyes ruled as a dictator. He dissolved the congress and replaced it with a handpicked legislature, jailed and exiled political opponents, and declared martial law." (''Colombia'', [[Encarta|Microsoft Encarta]] 2003)
|-
| align=center|[[Juan Vicente Gómez]] || align=center|[[Venezuela]] || align=center|1909–1914 1922–1929 1931–1935 || Provisional President 1909-1910; President of Venezuela 1910-1914, 1922-1929, 1931-1935. Gained power in a coup; never elected; kleptocrat; widely described as a dictator (see [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9037322], [http://movies2.nytimes.com/gst/movies/movie.html?v_id=156078], [http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761563557/Juan_Vicente_Gomez.html]).
|-
| align=center|[[Óscar Benavides]] || align=center|[[Peru]] || align=center|1914–1915 1933–1939 || Junta Chairman 1914; President of Peru 1914-1915, 1933-1939. Twice gained power by coup.
|-
| align=center|[[Augusto B. Leguía y Salcedo|Augusto Leguía]] || align=center|[[Peru]] || 1919–1930 || President of Peru. Gained power in a coup; ignored constitution; suppressed and exiled opposition.
|-
| align=center|[[Carlos Ibáñez del Campo]] || align=center|[[Chile]] || align=center|1927–1931 || Acting President 1927, President 1927 - 1931. Democratically elected to a six-year term in 1952.
|-
| align=center|[[Getúlio Vargas]] || align=center|[[Brazil]] || align=center|1930–1934 1937–1945 || Head of provisional government 1930-1934 after revolution; indirectly elected as Constitutional President 1934-1937; launched a coup in 1937 and became dictator 1937-1945; democratically-elected President of Brazil 1950-1954.
|-
| align=center|[[Gabriel Terra]] || align=center|[[Uruguay]] || align=center|1931–1938 || President of Uruguay. Suspended congress and dissolved constitution in 1933. 
|-
| align=center|[[Higinio Morínigo]] || align=center|[[Paraguay]] || align=center|1940–1948 || Provisional president 1940-1943; President of Paraguay 1943-1948. Seized absolute power; ruled by [[diktat]] until 1946.
|-
| align=center|[[Manuel Odría]] || align=center|[[Peru]] || align=center|1948–1956 || Chairman of military junta 1948 - 1950; President of Peru 1950 - 1956. Gained power in a coup; restricted civil rights; allowed election in 1956.
|-
| align=center|[[Marcos Pérez Jiménez]] || align=center|[[Venezuela]] || align=center|1948–1958 || Member of military junta 1948 - 1952; Provisional president 1952 -1953; President of Venezuela 1953 - 1958. Never elected; pursued opposition violently; credited with improvements to the country's infrastructure.
|-
| align=center|[[Gustavo Rojas Pinilla]] || align=center|[[Colombia]] || align=center|1953–1957 || President of Colombia. Gained power in a coup.
|-
| align=center|[[Alfredo Stroessner]] || align=center|[[Paraguay]] || align=center|1954–1989 || President of Paraguay. He took over in a military coup (see[http://www.foreignaffairs.org/19890301faessay5951/riordan-roett/paraguay-after-stroessner.html], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:vqkaVDmcvaIJ:www.columbia.edu/cu/polisci/pdf-files/apsa_krutz.pdf+Stroessner+dictator],[http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:qfMgvA6bakgJ:users.ox.ac.uk/~newc1465/Proudman%2520-%2520SoftPowerMeetsHard.pdf+Stroessner+dictator]). 
|-
| align=center|[[Humberto de Alencar Castelo Branco|Humberto Castelo Branco]] || align=center|[[Brazil]] || align=center|1964–1967 || President of Brazil. Gained power in a coup; abolished most opposition; subsequently appointed by congress.
|-
| align=center|[[René Barrientos]] || align=center|[[Bolivia]] || align=center|1964–1969 || Chairman of the military junta, 1964-January 1966 (jointly with [[Alfredo Ovando]] 1965-1966); President of Bolivia, August 1966 - 1969. Gained power in military coup; kleptocrat; responsible for [[Catavi massacre]] and execution of [[Che Guevara]] (ISBN 0-85345-991-6), p.136.
|-
| align=center|[[Forbes Burnham]] || align=center|[[Guyana]] || align=center|1966–1985 || Prime Minister 1966 - 1980; President 1980 - 1985. Elected, but became increasingly dictatorial; held dubious elections and encouraged leftist religious cults (such as the [[Peoples Temple]]) to settle in the Guyanese interior (see [http://www.jagan.org/janet_jagan29.htm], [http://www.hardbeatnews.com/editor/RTE/my_documents/my_files/details.asp?newsid=4498&title=Politics]).
|-
| align=center|[[Artur da Costa e Silva]] || align=center|[[Brazil]] || align=center|1967–1969 || President of Brazil 1967-1969. Elected in 1966, but centralised power; closed the Congress; banned opposition; suspended free press. Decreed [[Institutional Act No. 5]], described as "the most unconstitutional, anti-democratic, arbitrary, and repressive decree in Brazil's history." (ISBN 1-58322-545-5), p.167.
|-
| align=center|[[Emílio Garrastazu Médici]] || align=center|[[Brazil]] || align=center|1969–1974 || President of Brazil. Appointed by congress, but instituted a military government; suppressed press and opposition (see[http://www.wrm.org.uy/bulletin/62/index.rtf]).
|-
| align=center|[[Hugo Banzer]] || align=center|[[Bolivia]] || align=center|1971–1978 || President of Bolivia. Gained power in a coup; suppressed opposition; closed universities; 3,000 opponents arrested, 200 killed.
|-
| align=center|[[Juan María Bordaberry]] || align=center|[[Uruguay]] || align=center|1972–1976 || President of Uruguay 1972 - 1976. Elected, but installed a military government, dissolved Congress, suspended civil liberties and banned unions.
|-
| align=center|[[Augusto Pinochet]] || align=center|[[Chile]] || align=center|1973–1990 || Chairman of military junta 1973-1974; Supreme Head of the Nation 1974; President of Chile 1974 - 1990. Gained power in a coup; suppressed and exiled opposition; over 3000 "[[Forced disappearance|disappearances]]" and 28,000 tortured.
|-
| align=center|[[Ernesto Geisel]] || align=center|[[Brazil]] || align=center|1974-1979 || Congress-appointed President of Brazil. The fourth of the military dictators; party and union freedom were still inexistent during his term; had oppositionists like journalist [[Wladimir Herzog]] and factory worker [[Manoel Fiel Filho]] tortured and murdered.
|-
| align=center|[[Jorge Rafael Videla]] || align=center|[[Argentina]] || align=center|1976–1981 || President of Argentina. Gained power in a coup; never elected; between ten and thirty thousand opponents killed.
|-
| align=center|[[João Baptista de Oliveira Figueiredo]] || align=center|[[Brazil]] || align=center|1979-1985 || Congress-appointed President of Brazil. Society won some democratic measures these years, but there was still a major fraud during 1982 State government elections. His government was responsible for the 1983 bomb in the Riocentro.
|-
| align=center|[[Dési Bouterse]] || align=center|[[Suriname]] || align=center|1980–1988 || Chairman of the National Military Council 1980-1988. Gained power in a coup; never elected; widespread misrule. Most infamous atrocity is the ''[[Decembermoorden]]''.
|-
| align=center|[[Luis García Meza Tejada]] || align=center|[[Bolivia]] || align=center|1980–1981 || President of Bolivia. Gained power in the "Cocaine Coup" aided by [[Klaus Barbie]]; highly repressive; over 1,000 killed.
|-
| align=center|[[Gregorio Conrado Álvarez]] || align=center|[[Uruguay]] || align=center|1981–1985 || President of Uruguay. Ignored constitution; extensive human rights abuses (see [http://www.rulers.org/indexa2.html]).
|-
| align=center|[[Leopoldo Galtieri]] || align=center|[[Argentina]] || align=center|1981–1982 || President of Argentina 1981-1982. Gained power in a coup (see[http://www.guardian.co.uk/argentina/story/0,,873601,00.html], [http://english.pravda.ru/world/2003/01/14/41968.html]). Deposed after failed [[Falklands War|invasion of the Falkland Islands]] in 1982.
|-
|align=center| [[Alberto Fujimori]] || align=center|[[Peru]] || align=center|1992-1993 || President of Peru 1990-2000, widely critizised for his political authoritarism. [http://www.fpif.org/briefs/vol5/v5n34peru_body.html][http://www.aprodeh.org.pe/fujimori/delitos-eng.htm] [http://www.cverdad.org.pe/ingles/pagina01.php]. After enjoying a certain degree of popular support, Fujimori was forced from office following controvertial third term re-election[http://archives.cnn.com/2000/WORLD/americas/05/29/peru.elections.04/]. In 2000 political opponent Mario Vargas Llosa called Fujimori a "dictator" [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/741841.stm]. His government was also marked by the influence of the director of the SIN, [[Vladimiro Montesinos]] [http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1477-7053.2005.00165.x?cookieSet=1&journalCode=goop][http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB37/]. Currently in Peru, Fujimori is in trial for presumed charges ranging from corruption to participation in crimes against humanity. [http://www.hrw.org/backgrounder/americas/peru-qna-1030.htm].
|-
|align=center|[[Hugo Chávez]] ||align=center| [[Venezuela]] ||align=center| 1999-2012 || Appointed special powers, nationalized the media and oil companies,Shut down opposition media and banned "The Simpsons."
|-

|align=center|[[Nicolás Maduro]] ||align=center| [[Venezuela]] ||align=center| '''2013-present''' || Continues the corrupt ideology of Hugo Chavez, which destroys the economy of Venezuela.
|-
|}

===Caribbean===

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center|[[Jean-Jacques Dessalines]] || align=center|[[Haiti]] || align=center|1804-1806 || Governor-General of Haiti 1804; Emperor of Haiti (as Jacques I) 1804 - 1806. Ruled autocratically.
|-
| align=center|[[Henry Christophe]] || align=center|[[Haiti]] (northern)|| align=center|1806-1820 || Provisional Chief of the Haitian Government 1806-1807; President of Haiti 1807-1811; King of Haiti (as Henry I) 1811-1820. Ruled autocratically.
|-
| align=center|[[Pedro Santana]] || align=center|[[Dominican Republic]] || align=center|1844-1848, 1853 -1856, 1858 - 1861 || Never elected; suppressed opposition; widely considered a dictator.
|-
| align=center|[[Buenaventura Báez]] || align=center|[[Dominican Republic]] || align=center|1849-1878 (intermittent) || President of the Dominican Republic five times. Gained power following coups; never elected.
|-
| align=center|[[Ulises Heureaux]] || align=center|[[Dominican Republic]] || align=center|1882-1899 (intermittent) || President of the Dominican Republic three times. Never elected; widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.marcusgarvey.com/wmview.php?ArtID=507], [http://countrystudies.us/dominican-republic/8.htm], [http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-7709.2004.00452.x]).
|-
| align=center|[[Gerardo Machado]] || align=center|[[Cuba]] || align=center|1925-1933 || President of Cuba. A follower of [[Benito Mussolini]], he is widely described as a dictator (see [http://www.historicaltextarchive.com/sections.php?op=viewarticle&artid=672], [http://www.highbeam.com/ref/doc0.asp?docid=1E1:MachadoG]).
|-
| align=center|[[Rafael Trujillo]] || align=center|[[Dominican Republic]] || align=center|1930-1961 || President of the Dominican Republic 1930 - 1938, 1942 - 1952; ''de facto'' ruler 1930-1961. Gained power in a coup; cult of personality (renamed the capital [[Ciudad Trujillo]]); promoted racism against Haitians and ordered the massacre of 20,000 blacks.
|-
| align=center|[[Paul Magloire]] || align=center|[[Haiti]] || align=center|1950-1956 || President of Haiti. Gained power in a coup; never elected.
|-
| align=center|[[François Duvalier]] || align=center|[[Haiti]] || align=center|1957-1971 || President of Haiti. Elected in 1957, but banned opposition; declared himself [[President for Life]] in 1964; highly repressive.
|-
| align=center|[[Fidel Castro]] || align=center|[[Cuba]] || align=center| 1959-2006 || Prime Minister of Cuba 1959-1976; President of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers from 1976. Gained power after [[Cuban Revolution|revolution]]. Castro was elected President [[Elections in Cuba|after 1976]], but within a one-party [[Communist state]].
|-
| align=center|[[Jean-Claude Duvalier]] || align=center|[[Haiti]] || align=center|1971-1986 || President of Haiti. Inherited presidency aged 19 from his father; never elected.
|-
| align=center|[[Eric Gairy]] || align=center|[[Grenada]] || align=center|1974-1979 || Prime Minister of Grenada 1967-1979. Widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.factbites.com/topics/Eric-Gairy], [http://www.paradise-inn-carriacou.com/grenada_revolution.php], [http://counterpunch.org/gibson06052004.html]). 
|-
| align=center|[[Raoul Cédras]] || align=center|[[Haiti]] || align=center|1991-1994 || ''De facto'' ruler for a relatively short period of time. Gained power in a coup (see [http://www.haitisupport.gn.apc.org/infamous.htm]).
|-
|align=center|[[Raul Castro]] ||align=center| [[Cuba]] ||align=center| '''2006-present''' || Appointed successor by his brother of the Communist Party of Cuba.
|-
|}

==Asia==

===Western Asia ("Middle East")===

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|
|-
| align=center|[[Abdul Karim Qassem]] || align=center|[[Iraq]] || align=center|1958–1963 || Gained power by coup; viewed by some as benevolent (see [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/03/18/wisad18.xml]).
|-
| align=center|[[Abdul Salam Arif]] || align=center|[[Iraq]] || align=center|1963–1966 || Gained power in a coup; military ruler.
|-
| align=center|[[Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr]] || align=center|[[Iraq]] || align=center|1968–1979 || Gained power in a coup; never elected.
|-
| align=center|[[Hafez al-Assad]] || align=center|[[Syria]] || align=center|1970–2000 ||Gained power in a coup; totalitarian;{{fact}} cult of personality; oversaw [[Hama massacre]] yielding twenty to forty thousand dead (see [http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=M1ARTM0012197]).
|-
| align=center|[[Ruhollah Khomeini]] || align=center|[[Iran]] || align=center|1979–1989 || As [[Supreme Leader of Iran|Supreme Leader]], held ultimate and uncontested authority over all government matters under the principle of [[Guardianship of the Islamic Jurists|Guardianship]]. Created the extra-constitutional [[Special Clerical Court]] system in 1987, accountable only to the Supreme Leader and used principally for suppression of political dissent. Instituted routine torture, beheadings for children.
|-
| align=center|[[Saddam Hussein]] || align=center|[[Iraq]] || align=center|1979–2003 || Pressured Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr to resign in 1979 and formally became president. Repressive; developed extensive personality cult; deposed by [[United States]] and coalition forces in an invasion.
|-
| align=center|[[Ali Khamenei|Ayatollah Ali Khamenei]]||align=center| [[Iran]] ||align=center| '''1989-present''' || Continues Khomeini's [[Islamist]] path & uses religion as a tool, cracks down on all authentic dissent, tortures, and has given orders that permit killings like that of [[Akbar Mohammadi]] and [[Zahra Kazemi]]. Only permitts [[government-organized demonstrations]]. Allows a multi-party government but disallows the candidacy of true moderates.[http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=9940][http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1527919/][http://www.nationalreview.com/ledeen/ledeen200505310823.asp][http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1154652871.shtml][http://isd.georgetown.edu/demo_0102.pdf][http://www.boycottliberalism.com/liberalcelebrity.htm]ISBN 0-16-074590-X
|-
| align=center|[[Bashar al-Assad]] || align=center|[[Syria]] || align=center|'''2000–present''' || No opposition permitted in election following death of his father; widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.opinionjournal.com/best/?id=110007449], [http://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP92405], [http://www.freeman.org/m_online/feb04/pasko.htm]).
|}

===Central Asia===

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center|[[Askar Akayev]] || align=center|[[Kyrgyzstan]] || align=center|1990–2005 || Appointed but became increasingly authoritarian; widely described as a dictator (see [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4542783.stm], [http://www.villagevoice.com/blogs/bushbeat/archive/000935.php], [http://www.eurasianet.org/resource/kazakhstan/hypermail/200507/0023.shtml]).
|-
| align=center|[[Islam Karimov]] || align=center|[[Uzbekistan]] || align=center|'''1991–present''' || Described as authoritarian who is increasingly centralizing power (see [http://www.ingentaconnect.com/search/expand?pub=infobike://bell/soviet/2003/00000019/00000004/art00002&unc=], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:uuOVzdj_xBoJ:www1.dogus.edu.tr/dogustru/journal/sayi_6/M00073.PDF+%22Islam+Karimov%22+%22dictator%22]). Elections essentially uncontested and unmonitored. Opposition repressed. 
|-
| align=center|[[Saparmurat Niyazov]] || align=center|[[Turkmenistan]] || align=center|1991–2006 || Declared [[President for Life]] in 1999; [[cult of personality]]; his book ''[[Ruhnama]]'' is to be treated with reverence (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:blnbM3mP0eAJ:www.eurasianet.org/turkmenistan.project/files2/050603Turkmenreport.pdf+%22Niyazov%22+%22dictatorship%22], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:Ie2QfLuR_ysJ:www.ndu.edu/ctnsp/tamerlane/Tamerlane-Chapter2.pdf+%22Niyazov%22+%22dictatorship%22]).
|-
| align=center|[[Muhammed Omar]] || align=center|[[Afghanistan]] || align=center|1996–2001 || Considered a Theocratic Dictator who excercized strict sharia laws; allowed the persecution of Hazaras; gave Al Qaeda refuge in Afghanistan. (see[http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0881088.html][http://www.afghan-web.com/bios/today/momar.html]).
|-
| align=center|[[Ilham Aliyev]] || align=center|[[Azerbaijan]] || align=center|'''2003–present''' || Dubious election; opposition suppressed (see[http://www.underreported.com/print.php?sid=1241]).
|-
| align=center| [[Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedow]] || align=center|[[Turkmenistan]] || align=center|'''2006-present''' ||Unelected, appointed as successor upon Niyazov's death. Turkemnistan still continues to be oppresive and a single-party state.
|}

===South Asia===
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center|[[Ayub Khan]] || align=center|[[Pakistan]] || align=center|1958–1969 || Gained power in a coup. Subsequent elections considered dubious (see[http://www.storyofpakistan.com/articletext.asp?artid=A069], [http://www.indianexpress.com/messages.php?content_id=71414]).
|-
| align=center|[[Yahya Khan]] || align=center|[[Pakistan]] || align=center|1969–1971 || Military ruler, gaining power from coup (see [http://presidentyahya.com],[http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/pakistantimeline.html], [http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/kpsgill/terrorism/04Jan10Pio.htm]).
|-
| align=center|[[Maumoon Abdul Gayoom]] || align=center|[[Maldives]] || align=center|1978–2008 || [[Autocracy|Autocrat]]; widely considered to be a dictator; no opposition or free press allowed.
|-
| align=center|[[Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq]] || align=center|[[Pakistan]] || align=center|1978–1988 || Took over following coup. Claimed government to be legitimate because it was Islamic (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:dcmhb0vRS4wJ:smartech.gatech.edu:8282/dspace/bitstream/1853/6901/1/kulkarni_nikhil_v_200505_ms.pdf+%22Muhammad+Zia%22+%22dictator%22]).
|-
| align=center|[[Rahimuddin Khan]] || align=center|[[Balochistan (Pakistan)]] || align=center|1978–1984 || Appointed supreme Martial Law Governor of Balochistan by central Pakistani military government following coup. (see [http://www.answers.com/rahimuddin%20khan]).
|-
|align=center|[[Hossain Mohammad Ershad]] || align=center|[[Bangladesh]] || align=center|1982–1990 ||Gained power in a coup; declared martial law; never elected.
|-
|align=center| [[Pervez Musharraf]] || align=center| [[Pakistan]] || align=center| 1999-2008 || Deposed Nawaz Sharif in a military coup, calling it a necessity during a state of emergency. Governed directly as commander in chief until Parliament reconvened in November 2002. Assumed the title of President upon Rafiq Tarar's resignation and stood in a referendum in 2002. Opposition parties state that the rule of law in his custody has deteriorated further.
|}

===Eastern Asia ("Far East")===
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in   power !! Notes
|-
|align=center|[[Tokugawa Ieyasu]] || align=center|[[Japan]] || align=center|1600-1616|| Shogun of [[Japan]] and founder of the long reigning [[Tokugawa shogunate]]. Gained power by unifying the warring clans during [[Japan]]'s long period of civil unrest. He also created an "alternate attendance" system to pacify the [[daimyo]] warlords, as well as closing and isolating trade and the economy, in order to retain his power. His rule was also marked by persecution of european missionaries and japanese christians.
|-
|align=center|[[Yuan Shikai]] || align=center|[[Republic of China]] || align=center|1912–1916 || [[President of the Republic of China]] 1912 - 1915, self-proclaimed [[Emperor of China]], 1916. Ignored legislative consent as defined by the [[Constitution of the Republic of China|Constitution]]; dissolved the [[National Assembly of the Republic of China|National Assembly]]; assassinated [[Song Jiaoren]]; disbanded the [[Kuomintang]].
|-
| align=center|[[Roman von Ungern-Sternberg]] || align=center|[[Mongolia]] || align=center|1921 || 
Born, Baron Roman Nicolaus von Ungern-Sternberg (Роман Фёдорович Унгерн фон Штернберг), in Graf, Austria of Prussian nobility, von Ungern-Sternberg fought, against his own Prussians, in the Imperial Russian Army during World War I and fought the [[Bolsheviks]], in [[Siberia]], after 1917. A rabid [[monarchist]], von Ungern-Sternberg soon thereafter became an independent [[warlord]] with the intention of establishing an independent Russo-Sino-Mongolian monarchy in [[Urga]] under the nominal rule of [[Bogd Khaan]] (the [[Living Buddha]]). Although considered the paragon of bravery, von Ungern-Sternberg was reckless, brutal and mentally unstable.

After a savage battle against occupying [[Chinese republic]]an forces, on March 13, 1921, [[Mongolia]] was proclaimed an independent [[monarchy]], and Ungern von Sternberg became Mongolian [[dictator]]. His brief rule of Mongolia was characterised by looting, raping and a reign of terror by his army. Eventually, the [[Bolsheviks]] invaded Mongolia and after a series of battles, von Ungern-Sternberg was defeated in a August 1921, captured by his own soldiers, and handed over to the [[Red Army]] on August 21, 1921.

|-
| align=center|[[Horloogiyn Choybalsan]] || align=center|[[Mongolia]] || align=center|1936–1952 || Unelected; opponents purged; cult of personality.
|-
| align=center|[[Kim Il-sung]] || align=center|[[North Korea]] || align=center|1948–1994 || Appointed prime minister in 1948; purged rivals in the [[Workers' Party of Korea]] to consolidate power in 1956 (see [http://muse.jhu.edu/cgi-bin/access.cgi?uri=/journals/korean_studies/v026/26.1lankov.pdf]); introduced "[[Juche]]" ideology demanding absolute loyalty to him and the party; created most pervavise cult of personality in recent history. Declared "Eternal President" on his death.
|-
|align=center|[[Ho Chi Minh]] ||align=center| [[North Vietnam]] ||align=center| 1945-1969 || Unelected; killed thousands of political rivals in the 1940s; killed tens of thousands more during the land reforms of the 1950s; presided over a one-party state.
|-
|align=center| [[Sukarno]] || align=center|[[Indonesia]] || align=center| 1949-1968 ||First President of Indonesia. Consolidated his powers, and got proclaimed President for LIfe. Was overthrown by the then Dictator of Indonesia, Suharto.
|-
|align=center|[[Mao Zedong]] || align=center|[[People's Republic of China]] || align=center|1949–1976 || Chairman of the PRC (1949 – 1959), Chairman of the [[Communist Party of China]] (1945 – 1976), Chairman of the [[Central Military Commission]] (1936 – 1976). Immense cult of personality; purged members of government; silenced opposition. Circumvented Communist Party hierarchy after the 1966 [[Cultural Revolution]]; imprisoned head of state [[Liu Shaoqi]]. Millions of Chinese citizens killed or murdered as a result of his policies and repression.
|-
| align=center|[[Park Chung Hee]] || align=center|[[South Korea]] || align=center|1961–1979 || Took power in 1961 coup. Although initially welcomed by much of the population, he suspended the constitution in 1971 and introduced a new constitution that greatly increased his power.
|-
| align=center|[[Ne Win]] || align=center|[[Burma]] || align=center|1962–1988 || Seized power in a coup; instituted extreme repression (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:rSAOt9c_lU0J:www.iseas.edu.sg/62003.pdf+%22Ne+Win%22+%22dictator%22], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:yqkmuBoqlnYJ:www.asiapacificms.com/papers/pdf/burma_india_china.pdf+%22Ne+Win%22+%22dictator%22]).
|-
| align=center|[[Thanom Kittikachorn]] || align=center|[[Thailand]] || align=center|1963–1973 || Military dictator, known as one of Thailand's so-called "Three Tyrants". Oppressed student-led uprisings in October 1973 and 1976.
|-
| align=center|[[Suharto]] || align=center|[[Indonesia]] || align=center|1967–1998 || His ''[[New Order (Indonesia)|New Order]]'' imprisoned Communists and alleged Communists; repressed Chinese inhabitants; made existing parties subordinate. Also a cleptocrat (with personal and family's assets at least worth US$ 15 billion, based on [[Time]] Magazine investigation in 1998). Described as a dictator in many sources (see[http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:Bbh_caM50o4J:www.aut.ac.nz/depts/commstud/journ/docs/reviewscronau.pdf+%22Suharto+dictatorship%22], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:128rEIvvRD4J:www.civiced.org/research/pdfs/RisingTide.pdf+%22Suharto+dictatorship%22], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:_233mw5azNkJ:cmbc.ucsd.edu/content/1/docs/laurance2004.pdf+%22Suharto+dictatorship%22]).
|-
| align=center|[[Lon Nol]] || align=center|[[Cambodia]] || align=center|1972–1975 || Gained power by coup; not elected.
|-
| align=center|[[Pol Pot]] || align=center|[[Democratic Kampuchea]] || align=center|1975–1979 || Unelected; led a [[Khmer Rouge]] dictatorship; responsible for deaths of at least 1 million Cambodian citizens during his rule.
|-
| align=center|[[Chun Doo Hwan]] || align=center|[[South Korea]] || align=center|1980–1988 || Gained power in a coup; declared martial law; oversaw [[Gwangju Massacre]].
|-
|align=center|[[Mahathir bin Mohamad]] ||align=center| [[Malaysia]] ||align=center| 1981-2003 || Authoritarian; suppresed opposition, media.
|-
| align=center|[[Khamtai Siphandon]] || align=center|[[Laos]] || align=center|1992–2006 || Unelected; one-party state (see[http://www.arthuredelstein.org/worlddictators]).
|-
| align=center|[[Than Shwe]] || align=center|[[Myanmar]] || align=center|'''1992–2011''' || Unelected; persecution of minorities (especially [[Karenni]] and [[Rohingya]] groups [http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2005/51506.htm]) leading 250,000 to flee, either becoming [[IDP]]s or moving across the border to Thailand; consolidated power into himself from the [[SPDC]] - he moved to a new capital in Kyat Pyay in 2006 , &renamed it as Nay Pyi Daw ,i.e the Royal Palace City"; gained power via a military [[coup]] and announced that he would not hand over the power to [[Aung San Suu Kyi]]'s Elected Party (the [[NLD]]); no free press (see [http://www.bbc.co.uk/burmese/forum/story/2004/10/041020_khin_nyunt_ousted.shtml]).
|-
| align=center|[[Kim Jong-il]] || align=center|[[North Korea]] || align=center| 1994–2011 || Became General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and Chairman of the National Defense Commission (the highest state offices) on his father's death. Continues his father's "[[Juche]]" ideology.
|-
| align=center|[[Sonthi Boonyaratglin]] || align=center|[[Thailand]] || align=center|'''2006–present''' || Army chief seized power while Prime Minister [[Thaksin Shinawatra]] was out of the country. A state of martial law was declared, parliament was dissolved and the constitution abrogated. Instituted press censorship and restrictions on protests. The first Muslim in charge of the mostly Buddhist army.
|-
| align=center|[[Kim Jong-un]] || align=center|[[North Korea]] || align=center| '''2011-present''' || Became General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and Chairman of the National Defense Commission (the highest state offices) on his father's death. Continues his grandpa's "[[Juche]]" ideology.
|-
|}

==Europe==

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center| [[Oliver Cromwell]] || align=center| [[Commonwealth of England]] || align=center| 1653-1658 || A [[Puritan]] general in the [[English Civil War]] who quickly rose through the ranks to become ''de facto'' head of the Parliamentary forces. After the Royalist defeat and the execution of [[Charles I]] the newly constituted [[Rump Parliament]] was overthrown by Cromwell who refused the Crown, choosing instead the title of Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland. After his death the monarchy was reinstated. [http://www.olivercromwell.org/].
|-
| align=center| [[Maximilien Robespierre]] || align=center| [[France]] || align=center| 1793–1794 || Head of the Committee of Public Safety during the French Revolution. To purge french society of "Counter Revolutionaries", he instituted the heavily repressive Reign of Terror, a period which killed thousands of french citizens, many of those killed were simply killed under mere suspicion, with little or no proof. Desposed when the National Convention declared him an outlaw.
|-
| align=center| [[Napoleon Bonaparte]] || align=center| [[France]]|| align=center| 1799–1814 || First Consul, 1799-1804. Emperor of the French 1804-1814. Declared himself "First Consul for Life" in 1802 and then Emperor in 1804.
|-
| align=center| [[Józef Chłopicki|Józef Grzegorz Chłopicki]] || align=center| [[Poland]] || align=center| 1830–1831 || Held official title of dictator for one year only.
|-
| align=center| [[Napoleon III of France|Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte]] || align=center| [[France]] || align=center| (1848–1851) 1851–1870|| President of France from 1848 to 1852. In 1851 he launched a coup against the legislature, making himself absolute ruler. From 1852 to 1870 he styled himself Emperor of the French under the name Napoléon III from 1852 to 1870. Later during his reign constitutional liberties were gradually restored. In 1870 he was captured during the abortive [[Franco-Prussian War]] and deposed in his absence by the [[Third Republic]] of France.
|-
| align=center| [[Romuald Traugutt]] || align=center| [[Poland]] || align=center| 1863–1864 || Held official title of dictator for one year. Succeeded [[Marian Langiewicz]] who had declared himself dictator previously, but only lasted less than a year in 1863. 
|-
|align=center|[[Nicholas II]] ||align=center| [[Russia]] ||align=center| 1894-1917 || Ruthless, overthrown by the "October Revolution" and the newly established communist government. The last Tsar of Russia.
|-
| align=center| [[Vladimir Lenin]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center| 1917-1924 || Head of Bolshevik Revolution took power in 1917. Secured victory in the Russian civil war. Headed effort to transform the Russian economy to a socialist model.[http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/lenin_vladimir.shtml] 
|-
| align=center|[[Mustafa Kemal Atatürk]] || align=center|[[Turkey]] || align=center|1918-1938 || Led the Turkish national movement. Transformed Turkey into a secular republic through broad authoritarian reforms.
|-
| align=center| [[Benito Mussolini]] || align=center| [[Italy]] || align=center| 1922–1943, and in part of the country 1943-1945 || Prime Minister of Italy 1922-1943; head of the so-called [[Italian Social Republic]] until 1945. "He introduced strict censorship and altered the methods of election so that in 1925–1926 he was able to assume dictatorial powers and dissolve all other political parties" (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:0PFM13qC39YJ:www.ablongman.com/history_rh_bridge/assets/0321025865_ch15.pdf+%22Italian+dictator+Benito+Mussolini%22],[http://doi.contentdirections.com/mr/greenwood.jsp?doi=10.1336/0275979377]).
|-
| align=center| [[Miguel Primo de Rivera]] || align=center| [[Spain]] || align=center| 1923–1930 || Prime Minister of Spain. Gained power in a coup; suspended the constitution; established martial law; imposed strict censorship; banned all political parties. Widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9061388], [http://www.bartleby.com/65/pr/PrimRivM.html], [http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761565186/Miguel_Primo_de_Rivera.html]). 
|-
| align=center| [[Aleksandar Tsankov]] || align=center| [[Bulgaria]] || align=center| 1923-1926 || Established Right wing nationalist, anti communist coup against [[Stamboliyski]]’s democratic elected [[Agrarians]]. Forced out of power by Tsar [[Boris III]]. [http://www.bartleby.com/65/ts/TsankovA.html]. 
|-
| align=center| [[Joseph Stalin]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center| 1924–1953 || General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, 1922 - 1953; Premier of the Soviet Union 1941 - 1953. Never elected; cult of personality; heavily repressive; responsible for deaths of millions of Soviet citizens (see [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9108469], [http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761559200/Stalin_Joseph.html],[http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/commandingheights/shared/minitextlo/prof_josephstalin.html]).
|-
| align=center| [[Ahmet Bej Zogu]] || align=center| [[Albania]] || align=center| 1925–1939 || Originally elected Prime Minister of Albania 1922-1924 and 1925; President of Albania 1925-1928; crowned himself King of the Albanians (as Zog I) 1928-1939. Described as a dictator (see[http://www.albanian.com/information/history/independ.html], [http://www.diplom.org/manus/talossa/?lingo=&page=Statute&act=25RZ13], [http://www.electionworld.org/history/albania.htm]). Forced to flee with his wife, Queen Geraldine, the imminent takeover of the country by Italy under [[Benito Mussolini]].
|-
| align=center| [[José Mendes Cabeçadas]] || align=center| [[Portugal]] || align=center| 1926 || Leader of [[Ditadura Nacional]] during the first part of June immediately after the [[28th May 1926 coup d'état]]
|-
| align=center| [[Gomes da Costa]] || align=center| [[Portugal]] || align=center| 1926 || Succeeded Cabeçadas as head of the [[Ditadura Nacional]] for less than a month
|-
| align=center| [[António Óscar Carmona]] || align=center| [[Portugal]] || align=center| 1926-1928 || Head of [[Ditadura Nacional]]
|-
| align=center| [[Józef Piłsudski]]|| align=center| [[Poland]] || align=center| 1926–1935 || Polish Head of State 1918-1922, but regained power in 1926 via coup. Prime Minister of Poland 1926-1928 and 1930; Commander in Chief of the Army 1926-1935. Initiated authoritarian [[Sanacja]] government; often described as a "benevolent dictator".
|-
| align=center| [[Antanas Smetona]] || align=center| [[Lithuania]] || align=center| 1926–1940 || President of Lithuania. Seized power in a 1925 military coup (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:wEZn53dBGtoJ:www.gla.ac.uk/departments/dcees/Duvold.pdf+Antanas+Smetona+%22dictatorship%22]); authoritarian rule. His description as a dictator is common (see[http://www.encyclopedia.com/searchpool.asp?target=@DOCKEYWORDS%20balthistbio&unkey=balthistbio&clientIp=216%2E63%2E197%2E211&userAgent=Mozilla%2F4%2E0+%28compatible%3B+MSIE+6%2E0%3B+Windows+NT+5%2E1%3B+SV1%3B+%2ENET+CLR+1%2E1%2E4322%29]), but not universal.
|-
| align=center| [[António de Oliveira Salazar]] || align=center| [[Portugal]] || align=center| 1928–1968 || Prime Minister of Portugal. Established an anti-democratic, anti-parliamentarian, ultra-[[Clericalism|clericalist]], [[Corporativism|corporativist]], extremely conservative, repressive and authoritarian dictatorship, connoted with the Italian fascism, highly supported by the [[Roman Catholic Church]]. Longest right-wing dictatorship ever (four complete decades).
|-
| align=center| [[Alexander I of Yugoslavia|Alexander I]] || align=center| [[Yugoslavia]] || align=center| 1929-1934 || King of Yugoslavia from 1921. On January 6, 1929 he abolished the constitution, prorogued parliament and established the so-called "January 6 Dictatorship." A new constitution in 1931 left all significant political power in the hands of the King.
|-
| align=center| [[Engelbert Dollfuss]] || align=center| [[Austria]] || align=center| 1933–1934 || Chancellor of Austria 1932-1934. Suspended parliament indefinitely in March 1933, governing thereafter by decree. Rule sometimes compared to Mussolini or Franco (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:PUVNNLui6y4J:www3.la.psu.edu/hrsweb/majmin/Theses/Houlihan/Thesis.pdf+%22dictator%22+%22Dollfuss%22]).
|-
| align=center| [[Konstantin Päts]] || align=center| [[Estonia]] || align=center| 1933–1940 || State Elder 1933 - 1937; State Protector 1937 - 1938; President of Estonia 1938-1940. Established authoritarian rule following a coup. Allowed (and won) election in 1938.
|-
| align=center| [[Adolf Hitler]] || align=center| [[Nazi Germany]] || align=center| 1933–1945 || Chancellor of Germany 1933-1945; ''Führer'' (Leader) 1934-1945. The 1933 [[Enabling Act]] suspended most of the constitution and allowed Hitler to [[rule by decree]]. Heavily repressive; ordered imprisonment of millions of political opponents and members of ethnic minorities in concentration camps, where they were abused and killed.
|-
| align=center| [[Kimon Georgiev]] || align=center| [[Bulgaria]] || align=center| 1934 || Took power in coup. Overthrown by Tsar Boris III. 
|-
| align=center| Tsar [[Boris III]] || align=center| [[Bulgaria]] || align=center| 1934-1943 || Overthrew Kimon Geogiev. Took power him self ruled through puppet Prime Ministers Georgi Kyoseivanov. His Regime banned all opposition parties. Took Bulgaria into alliance with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. 
|-
| align=center| [[Kurt Schuschnigg]] || align=center| [[Austria]] || align=center| 1934–1938 || Chancellor of Austria. Maintained his predecessor Dollfuss' oppressive rule.
|-
| align=center| [[Karlis Ulmanis|Kārlis Ulmanis]] || align=center| [[Latvia]] || align=center| 1934–1940 || Prime Minister of Latvia 1934-1940; President of Latvia 1936 - 1940. Gained power in a coup and dissolved parliament; generally viewed as a "benevolent dictator" (see [http://www.ltn.lv/~krz/latvia/lat_history.html], [http://www.sciencedaily.com/encyclopedia/karlis_ulmanis], [http://www.bartleby.com/65/la/Latvia.html]).
|-
| align=center| [[Ioannis Metaxas]] || align=center| [[Greece]] || align=center| 1936–1941 || Prime Minister of Greece. Never elected; banned political parties; arrested opponents; criminalized unions; censored media. Widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.bartleby.com/65/pa/PapandrG.html], [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9052304], [http://www.ahistoryofgreece.com/biography/metaxas.htm]). 
|-
| align=center| [[Francisco Franco]] || align=center| [[Spain]] || align=center| 1936–1975 || Prime Minister of Spain 1938-1975 and Head of State 1939 - 1975 (in the Nationalist Zone, both only to 1939). Purged opposition; often referred to as a dictator or ''caudillo'' (see[http://www.policyreview.org/jun03/diamond.html], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:B1Mmefo38twJ:www.personal.psu.edu/mlb300/spainsocprob.pdf+%22dictator+Francisco+Franco%22],[http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:NsfbKjiVUowJ:www.acad.carleton.edu/curricular/POSC/faculty/montero/Spain%2520Paper%25201.pdf+%22dictator+Francisco+Franco%22], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:9ZzXaMENcm8J:www.artcult.org/cst/spain_prepack_participants.pdf+%22Francisco+Franco%22+%22dictatorship%22]). Strongly supported by the [[Roman Catholic Church]] worldwide.

|-
| align=center| [[Jozef Tiso]] || align=center| [[Slovakia]] || align=center| 1939–1945 || President of [[Slovak Republic (1939-1945)|WWII Slovak Republic]]. Led a partly Roman Catholic clerical, partly pro-Nazi, one-party state. Described by some as a dictator (see [http://www.adl.org/PresRele/HolNa_52/3578_52.asp], [http://dominican-republic.asinah.net/en/wikipedia/j/jo/jozef_tiso.html], [http://www.ce-review.org/00/19/vaknin19.html]).
|-
| align=center| [[Ion Antonescu]] || align=center| [[Romania]] || align=center| 1940–1944 || Prime Minister of Romania. Two days after his appointment, forced King Carol II (see above) to abdicate in favor of his son, Mihai. Named himself ''Conducător'' (Leader), assumed dictatorial powers and relegated monarchy to decorative role.
|-
| align=center| [[Philippe Pétain]] || align=center| [[Vichy France]] || align=center| 1940–1944 || Prime Minister of France 1940 - 1942; Head of State 1940 - 1944. The ''Assemblée Nationale'' of Vichy France suspended the [[Third Republic]] and granted Pétain dictatorial power, although ultimately he was answerable to the German Nazi hierarchy.
|-
| align=center| [[Ante Pavelic|Ante Pavelić]] || align=center| [[Croatia]] || align=center| 1941–1945 ||''Poglavnik'' ("Leader") of Croatia. Not elected; ordered massacres of Serbs, Jews, Gypsies and dissidents; hundreds of thousands slaughtered; led the genocial, devoutly Roman Catholic Ustase (see [http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/tyrants.htm], [http://www.cuttingedge.org/articles/RC130.html], [http://emperors-clothes.com/vatican/cpix.htm]). Supported by most, if not all, of the Roman Catholic church in Croatia.
|-
| align=center| [[Vidkun Quisling]] || align=center| [[Norway]]|| align=center| 1942–1945 || Minister President of Norway between 1942-1945, and founder of the fascist "National Unity" party . Traitor to his country. Executed by firing squad. Described as being the Hitler of Norway.
|-
| align=center| [[Ferenc Szálasi]] (Szálasi Ferenc) || align=center| [[Hungary]] || align=center| 1944–1945 || Leader of the [[fascist]] [[Arrow Cross]] party, Szálasi was installed as a fascist ruler by the [[Nazis]] following their overthrow of [[regent]] [[Miklós Horthy]].
|-
| align=center| [[Josip Broz Tito]] || align=center| [[Yugoslavia]] || align=center| 1944–1980 || Secretary-General of the Yugoslav Communist Party 1937 - 1963; Prime Minister of Yugoslavia 1945–1953; Premier of Yugoslavia 1953 - 1963; President of Yugoslavia 1953 - 1980; President of the ''Presidium of the League of Communists'' from 1963 until 1980. Declared himself [[President for Life]] in 1963. Viewed favorably in Yugoslavia despite authoritarian rule.
|-
| align=center| [[Enver Hoxha]] || align=center| [[Albania]] || align=center| 1944-1985|| General Secretary of the Albanian Party of Labour. Leader of single-party Communist state; extensive personality cult; Declared his nation to be the world's only officially atheist state and banned all practice of religion in 1967.
|-
| align=center| [[Mátyás Rákosi]] || align=center| [[Hungary]] || align=center| 1949-1953|| General Secretary of the [[Hungarian Workers Party]] and Prime Minister of the [[Hungarian People's Republic]]. Leader of single-party Communist state; nicknamed "Stalin's best Hungarian disciple"; Invented the phrase "[[salami tactics]]" to describe piecemeal assumption of power.
|-
| align=center| [[Nikita Khrushchev]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center| 1953-1964 || First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union between 1953-1964. Allowed limited liberalisation in the arts and media later on. 
|-
| align=center| [[Todor Zhivkov]] || align=center| [[Bulgaria]] || align=center| 1956-1989 || Head of pro soviet communist regimen in Bulgaria. Became party secretary in 1956 and prime minister in 1962. Forced out of power in 1989 by communist party to comply with demands of protesters.
|-
| align=center| [[Antonín Novotný]] || align=center| [[Czechoslovakia]] || align=center| 1957-1968 || Antonín Novotný, the First Secretary of the Communist Party and President of the Republic, was leader of Czechoslovakia during the Stalinisation of the country, resulting in the replacement of the Czechoslovakian democracy by a one-party communist state. His dictatorship centralized power and used force to protect his regime which lasted fifteen years.
|-
| align=center| [[Walter Ulbricht]] || align=center| [[German Democratic Republic]] || align=center| 1950/1960-1971 || General Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany 1950-1971 and Head of State 1960-1973.
|-
| align=center| [[Leonid Brezhnev]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center| 1964–1982 || First/General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union between 1964-1982. Formed a [[cult of Personality]] later on.
|-
| align=center| [[Nicolae Ceauşescu]] || align=center| [[Romania]] || align=center| 1965–1989 || General Secretary of the Romanian Communist Party, 1965-1989; President of Romania, 1974-1989. Leader of single-party Communist state; extensive personality cult developed during the 1970s. Lived lavish lifestyle while country was still using donkey carts.
|-
| align=center| [[George Papadopoulos]] || align=center| [[Greece]] || align=center| 1967–1973 || Prime Minister of Greece 1967 - 1973; Regent 1972 - 1973; President of Greece 1973. Gained power in a coup; lead military regime. Widely described as a dictator (see [http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0778782.html], [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/379334.stm], [http://www.hellas.net]).
|-
| align=center| [[Marcelo Caetano]] || align=center| [[Portugal]] || align=center| 1968–1974 || Prime Minister of Portugal 1968 - 1974; Upon the death of [[António de Oliveira Salazar]] he continued the dictatorial regime. Some liberties were improved but the situation of the country and the [[Portuguese Colonial War|colonial wars]] lead to the [[Carnation Revolution]].
|-
| align=center| [[Gustáv Husák]] || align=center| [[Czechoslovakia]] || align=center| 1969-1987 || Came into power through soviets, Crushed the Prague spring. Headed brutal secret police stepped down from power in 1987 two years before communism fell. 
|-
| align=center| [[Erich Honecker]] || align=center| [[German Democratic Republic]] || align=center| 1971-1989 || General Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany 1971-1989 and Head of State 1976-1989.
|-
| align=center| [[Phaedon Gizikis]] || align=center| [[Greece]] || align=center| 1973-1974 || President of Greece 1973-1974. Gained power in coup. Lead millitary regime installed by previous head of state.
|-
| align=center| [[Wojciech Jaruzelski]] || align=center|[[Poland]] || align=center|1961-1990 || Imposed martial law in Poland in 1981 in response to Solidarity party led strikes. Made himself head of the "Commission for National Salvation." Stated his actions were taken in order to prevent a Soviet invasion of Poland. Was President of Poland until his resignation in 1990. 
|-
| align=center| [[Yuri Andropov]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center| 1982-1984 || General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union between 1982-1984. Early signs of [[Perestroika]] and [[Glasnost]].
|-
| align=center| [[Konstantin Chernenko]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center| 1984-1985 || General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union between 1984-1985. Ailing stop-gap leader. 
|-
| align=center| [[Mikhail Gorbachev]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center| 1985-1991 || General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991 when the Soviet Union collapsed and the CPSU was banned. Oversaw democratisation in the Soviet Union, but was never directly elected as leader.
|-
| align=center| [[Slobodan Milošević]] || align=center| [[Serbia]], [[Yugoslavia]] || align=center| 1989-1997, 1997-2000 || In 1984 he became the head of the local Communist party in Belgrade and adopted a populist style, the party's leader. He successfully took over as head of the Serbian Communist party in 1987. He challenged the federal government, championed Serbian control of the autonomous provinces of Kosovo and Vojvodina, and advocated stridently socialist economic policy. By 1988, he had replaced party leaders in Kosovo and Vojvodina, and in 1989 he became president of Serbia. However, in September 1990, a new democratic constitution was passed allowing direct, multi-party presidential and parliamentary elections. Milosevic was elected president of Serbia for the first time in December 1990, although allegations persist of electoral fraud during the Milosevic years.
|-
| align=center| [[Alexander Lukashenko]] || align=center| [[Belarus]] || align=center| '''1994-present''' || President of Belarus. Said to have an "authoritarian ruling style". Lack of democratic standards. Human rights violations. Referred to as "Europe's last dictatorship."
|-
| align=center| [[Herman Van Rompuy]] || align=center| [[European Union]] || align=center| '''2009-present''' || President of the European Council (Head of State of the European Union). Unelected. Was involved in the deposition of the elected Prime Ministers of Greece of Italy. Has been accused of being a dictator.
|}

==Oceania==
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center| [[Sitiveni Rabuka]] || align=center|[[Fiji]] || align=center|1987–1992 || Twice gained power through coup, allowed elections in 1992, which he won.
|-
| align=center| [[Frank Bainimarama]] || align=center|[[Fiji]] || align=center|'''2006-present''' ||Launched a coup d'etat in December 2006 after weeks of threats against the elected government.
|}

==See also==
* [[Constitutional crisis]]
* [[Cult of personality]]
* [[List of political leaders who held active military ranks in office]]
* [[List of political leaders who suspended the constitution]]
* [[List of successful coups d'état]]
* [[President for Life]]
* [[Single-party state]]

==External links==
*[http://www.thedictatorship.com The Dictatorship]
*[http://www.dkosopedia.com/wiki/Dictators_and_Non-Democratic_Governments Dictators and Non-Democratic Governments]
*[http://www.lkwdpl.org/schools/horacemann/dictators/ Modern dictators and Human Rights Violations]
*[http://www.dkosopedia.com/wiki/Oppressive_Regimes Oppressive Regimes]
*[http://www.parade.com/articles/editions/2006/edition_01-22-2006/Dictators The World’s 10 Worst Dictators]

[[Category:Lists|dictators]][[Category:Totalitarianism]]

List of dictators

2013-06-09T16:18:20Z

Thatteapartyguy: /* Africa */

: ''For a list of [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] dictators, see [[Roman dictator#Roman dictators|Roman dictator]].''
: ''See also the [[#See also|related lists]] at the end of this article.''

The following is a list of national leaders ([[Head of state|heads of state]] and/or [[Head of government|heads of government]]) commonly regarded as modern [[dictator]]s. This usage usually carries a pejorative sense and refers to a ruler who:

* Rules by decree, via an [[Enabling Act]] or similar laws passed by a legislature allowing him to do so;
* is an [[absolute ruler]] of a [[state|sovereign state]], usually appointed, but without hereditary ascension;
* governs outside the otherwise accepted [[rule of law]];
* commonly (but not necessarily) gaining power through [[fraud]], a [[coup d'état]], resorting to either again to continue in power;
* may develop a [[cult of personality]];
* may be autocratic, oppressive, despotic or tyrannical.

Some so-called "[[Dictator#"The benevolent dictator"|benevolent dictators]]" may be viewed as beneficial and their leadership seen as a "necessary evil".
The modern usage of the term 'dictator' developed largely in response to instances of autocratic rule in [[republic]]s, so traditional [[monarch]]s are not usually described as dictators in historical commentary. Also excluded from this list are those who held [[absolute power]] during national [[State of emergency|emergencies]], but restored the rule of law soon thereafter. Otherwise those included have been widely cited by historians or described by the [[Mass media|media]] as dictators. Any controversy surrounding such characterisation is mentioned in the notes.

The list is sorted according to when each dictator began their years in power. This refers to any years in office as a head of state, government or the like before their dictatorship was established. Any years of elected and judicial rule may be indicated parenthetically.

==Africa==
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
|align=center|[[Gamal Abdel Nasser]] ||align=center| [[Egypt]] ||align=center| 1954–1970 || Prime Minister of Egypt 1954-1962; President of Egypt 1956-1970. Part of a group of officers in control of Egypt after the coup against British supported [[Farouk of Egypt|King Farouk]] in 1952; In February 1954, Nasser forced {{fact}} President [[Muhammad Naguib]] to appoint him prime minister and give up most practical power to him; later in that year Naguib resigned and Nasser became president by self-appointment; elected by popular vote (as only candidate) in 1956, and subsequently. Many personalistic elements to Nasser's rule, but nominal parliamentary system under Nasser's 1956-1970 presidency {{fact}}, until his death in 1970.
|-
|align=center|[[Ahmed Sékou Touré]] ||align=center| [[Guinea]] ||align=center| 1958–1984 || President of Guinea. Widely described as a dictator (see [http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog/DIAINS.html], [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/world/awards2003/profile_jazz.shtml]) with estimates of up to 50,000 extra-judicial killings during his rule (see [http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/warstat6.htm]) and 250,000 Guineans fleeing his rule ([http://www.africanet.com/africanet/country/guinea/history.htm]).
|-
|align=center|[[David Dacko]] ||align=center| [[Central African Republic]] ||align=center| 1960–1966 1979–1981 || President of the Central African Republic. Banned opposition (see [http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ad36]); Gained power by coup in 1979, though subsequently stood for election (see [http://www.african-geopolitics.org/show.aspx?ArticleId=3638]).
|-
|align=center|[[Modibo Keita]] ||align=center| [[Mali]] ||align=center| 1960–1968 || Schoolteacher and first president of Mali. Forced socialization and extensive protectionism severely harmed the economy and continued the country's dependence on aid donors. Discontent with these policies led Keita to implement his own "Cultural Revolution" and establish a network of people's militias to inform on and punish dissent. In the last few years of his presidency, full powers were vested in an extralegal "National Committee for Defense of the Revolution". He was deposed in a military coup.
|-
|align=center|[[François (Ngarta) Tombalbaye|François Tombalbaye]] ||align=center| [[Chad]] ||align=center| 1960–1975 || Head of State 1960-1962; President of Chad 1962-1975. Never fought a contested election; imprisoned opposition leaders. Launched a "Cultural Revolution" in the early 1970s encouraging ''[[authenticité]]''.
|-
|align=center|[[Félix Houphouët-Boigny]] ||align=center| [[Côte d'Ivoire]] ||align=center| 1960–1993 || President of Côte d'Ivoire. Ruled until 1990 with all opposition banned, but not considered particularly repressive. Relocated the official capital to his home village of [[Yamoussoukro]] and constructed the [[Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro]], the largest religious structure in Africa.
|-
|align=center|[[Milton Obote]] ||align=center| [[Uganda]] ||align=center| 1962–1972 1980–1985 || Prime Minister of Uganda 1962-1966; President of Uganda 1966-1971 and 1980-1985. Suspended the constitution and declared himself President and Prime Minister in 1966.
|-
|align=center|[[Hastings Kamuzu Banda]] ||align=center| [[Malawi]] ||align=center| 1963–1994 || Prime Minister of Malawi 1963-1966; President of Malawi 1966-1994. Banned all opposition in 1966; declared himself [[President for Life]] in 1971; exiled and killed opposition leaders. Ordered that a letter bomb be sent to exiled opposition leader [[Attati Mpakati]]; suspected of being involved in the car crash deaths of senior Congress Party leaders; violently crushed an attempted rebellion. Aged 98, he allowed and lost a free election in 1994.
|-
|align=center|[[Kenneth Kaunda]] ||align=center| [[Zambia]] ||align=center| 1964–1991 || President of the Republic of Zambia 1964-1991.Elected 1964, banned all political parties in Zambia, viewed himself as "WAMUYAYA" (eternal President).Accused of torturing political opponents.Defeated by Frederick Chiluba in 1991.
|-
|align=center|[[Houari Boumediene]] ||align=center| [[Algeria]] ||align=center| 1965–1978 || 
President of Algeria from June 19, 1965 to his death, (December 27, 1978); Chairman of the Revolutionary Council until December 12, 1976). In June 1965, Boumédienne seized power in a bloodless coup. Initially lacking a personal power base, he was seen as a weak ruler. But after a botched coup attempt against him by military officers in 1967 he tightened his rule, and then remained Algeria's undisputed ruler until his death in 1978.
|-
|align=center|[[Modibo Keita]] ||align=center| [[Mali]] ||align=center| 1960–1968 || Schoolteacher and first president of Mali. Forced socialization and extensive protectionism severely harmed the economy and continued the country's dependence on aid donors. Discontent with these policies led Keita to implement his own "Cultural Revolution" and establish a network of people's militias to inform on and punish dissent. In the last few years of his presidency, full powers were vested in an extralegal "National Committee for Defense of the Revolution". He was deposed in a military coup.
|-
|align=center|[[Jean-Bédel Bokassa]] ||align=center| [[Central African Republic]] ||align=center| 1966–1979 || President of the Central African Republic 1966-1976; Emperor Bokassa I of the Central African Empire 1976-1979. Bokassa overthrew the autocratic Dacko in a swift coup d'état and assumed power as president of the Republic and head of the sole political party, the Mouvement pour l'évolution sociale de l'Afrique Noire (MESAN). Bokassa abolished the constitution of 1959 on January 4 and began to rule by decree. He proclaimed himself emperor in 1976 (see [http://www.african-geopolitics.org/show.aspx?ArticleId=3638]).
|-
|align=center|[[Gnassingbé Eyadéma]] ||align=center| [[Togo]] ||align=center| 1967–2005 || President of Togo. Gained power in a coup; never fought a contested election until 1998; banned, tortured and killed opposition. Fostered a cult of personality that was reinforced after he was the sole survivor of an airplane crash in 1974. In late 1991, troops loyal to Eyadéma closed a constitutional conference that had shifted most executive power to a new transitional government and banned Eyadéma's RPT party. January 1993 saw a mass exodus of residents to neighboring states after security forces fired on pro-democracy demonstrators. Further repression followed a purported 1994 coup attempt (see[http://www.cidcm.umd.edu/inscr/mar/data/togoewechro.htm]).
|-
|align=center|[[Omar Bongo]] ||align=center| [[Gabon]] ||align=center| 1967–2009 || As vice president, he acceded to the presidency following the death of President [[Léon M'ba]]. In 1968, Bongo decreed a one-party state under his [[Gabonese Democratic Party]] and was thrice elected unopposed in the 1970s and 1980s. He became very wealthy during the country's oil boom. Open elections were held in 1990 and Bongo was re-elected in 1993, 1998 and 2005. Observers have criticized the elections as unfair and corruption watchdogs have accused the president of [[nepotism]]. Riots resulting from the mysterious death in 1990 of prominent dissident [[Joseph Rendjambe]] in a government hotel room were put down by French troops.
|-
|align=center|[[Moussa Traoré]] ||align=center| [[Mali]] ||align=center| 1968–1991 || Chairman of the Military National Liberation Committee 1968-1969; Head of State 1969-1979; President of Mali 1979-1991. Seized power in a coup; banned all opposition; installed a police state; established one-party state in 1979.
|-
|align=center|[[Francisco Macías Nguema]] ||align=center| [[Equatorial Guinea]] ||align=center| 1968–1979 || President of Equatorial Guinea 1968-1979. Elected in 1968 but declared himself [[President for Life]] in 1972; "extreme personality cult"; over a third of population fled his regime. Banned fishing and sanctioned the deaths of most of his pre-independence political rivals, including ex-prime minister [[Bonifacio Ondó Edu]] and foreign minister [[Atanasio Ndongo Miyone]]. Declared an atheist state by Spanish dictator [[Francisco Franco]]. As many as 50,000 civilians were killed, in particular those of the [[Bubi]] ethnic [[minority]] on [[Bioko]] associated with relative wealth and [[intellectual]]ism.
|-
|align=center|[[Gaafar Nimeiry]] ||align=center| [[Sudan]] ||align=center| 1969–1985 || Chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council 1969-1971; President of Sudan 1971-1985. Gained power in a military coup, banned opposition, dissolved southern Sudanese government, imposed sharia law. Executed several leading communists (the most prominent being [[Abdel Khaliq Mahjub]] and [[Joseph Garang]]) after a botched 1971 coup attempt.
|-
|align=center|[[Mohamed Siad Barre]] ||align=center| [[Somalia]] ||align=center| 1969–1991 || Chairman of the Supreme Revolutionary Council 1969-1976; President of Somalia 1976-1991. In 1969, during the power vacuum following the assassination of President Abdirashid Ali Shermarke, the military staged a coup and took over. Barre was to rule for the next twenty-two years. He attempted to develop a personality cult; large posters of him were common in the capital Mogadishu during his reign, many of which can still be seen today. He dreamed of a "[[Greater Somalia]]" and tried unsuccessfully to annex the [[Ogaden]]—legally Ethiopian territory—in 1977 to realize this end (see [[Ogaden War]]).
|-
|align=center|[[Anwar Sadat]] || align=center|[[Egypt]] || align=center|1970-1981 || President of Egypt 1970-1981. Unelected, suppressed opposition in what was termed "The Corrective Revolution". Assassinated.
|-
|align=center|[[Idi Amin]] ||align=center| [[Uganda]] ||align=center| 1971–1979 || [[President of Uganda]], later (1976) declared as [[President for Life|for Life]]. Deposed in 1979 after declaring war on [[Tanzania]].
|-
|align=center|[[Mengistu Haile Mariam]] ||align=center| [[Ethiopia]] ||align=center| 1974–1991 || Chairman of the Provisional Military Administrative Council ([[Derg]]) in 1974 and 1977-1987; President of Ethiopia 1987-1991. One-party state; repression of opposition; tens of thousands of extra-judicial killings.
|-
|align=center|[[Olusegun Obasanjo]] ||align=center| [[Nigeria]] ||align=center| 1976-1979 || Head of the Federal Military Government of Nigeria between 1976 and 1979. Elected President of Nigeria in 1999. Chairman of the [[African Union]] 2004-2006.
|-
|align=center|[[Jean-Baptiste Bagaza]] ||align=center| [[Burundi]] ||align=center| 1976–1987 || President of Burundi. Widely described as a military dictator (see [http://www.africanews.com/article265.html], [http://www.electionworld.org/history/burundi.htm]).
|-
|align=center|[[Albert René]] ||align=center| [[Seychelles]] ||align=center| 1977–2004 || President of Seychelles. Deposed the elected president Sir [[James Mancham]] and promulgated a one-party constitution after a period of rule by decree. Created the [[National Youth Service]] (NYS), a compulsory educational institution that included traditional curricula interlaced with political indoctrination and paramilitary training.
|-
|align=center|[[Daniel arap Moi]] ||align=center| [[Kenya]] ||align=center| 1978–2002 || President of Kenya. Changed constitution to establish a ''de jure'' one-party state; resorted to repressive rule, including torture and imprisonment without trial.
|-
|align=center|[[Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo]] ||align=center| [[Equatorial Guinea]] ||align=center| '''1979–present''' || Chairman of the Supreme Military Council 1979-1982; President of Equatorial Guinea 1982-present. Deposed his uncle in a violent coup; opposition is banned in all but name.
|-
|align=center|[[José Eduardo dos Santos]] ||align=center| [[Angola]] ||align=center| '''1979–present''' || President of Angola. One-party state; did not stand for election until 1992 (see [http://www.cpj.org/Briefings/2000/Angola_Marques_00/Angola_Marques_00.html]).
|-
|align=center|[[João Bernardo Vieira]] ||align=center| [[Guinea-Bissau]] ||align=center| 1980-1984 and '''2005-present''' || become president by a coup. killing and exiled opposition. faoumes for the [[Guinea-Bissau Civil War]].
|-
|align=center|[[Samuel K. Doe]] ||align=center| [[Liberia]] ||align=center| 1980–1990 || Chairman of the People's Redemption Council 1980-1984; President of Liberia 1984-1990. Gained power in a military coup that killed President [[William R. Tolbert, Jr.]], a [[Reform movement|reformer]]. Promoted [[Krahn]] chauvinism and "died a multi-millionaire and proud owner of mansions and estates" (see[http://www.theperspective.org/2004/oct/bookpeople.html]).
|-
|align=center|[[Robert Mugabe]] ||align=center| [[Zimbabwe]] ||align=center| '''1980–present''' ||
Gained power through election, and repeatedly re-elected, but criticized for steps used to maintain power. From 1999 on, used police and militant groups like the War Veterans Association and [[Border Gezi Youth]] to enforce [[ZANU-PF]] policies and to prevent opponents from voting; called "king" by his aides.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/1709488.stm] Arrested and tortured opponents and human rights activists; gave amnesty to murderers of his political opponents in 2000; ignores court rulings.[http://www.guardian.co.uk/elsewhere/journalist/story/0,7792,410850,00.html]
|-
|align=center|[[Jerry Rawlings]] ||align=center| [[Ghana]] ||align=center| 1981-1992 || Gained power in a military coup during 1979 but handed it over. Re-took power in another coup of 1981. Elected President in 1992 and again in 1996 before standing aside as per the constitution.
|-
|align=center|[[André Kolingba]] ||align=center| [[Central African Republic]] ||align=center| 1981–1993 || Chairman of the Military Committee of National Recovery 1981-1985; President of the Central African Republic 1985-1993. Gained power in a coup; persecuted opposition; allowed (and lost) free elections in 1993. Attempted second coup in 2001.
|-
|align=center|[[Hosni Mubarak]] || align=center|[[Egypt]] || align=center| 1981-2011 || Former President of Egypt. Did not stand in a contested election until 2005, when a highly-restricted democratic process was allowed. Was forced from power after a series of mass protests.
|-
|align=center|[[Paul Biya]] ||align=center| [[Cameroon]] ||align=center| '''1982–present''' || He served under President Ahmadou Ahidjo and became Prime Minister in 1975. Ahidjo resigned on November 6, 1982 and Biya became president. After years of totalitarian rule, he allowed the creation of opposition parties in 1990 but his re-elections have been marked by widespread fraud and intimidation.
|-
|align=center|[[Hissène Habré]] ||align=center| [[Chad]] ||align=center| 1982–1990 || Chairman of the Council of State 1982; President of Chad 1982-1990. Gained power in a coup; abolished post of Prime Minister; executed opposition leaders.
|-
|align=center|[[Thomas Sankara]] ||align=center| [[Burkina Faso]] ||align=center| 1983-1987 || President of Upper Volta 1983-1984; President of Burkina Faso 1984-1987. Gained power in coup. Lead millitary regime. Overthrown and killed in coup.
|-
|align=center|[[Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya]] ||align=center| [[Mauritania]] ||align=center| 1984–2005 || Deposed the military head of state, [[Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla]], on December 1984 and declared himself Chairman of the Military Committee for National Salvation. Deposed by [[Ely Ould Mohamed Vall]] in a bloodless coup d'état. 
|-
|align=center|[[Ibrahim Babangida]] ||align=center| [[Nigeria]] ||align=center| 1985-1993 || Annulled the most free and fair presidential election in the history of Nigeria, leading to the death of the presidenstial candidate [[Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola]].
|-
|align=center|[[Zine El Abidine Ben Ali]] ||align=center| [[Tunisia]] ||align=center| 1987–2011 || President of Tunisia. Although he announced [[Pluralism#Plualism in politics|political pluralism]] in 1992, his Democratic Constitutional Rally (formerly Neo-Destour party) continues to dominate the national politics and there is no genuine open political debate. In 1999, although two unknown alternative candidates were permitted for the first time to stand in the presidential elections, Ben Ali was re-elected with 99.66% of the vote. A controversial constitutional referendum in 2002 allowed him to seek re-election and contemplate the possibility of remaining in office until 2014. On October 24, 2004, he was again re-elected, officially taking 94.48% of the vote. Certain books, periodicals and internet sites are banned or blocked. The [http://www.tunisiatv.com National Television] frequently show his actions during a week, but often the President only appears in passing on television. In 2011 he was forced from power after mass protests.
|-
|align=center|[[Omar Hasan Ahmad al-Bashir]] ||align=center| [[Sudan]] ||align=center| '''1989–present''' || President of the Revolutionary Command Council for National Salvation 1989-1993; President of Sudan 1993-present. Took power in a military coup and increasingly centralized power into himself. Widely believed to be implicated in the [[Darfur]] [[Janjaweed]] [[pogrom]]s.
|-
|align=center|[[Idriss Déby]] ||align=center| [[Chad]] ||align=center| '''1990–present''' || Head of State 1990-1991; President of Chad 1991 to date. Gained power in a coup; continues to suppress opposition and press (see [http://web.amnesty.org/report2005/tcd-summary-eng]).
|-
|align=center|[[Sani Abacha]] ||align=center| [[Nigeria]] ||align=center| 1993–1998 || Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council 1993-1998. Seized power in a coup; persecuted opposition; never stood for election. Jailed Chief [[Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola]], the presumed winner of the annulled 1993 presidential election; presided over execution of activist [[Ken Saro-Wiwa]].
|-
|align=center|[[Paul Kagame]] || align=center|[[Rwanda]] || align=center|'''1994-present''' || Vice-President of Rwanda 1994-2000; President 2000-Present. Brouhgt to power by a guerilla movement which plunged the country into bloodshed and led to the Rwandan Genocide in 1994. Responsible of the the killings of innocent civilians, women and children in Kibeho refugee camp. Responsible of the killings of 4 millions congolese. Responsible of the killings of Priests and Archbishops in Kabgayi.
|-
|align=center|[[Yahya Jammeh]] ||align=center| [[The Gambia]] ||align=center| '''1994-Present''' || President of The Gambia. Gained power in coup d'état. Right to the press and free speech supressed. Stood for three elections (1996, 2001, and 2006); last election deemed unfair by opposition.
|-
|align=center|[[Laurent-Désiré Kabila]] ||align=center| [[Congo-Kinshasa]] ||align=center| 1997–2001 || President of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Overthrew [[Mobutu Sese Seko]] in coup. No elections held during ongoing, interstate [[First Congo War|First]] and [[Second Congo War]]s.
|-
|align=center|[[Charles G. Taylor]] ||align=center| [[Liberia]] ||align=center| 1997–2003 || President of Liberia 1997-2003. Elected, but widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.guardian.co.uk/sierra/article/0,2763,221878,00.html], [http://www.cij.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewNews&newsID=9], [http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2003/127/48.0.html]). Linked to "[[blood diamonds]]" and illegal arms trading. Believed to have interfered frequently in the internal affairs of neighboring states while a [[warlord]], before his election to the presidency.
|-
|align=center|[[François Bozizé]] ||align=center| [[Central African Republic]] ||align=center| 2003–2013 || President of the Central African Republic 2003 to date. Gained power in a coup and suspended the constitution, though he has restored some democracy (see [http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/02/28/1456242]).
|-
|align=center|[[Ely Ould Mohamed Vall]] ||align=center| [[Mauritania]] ||align=center| 2005-2007 || Chairman of the Military Council for Justice and Democracy. Gained power via a military coup. Though he has said to relinquish power to an elected government in 2007.
|-
|align=center|[[Michael Sata]] ||align=center| [[Zambia]] ||align=center| '''2011–present''' || Elected President of Zambia. Sata shut down the opposition and maintains relationships with [[Robert Mugabe]].
|-
|align=center|[[Mohamed Morsi]] ||align=center| [[Egypt]] ||align=center| '''2012–present''' || Supported by the Muslim Brotherhood. Described Jews as "apes and pigs". Massively expanded his presidential authority upon being elected, giving himself unlimited powers.
|}

==The Americas==
===North America===

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center|[[Agustín de Iturbide]] || align=center|[[Mexico]] || align=center|1822 - 1823 || Shortly after the Mexican War of Independence, he was declared Emperor of Mexico in 1822. Repressive, cracked down on free speech and any opposition. Desposed when popular opposition forced him to abdicate.
|-
| align=center|[[Antonio López de Santa Anna|Antonio López de Santa Anna]] || align=center|[[Mexico]] || align=center|1833 - 1855 (intermittent) || President or Provisional President of Mexico 1833-1837, then 1841 to February 1844, June to December 1844, March to September 1847 and finally 1853-1855. When [[Anastasio Bustamante]] led a coup overthrowing and killing President [[Vicente Guerrero]], Santa Anna seized power and then was elected President in 1833. At first he gave a free hand to his vice-president [[Valentín Gómez Farías]], a liberal reformer. Later he dismissed Gómez Farías, declared the Constitution suspended, disbanded the Congress and worked to concentrate power in the central government. He was overthrown and restored to power several times before his final overthrow in 1855.
|-
| align=center|[[Porfirio Díaz]] || align=center|[[Mexico]] || align=center|1879 - 1910 || Interim president 1876-1877; President of Mexico 1877-1880, 1884-1911. ''De facto'' ruler 1880-1884. Gained power in a coup, after his Revolution of Tuxtepac overthrew his predecessor, Lerdo. He did not run for reelection after his first term in order to keep his one-term promises that he made during his revolution. However, he retook the presidency a few years later and did not leave from power until the [[Mexican Revolution|Revolution of 1910]] kicked him from the Presidency. His rule saw the rapid modernization of Mexico, progress mainly caused by Diaz's encouragement of foreign investment in the country's infrastructure. However, the poor became quite miserable during this time. Political opposition was squelched and rebellions were put down by the ''rurals'', Diaz's personal guard. He was eventually overthrown by the [[Mexican Revolution|Revolution]] which lasted 10 years.
|-
| align=center|[[Victoriano Huerta]] || align=center|[[Mexico]] || align=center|1913 - 1914 || Appointed president, established a military dictatorship for about a year, and then was forced to resign.
|}

===Central America===
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center|[[Rafael Carrera]] || align=center|[[Guatemala]] || align=center|1844–1848 1851–1865 || President of Guatemala. Gained power in a coup; styled himself [[President for Life]].
|-
|align=center|[[William Walker]] ||align=center| [[Nicaragua]] ||align=center| 1856-1857 || An american fillibuster takes over and proclaims himself President of Nicaragua. Tried to conquer several central american countries. Eventually executed.
|-
| align=center|[[Justo Rufino Barrios]] || align=center|[[Guatemala]] || align=center|1873–1885 || President of Guatemala. Gained power in a bloody coup, but introduced reforms.
|-
| align=center|[[Manuel Estrada Cabrera]] || align=center|[[Guatemala]] || align=center|1898–1920 || President of Guatemala. Never elected; subverted constitution; widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9033093], [http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761558775/Estrada_Cabrera_Manuel.html]). Constructed numerous large [[Ancient Greece|Hellenic]]-style temples as monuments to his rule.
|-
| align=center|[[Maximiliano Hernández Martínez]] || align=center|[[El Salvador]] || align=center|1931–1934 1935–1944 || Acting President 1931-1934; President of El Salvador 1935-1944. Gained power in a coup; suppressed opposition; oversaw massacre of between ten and forty thousand suspected opponents. Presided over ''[[1932 Salvadoran peasant uprising|La Matanza]]'' in 1932, a massacre (genocide) of communists, suspected communists, [[campesinos]] and [[Pipil]] Indians (see [http://countrystudies.us/el-salvador/7.htm]).
|-
| align=center|[[Jorge Ubico]] || align=center|[[Guatemala]] || align=center|1931–1944 || President of Guatemala. Elected, but suppressed opposition and "assumed dictatorial powers".
|-
| align=center|[[Tiburcio Carías Andino]] || align=center|[[Honduras]] || align=center|1933–1949 || President of Honduras. Banned opposition and set up a [[Rubberstamp (politics)|rubber-stamp]] congress; suppressed unions (see[http://countrystudies.us/honduras/19.htm]).
|-
| align=center|[[Anastasio Somoza García]] || align=center|[[Nicaragua]] || align=center|1937–1956 || Somoza used his position as head of the [[National Guard (Nicaragua)|National Guard]] to overthrow President [[Juan Bautista Sacasa]]; centralized constitutional authority under his control; alternately rigged elections for himself or installed relatives in his place; kleptocrat.[http://www.immigrantinfo.org/kin/nicaragua.htm][http://www.country-data.com/cgi-bin/query/r-9212.html].
|-
| align=center|[[Carlos Castillo Armas]] || align=center|[[Guatemala]] || align=center|1954–1957 || Junta Chairman, 1954; President of Guatemala 1954-1957. Gained power in a coup; banned the popular [[Guatemalan Party of Labour|Communist party]]; purged trade unions of leftist influence; declared himself president in 1956. Assassinated.
|-
| align=center|[[Oswaldo López Arellano]] || align=center|[[Honduras]] || align=center|1963–1971 1972–1975 || Head of Military Government 1963-1965; President of Honduras 1965-1971; Head of State 1972-1975. Military officer who allowed elections in 1971 before re-seizing power the next year. According to Clara Nieto in ''Masters of War: Latin America and United States Aggression from the Cuban Revolution through the Clinton years'', p. 114 (ISBN 1-58322-545-5): "During this second term (1972-1975) López governed without a congress and by decree."
|-
| align=center|[[Anastasio Somoza Debayle]] || align=center|[[Nicaragua]] || align=center|1967-1979 || Succeeded his somewhat more liberal brother [[Luis Somoza Debayle|Luis]]; stepped down briefly in 1972, then resumed the presidency after an earthquake; outlawed several opposition parties; declared [[martial law]] in response to guerilla opposition; oversaw brutal repression by the National Guard.
|-
| align=center|[[Omar Torrijos]] || align=center|[[Panama]] || align=center|1968–1981 || Commander of the National Guard. Gained power in a coup; banned opposition, unions and free press.
|-
| align=center|[[Manuel Noriega]] || align=center|[[Panama]]|| align=center|1983–1989 || Commander of the National Guard and ''de facto'' military leader, widely described as a dictator (see [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9056130], [http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761561240/Noriega_Moreno_Manuel_Antonio.html], [http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/8155061.htm]).
|}

===South America===

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center|[[José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia]] || align=center|[[Paraguay]] || align=center|1813-1814 and 1814-1840 ||gained power in election. Outlawed all opposition. Installed a police state. Cult of personality; citizens forced to raise their hats or a brim when he passed by; styled himself with the position name "El Supremo". 
|-
| align=center| [[Simón Bolívar]] || align=center| [[Gran Columbia]] || align=center| 1821-1830 || Though an admirer of classical liberal democracy, the founder and president of Gran Colombia proclaimed himself dictator in 1828 after an unsuccessful constitutional convention. Resigned eighteen months later.
|-
| align=center|[[Juan Manuel de Rosas]] || align=center|[[Argentina]] || align=center|1835–1852 || Governor of Buenos Aires 1829-1832, 1835-1852; Supreme Chief of the Argentine Confederation 1851-1852. Assumed dictatorial powers; exiled opponents.
|-
| align=center|[[Carlos Antonio López]] || align=center|[[Paraguay]] || align=center|1841–1862 || First Consul 1841-1844; President of Paraguay 1844-1862. 
|-
| align=center|[[Manuel Belzu]] || align=center|[[Bolivia]] || align=center|1848–1855 || Provisional President of Bolivia 1848-1850; President of Bolivia 1850-1855. Unelected military ruler; ''[[caudillo]]''. A populist and nationalist who voluntarily relinquished power after 1855 elections, described in (ISBN 0-13-524356-4), p.131, as the "cleanest ever held" in (early) Bolivian history.
|-
| align=center|[[Francisco Solano López]] || align=center|[[Paraguay]] || align=center|1862–1869 || President of Paraguay. Inherited power from his father; had himself awarded immense powers by a congress he had packed with supporters. Killed in the [[War of the Triple Alliance]] (which Lopez had caused by invading Brazil), along with 90 per cent of the Paraguayan adult (age 14+) male population.
|-
| align=center|[[Mariano Melgarejo]] || align=center|[[Bolivia]] || align=center|1864–1871 || Provisional President 1864-1870; President of Bolivia 1870-1871. Gained power in a coup and ruthlessly suppressed opposition. In 1869 he sent the army to suppress an uprising by [[Huaichu]] Indians attempting to regain land privileges they enjoyed under President Belzu (see ISBN 1-55753-324-5).
|-
| align=center|[[Antonio Guzmán Blanco]] || align=center|[[Venezuela]] || align=center|1870–1888 || Acting President of Venezuela 1863, 1865; General-in-chief April-July 1870; Provisional President of Venezuela 1870-1873; President of Venezuela 1873 - 1877; Supreme Director 1879; Provisional President of Venezuela 1879 - 1880; President of Venezuela 1880 -1884, 1886 -1888. Described, perhaps inaccurately, as a "benevolent despot"; other sources mention his "long dictatorship" (see[http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:ghIhQZ7WhgUJ:www.normangall.com/artigos/Church_Militant.pdf+Antonio+Guzm%C3%A1n+Blanco+%22dictator%22]).
|-
| align=center|[[Cipriano Castro]] || align=center|[[Venezuela]] || align=center|1899–1909 || Supreme Chief 1899-1901; Provisional President 1901 - 1902, 1904 - 1905; President of Venezuela 1902 - 1904, 1905 - 1909. Took over in a military coup (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:kdvql1ZK2-4J:www.sg.inter.edu/revista-ciscla/volume29/singh.pdf+Antonio+Guzm%C3%A1n+Blanco+%22dictator%22]).
|-
| align=center|[[Rafael Reyes]] || align=center|[[Colombia]] || align=center|1904–1909 || President 1904 - 1909, as a military ruler representing the Conservatives. "In the course of his regime, Reyes improved the country’s finances, expanded roads and railroads, and encouraged increased coffee production. Large U.S. investments and purchases of coffee and minerals contributed to Colombia’s economic growth. However, Reyes ruled as a dictator. He dissolved the congress and replaced it with a handpicked legislature, jailed and exiled political opponents, and declared martial law." (''Colombia'', [[Encarta|Microsoft Encarta]] 2003)
|-
| align=center|[[Juan Vicente Gómez]] || align=center|[[Venezuela]] || align=center|1909–1914 1922–1929 1931–1935 || Provisional President 1909-1910; President of Venezuela 1910-1914, 1922-1929, 1931-1935. Gained power in a coup; never elected; kleptocrat; widely described as a dictator (see [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9037322], [http://movies2.nytimes.com/gst/movies/movie.html?v_id=156078], [http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761563557/Juan_Vicente_Gomez.html]).
|-
| align=center|[[Óscar Benavides]] || align=center|[[Peru]] || align=center|1914–1915 1933–1939 || Junta Chairman 1914; President of Peru 1914-1915, 1933-1939. Twice gained power by coup.
|-
| align=center|[[Augusto B. Leguía y Salcedo|Augusto Leguía]] || align=center|[[Peru]] || 1919–1930 || President of Peru. Gained power in a coup; ignored constitution; suppressed and exiled opposition.
|-
| align=center|[[Carlos Ibáñez del Campo]] || align=center|[[Chile]] || align=center|1927–1931 || Acting President 1927, President 1927 - 1931. Democratically elected to a six-year term in 1952.
|-
| align=center|[[Getúlio Vargas]] || align=center|[[Brazil]] || align=center|1930–1934 1937–1945 || Head of provisional government 1930-1934 after revolution; indirectly elected as Constitutional President 1934-1937; launched a coup in 1937 and became dictator 1937-1945; democratically-elected President of Brazil 1950-1954.
|-
| align=center|[[Gabriel Terra]] || align=center|[[Uruguay]] || align=center|1931–1938 || President of Uruguay. Suspended congress and dissolved constitution in 1933. 
|-
| align=center|[[Higinio Morínigo]] || align=center|[[Paraguay]] || align=center|1940–1948 || Provisional president 1940-1943; President of Paraguay 1943-1948. Seized absolute power; ruled by [[diktat]] until 1946.
|-
| align=center|[[Manuel Odría]] || align=center|[[Peru]] || align=center|1948–1956 || Chairman of military junta 1948 - 1950; President of Peru 1950 - 1956. Gained power in a coup; restricted civil rights; allowed election in 1956.
|-
| align=center|[[Marcos Pérez Jiménez]] || align=center|[[Venezuela]] || align=center|1948–1958 || Member of military junta 1948 - 1952; Provisional president 1952 -1953; President of Venezuela 1953 - 1958. Never elected; pursued opposition violently; credited with improvements to the country's infrastructure.
|-
| align=center|[[Gustavo Rojas Pinilla]] || align=center|[[Colombia]] || align=center|1953–1957 || President of Colombia. Gained power in a coup.
|-
| align=center|[[Alfredo Stroessner]] || align=center|[[Paraguay]] || align=center|1954–1989 || President of Paraguay. He took over in a military coup (see[http://www.foreignaffairs.org/19890301faessay5951/riordan-roett/paraguay-after-stroessner.html], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:vqkaVDmcvaIJ:www.columbia.edu/cu/polisci/pdf-files/apsa_krutz.pdf+Stroessner+dictator],[http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:qfMgvA6bakgJ:users.ox.ac.uk/~newc1465/Proudman%2520-%2520SoftPowerMeetsHard.pdf+Stroessner+dictator]). 
|-
| align=center|[[Humberto de Alencar Castelo Branco|Humberto Castelo Branco]] || align=center|[[Brazil]] || align=center|1964–1967 || President of Brazil. Gained power in a coup; abolished most opposition; subsequently appointed by congress.
|-
| align=center|[[René Barrientos]] || align=center|[[Bolivia]] || align=center|1964–1969 || Chairman of the military junta, 1964-January 1966 (jointly with [[Alfredo Ovando]] 1965-1966); President of Bolivia, August 1966 - 1969. Gained power in military coup; kleptocrat; responsible for [[Catavi massacre]] and execution of [[Che Guevara]] (ISBN 0-85345-991-6), p.136.
|-
| align=center|[[Forbes Burnham]] || align=center|[[Guyana]] || align=center|1966–1985 || Prime Minister 1966 - 1980; President 1980 - 1985. Elected, but became increasingly dictatorial; held dubious elections and encouraged leftist religious cults (such as the [[Peoples Temple]]) to settle in the Guyanese interior (see [http://www.jagan.org/janet_jagan29.htm], [http://www.hardbeatnews.com/editor/RTE/my_documents/my_files/details.asp?newsid=4498&title=Politics]).
|-
| align=center|[[Artur da Costa e Silva]] || align=center|[[Brazil]] || align=center|1967–1969 || President of Brazil 1967-1969. Elected in 1966, but centralised power; closed the Congress; banned opposition; suspended free press. Decreed [[Institutional Act No. 5]], described as "the most unconstitutional, anti-democratic, arbitrary, and repressive decree in Brazil's history." (ISBN 1-58322-545-5), p.167.
|-
| align=center|[[Emílio Garrastazu Médici]] || align=center|[[Brazil]] || align=center|1969–1974 || President of Brazil. Appointed by congress, but instituted a military government; suppressed press and opposition (see[http://www.wrm.org.uy/bulletin/62/index.rtf]).
|-
| align=center|[[Hugo Banzer]] || align=center|[[Bolivia]] || align=center|1971–1978 || President of Bolivia. Gained power in a coup; suppressed opposition; closed universities; 3,000 opponents arrested, 200 killed.
|-
| align=center|[[Juan María Bordaberry]] || align=center|[[Uruguay]] || align=center|1972–1976 || President of Uruguay 1972 - 1976. Elected, but installed a military government, dissolved Congress, suspended civil liberties and banned unions.
|-
| align=center|[[Augusto Pinochet]] || align=center|[[Chile]] || align=center|1973–1990 || Chairman of military junta 1973-1974; Supreme Head of the Nation 1974; President of Chile 1974 - 1990. Gained power in a coup; suppressed and exiled opposition; over 3000 "[[Forced disappearance|disappearances]]" and 28,000 tortured.
|-
| align=center|[[Ernesto Geisel]] || align=center|[[Brazil]] || align=center|1974-1979 || Congress-appointed President of Brazil. The fourth of the military dictators; party and union freedom were still inexistent during his term; had oppositionists like journalist [[Wladimir Herzog]] and factory worker [[Manoel Fiel Filho]] tortured and murdered.
|-
| align=center|[[Jorge Rafael Videla]] || align=center|[[Argentina]] || align=center|1976–1981 || President of Argentina. Gained power in a coup; never elected; between ten and thirty thousand opponents killed.
|-
| align=center|[[João Baptista de Oliveira Figueiredo]] || align=center|[[Brazil]] || align=center|1979-1985 || Congress-appointed President of Brazil. Society won some democratic measures these years, but there was still a major fraud during 1982 State government elections. His government was responsible for the 1983 bomb in the Riocentro.
|-
| align=center|[[Dési Bouterse]] || align=center|[[Suriname]] || align=center|1980–1988 || Chairman of the National Military Council 1980-1988. Gained power in a coup; never elected; widespread misrule. Most infamous atrocity is the ''[[Decembermoorden]]''.
|-
| align=center|[[Luis García Meza Tejada]] || align=center|[[Bolivia]] || align=center|1980–1981 || President of Bolivia. Gained power in the "Cocaine Coup" aided by [[Klaus Barbie]]; highly repressive; over 1,000 killed.
|-
| align=center|[[Gregorio Conrado Álvarez]] || align=center|[[Uruguay]] || align=center|1981–1985 || President of Uruguay. Ignored constitution; extensive human rights abuses (see [http://www.rulers.org/indexa2.html]).
|-
| align=center|[[Leopoldo Galtieri]] || align=center|[[Argentina]] || align=center|1981–1982 || President of Argentina 1981-1982. Gained power in a coup (see[http://www.guardian.co.uk/argentina/story/0,,873601,00.html], [http://english.pravda.ru/world/2003/01/14/41968.html]). Deposed after failed [[Falklands War|invasion of the Falkland Islands]] in 1982.
|-
|align=center| [[Alberto Fujimori]] || align=center|[[Peru]] || align=center|1992-1993 || President of Peru 1990-2000, widely critizised for his political authoritarism. [http://www.fpif.org/briefs/vol5/v5n34peru_body.html][http://www.aprodeh.org.pe/fujimori/delitos-eng.htm] [http://www.cverdad.org.pe/ingles/pagina01.php]. After enjoying a certain degree of popular support, Fujimori was forced from office following controvertial third term re-election[http://archives.cnn.com/2000/WORLD/americas/05/29/peru.elections.04/]. In 2000 political opponent Mario Vargas Llosa called Fujimori a "dictator" [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/741841.stm]. His government was also marked by the influence of the director of the SIN, [[Vladimiro Montesinos]] [http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1477-7053.2005.00165.x?cookieSet=1&journalCode=goop][http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB37/]. Currently in Peru, Fujimori is in trial for presumed charges ranging from corruption to participation in crimes against humanity. [http://www.hrw.org/backgrounder/americas/peru-qna-1030.htm].
|-
|align=center|[[Hugo Chávez]] ||align=center| [[Venezuela]] ||align=center| 1999-2012 || Appointed special powers, nationalized the media and oil companies,Shut down opposition media and banned "The Simpsons."
|-

|align=center|[[Nicolás Maduro]] ||align=center| [[Venezuela]] ||align=center| '''2013-present''' || Continues the corrupt ideology of Hugo Chavez, which destroys the economy of Venezuela.
|-
|}

===Caribbean===

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center|[[Jean-Jacques Dessalines]] || align=center|[[Haiti]] || align=center|1804-1806 || Governor-General of Haiti 1804; Emperor of Haiti (as Jacques I) 1804 - 1806. Ruled autocratically.
|-
| align=center|[[Henry Christophe]] || align=center|[[Haiti]] (northern)|| align=center|1806-1820 || Provisional Chief of the Haitian Government 1806-1807; President of Haiti 1807-1811; King of Haiti (as Henry I) 1811-1820. Ruled autocratically.
|-
| align=center|[[Pedro Santana]] || align=center|[[Dominican Republic]] || align=center|1844-1848, 1853 -1856, 1858 - 1861 || Never elected; suppressed opposition; widely considered a dictator.
|-
| align=center|[[Buenaventura Báez]] || align=center|[[Dominican Republic]] || align=center|1849-1878 (intermittent) || President of the Dominican Republic five times. Gained power following coups; never elected.
|-
| align=center|[[Ulises Heureaux]] || align=center|[[Dominican Republic]] || align=center|1882-1899 (intermittent) || President of the Dominican Republic three times. Never elected; widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.marcusgarvey.com/wmview.php?ArtID=507], [http://countrystudies.us/dominican-republic/8.htm], [http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-7709.2004.00452.x]).
|-
| align=center|[[Gerardo Machado]] || align=center|[[Cuba]] || align=center|1925-1933 || President of Cuba. A follower of [[Benito Mussolini]], he is widely described as a dictator (see [http://www.historicaltextarchive.com/sections.php?op=viewarticle&artid=672], [http://www.highbeam.com/ref/doc0.asp?docid=1E1:MachadoG]).
|-
| align=center|[[Rafael Trujillo]] || align=center|[[Dominican Republic]] || align=center|1930-1961 || President of the Dominican Republic 1930 - 1938, 1942 - 1952; ''de facto'' ruler 1930-1961. Gained power in a coup; cult of personality (renamed the capital [[Ciudad Trujillo]]); promoted racism against Haitians and ordered the massacre of 20,000 blacks.
|-
| align=center|[[Paul Magloire]] || align=center|[[Haiti]] || align=center|1950-1956 || President of Haiti. Gained power in a coup; never elected.
|-
| align=center|[[François Duvalier]] || align=center|[[Haiti]] || align=center|1957-1971 || President of Haiti. Elected in 1957, but banned opposition; declared himself [[President for Life]] in 1964; highly repressive.
|-
| align=center|[[Fidel Castro]] || align=center|[[Cuba]] || align=center| 1959-2006 || Prime Minister of Cuba 1959-1976; President of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers from 1976. Gained power after [[Cuban Revolution|revolution]]. Castro was elected President [[Elections in Cuba|after 1976]], but within a one-party [[Communist state]].
|-
| align=center|[[Jean-Claude Duvalier]] || align=center|[[Haiti]] || align=center|1971-1986 || President of Haiti. Inherited presidency aged 19 from his father; never elected.
|-
| align=center|[[Eric Gairy]] || align=center|[[Grenada]] || align=center|1974-1979 || Prime Minister of Grenada 1967-1979. Widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.factbites.com/topics/Eric-Gairy], [http://www.paradise-inn-carriacou.com/grenada_revolution.php], [http://counterpunch.org/gibson06052004.html]). 
|-
| align=center|[[Raoul Cédras]] || align=center|[[Haiti]] || align=center|1991-1994 || ''De facto'' ruler for a relatively short period of time. Gained power in a coup (see [http://www.haitisupport.gn.apc.org/infamous.htm]).
|-
|align=center|[[Raul Castro]] ||align=center| [[Cuba]] ||align=center| '''2006-present''' || Appointed successor by his brother of the Communist Party of Cuba.
|-
|}

==Asia==

===Western Asia ("Middle East")===

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|
|-
| align=center|[[Abdul Karim Qassem]] || align=center|[[Iraq]] || align=center|1958–1963 || Gained power by coup; viewed by some as benevolent (see [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/03/18/wisad18.xml]).
|-
| align=center|[[Abdul Salam Arif]] || align=center|[[Iraq]] || align=center|1963–1966 || Gained power in a coup; military ruler.
|-
| align=center|[[Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr]] || align=center|[[Iraq]] || align=center|1968–1979 || Gained power in a coup; never elected.
|-
| align=center|[[Hafez al-Assad]] || align=center|[[Syria]] || align=center|1970–2000 ||Gained power in a coup; totalitarian;{{fact}} cult of personality; oversaw [[Hama massacre]] yielding twenty to forty thousand dead (see [http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=M1ARTM0012197]).
|-
| align=center|[[Ruhollah Khomeini]] || align=center|[[Iran]] || align=center|1979–1989 || As [[Supreme Leader of Iran|Supreme Leader]], held ultimate and uncontested authority over all government matters under the principle of [[Guardianship of the Islamic Jurists|Guardianship]]. Created the extra-constitutional [[Special Clerical Court]] system in 1987, accountable only to the Supreme Leader and used principally for suppression of political dissent. Instituted routine torture, beheadings for children.
|-
| align=center|[[Saddam Hussein]] || align=center|[[Iraq]] || align=center|1979–2003 || Pressured Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr to resign in 1979 and formally became president. Repressive; developed extensive personality cult; deposed by [[United States]] and coalition forces in an invasion.
|-
| align=center|[[Ali Khamenei|Ayatollah Ali Khamenei]]||align=center| [[Iran]] ||align=center| '''1989-present''' || Continues Khomeini's [[Islamist]] path & uses religion as a tool, cracks down on all authentic dissent, tortures, and has given orders that permit killings like that of [[Akbar Mohammadi]] and [[Zahra Kazemi]]. Only permitts [[government-organized demonstrations]]. Allows a multi-party government but disallows the candidacy of true moderates.[http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=9940][http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1527919/][http://www.nationalreview.com/ledeen/ledeen200505310823.asp][http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1154652871.shtml][http://isd.georgetown.edu/demo_0102.pdf][http://www.boycottliberalism.com/liberalcelebrity.htm]ISBN 0-16-074590-X
|-
| align=center|[[Bashar al-Assad]] || align=center|[[Syria]] || align=center|'''2000–present''' || No opposition permitted in election following death of his father; widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.opinionjournal.com/best/?id=110007449], [http://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP92405], [http://www.freeman.org/m_online/feb04/pasko.htm]).
|}

===Central Asia===

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center|[[Askar Akayev]] || align=center|[[Kyrgyzstan]] || align=center|1990–2005 || Appointed but became increasingly authoritarian; widely described as a dictator (see [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4542783.stm], [http://www.villagevoice.com/blogs/bushbeat/archive/000935.php], [http://www.eurasianet.org/resource/kazakhstan/hypermail/200507/0023.shtml]).
|-
| align=center|[[Islam Karimov]] || align=center|[[Uzbekistan]] || align=center|'''1991–present''' || Described as authoritarian who is increasingly centralizing power (see [http://www.ingentaconnect.com/search/expand?pub=infobike://bell/soviet/2003/00000019/00000004/art00002&unc=], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:uuOVzdj_xBoJ:www1.dogus.edu.tr/dogustru/journal/sayi_6/M00073.PDF+%22Islam+Karimov%22+%22dictator%22]). Elections essentially uncontested and unmonitored. Opposition repressed. 
|-
| align=center|[[Saparmurat Niyazov]] || align=center|[[Turkmenistan]] || align=center|1991–2006 || Declared [[President for Life]] in 1999; [[cult of personality]]; his book ''[[Ruhnama]]'' is to be treated with reverence (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:blnbM3mP0eAJ:www.eurasianet.org/turkmenistan.project/files2/050603Turkmenreport.pdf+%22Niyazov%22+%22dictatorship%22], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:Ie2QfLuR_ysJ:www.ndu.edu/ctnsp/tamerlane/Tamerlane-Chapter2.pdf+%22Niyazov%22+%22dictatorship%22]).
|-
| align=center|[[Muhammed Omar]] || align=center|[[Afghanistan]] || align=center|1996–2001 || Considered a Theocratic Dictator who excercized strict sharia laws; allowed the persecution of Hazaras; gave Al Qaeda refuge in Afghanistan. (see[http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0881088.html][http://www.afghan-web.com/bios/today/momar.html]).
|-
| align=center|[[Ilham Aliyev]] || align=center|[[Azerbaijan]] || align=center|'''2003–present''' || Dubious election; opposition suppressed (see[http://www.underreported.com/print.php?sid=1241]).
|-
| align=center| [[Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedow]] || align=center|[[Turkmenistan]] || align=center|'''2006-present''' ||Unelected, appointed as successor upon Niyazov's death. Turkemnistan still continues to be oppresive and a single-party state.
|}

===South Asia===
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center|[[Ayub Khan]] || align=center|[[Pakistan]] || align=center|1958–1969 || Gained power in a coup. Subsequent elections considered dubious (see[http://www.storyofpakistan.com/articletext.asp?artid=A069], [http://www.indianexpress.com/messages.php?content_id=71414]).
|-
| align=center|[[Yahya Khan]] || align=center|[[Pakistan]] || align=center|1969–1971 || Military ruler, gaining power from coup (see [http://presidentyahya.com],[http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/pakistantimeline.html], [http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/kpsgill/terrorism/04Jan10Pio.htm]).
|-
| align=center|[[Maumoon Abdul Gayoom]] || align=center|[[Maldives]] || align=center|1978–2008 || [[Autocracy|Autocrat]]; widely considered to be a dictator; no opposition or free press allowed.
|-
| align=center|[[Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq]] || align=center|[[Pakistan]] || align=center|1978–1988 || Took over following coup. Claimed government to be legitimate because it was Islamic (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:dcmhb0vRS4wJ:smartech.gatech.edu:8282/dspace/bitstream/1853/6901/1/kulkarni_nikhil_v_200505_ms.pdf+%22Muhammad+Zia%22+%22dictator%22]).
|-
| align=center|[[Rahimuddin Khan]] || align=center|[[Balochistan (Pakistan)]] || align=center|1978–1984 || Appointed supreme Martial Law Governor of Balochistan by central Pakistani military government following coup. (see [http://www.answers.com/rahimuddin%20khan]).
|-
|align=center|[[Hossain Mohammad Ershad]] || align=center|[[Bangladesh]] || align=center|1982–1990 ||Gained power in a coup; declared martial law; never elected.
|-
|align=center| [[Pervez Musharraf]] || align=center| [[Pakistan]] || align=center| 1999-2008 || Deposed Nawaz Sharif in a military coup, calling it a necessity during a state of emergency. Governed directly as commander in chief until Parliament reconvened in November 2002. Assumed the title of President upon Rafiq Tarar's resignation and stood in a referendum in 2002. Opposition parties state that the rule of law in his custody has deteriorated further.
|}

===Eastern Asia ("Far East")===
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in   power !! Notes
|-
|align=center|[[Tokugawa Ieyasu]] || align=center|[[Japan]] || align=center|1600-1616|| Shogun of [[Japan]] and founder of the long reigning [[Tokugawa shogunate]]. Gained power by unifying the warring clans during [[Japan]]'s long period of civil unrest. He also created an "alternate attendance" system to pacify the [[daimyo]] warlords, as well as closing and isolating trade and the economy, in order to retain his power. His rule was also marked by persecution of european missionaries and japanese christians.
|-
|align=center|[[Yuan Shikai]] || align=center|[[Republic of China]] || align=center|1912–1916 || [[President of the Republic of China]] 1912 - 1915, self-proclaimed [[Emperor of China]], 1916. Ignored legislative consent as defined by the [[Constitution of the Republic of China|Constitution]]; dissolved the [[National Assembly of the Republic of China|National Assembly]]; assassinated [[Song Jiaoren]]; disbanded the [[Kuomintang]].
|-
| align=center|[[Roman von Ungern-Sternberg]] || align=center|[[Mongolia]] || align=center|1921 || 
Born, Baron Roman Nicolaus von Ungern-Sternberg (Роман Фёдорович Унгерн фон Штернберг), in Graf, Austria of Prussian nobility, von Ungern-Sternberg fought, against his own Prussians, in the Imperial Russian Army during World War I and fought the [[Bolsheviks]], in [[Siberia]], after 1917. A rabid [[monarchist]], von Ungern-Sternberg soon thereafter became an independent [[warlord]] with the intention of establishing an independent Russo-Sino-Mongolian monarchy in [[Urga]] under the nominal rule of [[Bogd Khaan]] (the [[Living Buddha]]). Although considered the paragon of bravery, von Ungern-Sternberg was reckless, brutal and mentally unstable.

After a savage battle against occupying [[Chinese republic]]an forces, on March 13, 1921, [[Mongolia]] was proclaimed an independent [[monarchy]], and Ungern von Sternberg became Mongolian [[dictator]]. His brief rule of Mongolia was characterised by looting, raping and a reign of terror by his army. Eventually, the [[Bolsheviks]] invaded Mongolia and after a series of battles, von Ungern-Sternberg was defeated in a August 1921, captured by his own soldiers, and handed over to the [[Red Army]] on August 21, 1921.

|-
| align=center|[[Horloogiyn Choybalsan]] || align=center|[[Mongolia]] || align=center|1936–1952 || Unelected; opponents purged; cult of personality.
|-
| align=center|[[Kim Il-sung]] || align=center|[[North Korea]] || align=center|1948–1994 || Appointed prime minister in 1948; purged rivals in the [[Workers' Party of Korea]] to consolidate power in 1956 (see [http://muse.jhu.edu/cgi-bin/access.cgi?uri=/journals/korean_studies/v026/26.1lankov.pdf]); introduced "[[Juche]]" ideology demanding absolute loyalty to him and the party; created most pervavise cult of personality in recent history. Declared "Eternal President" on his death.
|-
|align=center|[[Ho Chi Minh]] ||align=center| [[North Vietnam]] ||align=center| 1945-1969 || Unelected; killed thousands of political rivals in the 1940s; killed tens of thousands more during the land reforms of the 1950s; presided over a one-party state.
|-
|align=center| [[Sukarno]] || align=center|[[Indonesia]] || align=center| 1949-1968 ||First President of Indonesia. Consolidated his powers, and got proclaimed President for LIfe. Was overthrown by the then Dictator of Indonesia, Suharto.
|-
|align=center|[[Mao Zedong]] || align=center|[[People's Republic of China]] || align=center|1949–1976 || Chairman of the PRC (1949 – 1959), Chairman of the [[Communist Party of China]] (1945 – 1976), Chairman of the [[Central Military Commission]] (1936 – 1976). Immense cult of personality; purged members of government; silenced opposition. Circumvented Communist Party hierarchy after the 1966 [[Cultural Revolution]]; imprisoned head of state [[Liu Shaoqi]]. Millions of Chinese citizens killed or murdered as a result of his policies and repression.
|-
| align=center|[[Park Chung Hee]] || align=center|[[South Korea]] || align=center|1961–1979 || Took power in 1961 coup. Although initially welcomed by much of the population, he suspended the constitution in 1971 and introduced a new constitution that greatly increased his power.
|-
| align=center|[[Ne Win]] || align=center|[[Burma]] || align=center|1962–1988 || Seized power in a coup; instituted extreme repression (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:rSAOt9c_lU0J:www.iseas.edu.sg/62003.pdf+%22Ne+Win%22+%22dictator%22], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:yqkmuBoqlnYJ:www.asiapacificms.com/papers/pdf/burma_india_china.pdf+%22Ne+Win%22+%22dictator%22]).
|-
| align=center|[[Thanom Kittikachorn]] || align=center|[[Thailand]] || align=center|1963–1973 || Military dictator, known as one of Thailand's so-called "Three Tyrants". Oppressed student-led uprisings in October 1973 and 1976.
|-
| align=center|[[Suharto]] || align=center|[[Indonesia]] || align=center|1967–1998 || His ''[[New Order (Indonesia)|New Order]]'' imprisoned Communists and alleged Communists; repressed Chinese inhabitants; made existing parties subordinate. Also a cleptocrat (with personal and family's assets at least worth US$ 15 billion, based on [[Time]] Magazine investigation in 1998). Described as a dictator in many sources (see[http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:Bbh_caM50o4J:www.aut.ac.nz/depts/commstud/journ/docs/reviewscronau.pdf+%22Suharto+dictatorship%22], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:128rEIvvRD4J:www.civiced.org/research/pdfs/RisingTide.pdf+%22Suharto+dictatorship%22], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:_233mw5azNkJ:cmbc.ucsd.edu/content/1/docs/laurance2004.pdf+%22Suharto+dictatorship%22]).
|-
| align=center|[[Lon Nol]] || align=center|[[Cambodia]] || align=center|1972–1975 || Gained power by coup; not elected.
|-
| align=center|[[Pol Pot]] || align=center|[[Democratic Kampuchea]] || align=center|1975–1979 || Unelected; led a [[Khmer Rouge]] dictatorship; responsible for deaths of at least 1 million Cambodian citizens during his rule.
|-
| align=center|[[Chun Doo Hwan]] || align=center|[[South Korea]] || align=center|1980–1988 || Gained power in a coup; declared martial law; oversaw [[Gwangju Massacre]].
|-
|align=center|[[Mahathir bin Mohamad]] ||align=center| [[Malaysia]] ||align=center| 1981-2003 || Authoritarian; suppresed opposition, media.
|-
| align=center|[[Khamtai Siphandon]] || align=center|[[Laos]] || align=center|1992–2006 || Unelected; one-party state (see[http://www.arthuredelstein.org/worlddictators]).
|-
| align=center|[[Than Shwe]] || align=center|[[Myanmar]] || align=center|'''1992–present''' || Unelected; persecution of minorities (especially [[Karenni]] and [[Rohingya]] groups [http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2005/51506.htm]) leading 250,000 to flee, either becoming [[IDP]]s or moving across the border to Thailand; consolidated power into himself from the [[SPDC]] - he moved to a new capital in Kyat Pyay in 2006 , &renamed it as Nay Pyi Daw ,i.e the Royal Palace City"; gained power via a military [[coup]] and announced that he would not hand over the power to [[Aung San Suu Kyi]]'s Elected Party (the [[NLD]]); no free press (see [http://www.bbc.co.uk/burmese/forum/story/2004/10/041020_khin_nyunt_ousted.shtml]).
|-
| align=center|[[Kim Jong-il]] || align=center|[[North Korea]] || align=center| 1994–2011 || Became General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and Chairman of the National Defense Commission (the highest state offices) on his father's death. Continues his father's "[[Juche]]" ideology.
|-
| align=center|[[Sonthi Boonyaratglin]] || align=center|[[Thailand]] || align=center|'''2006–present''' || Army chief seized power while Prime Minister [[Thaksin Shinawatra]] was out of the country. A state of martial law was declared, parliament was dissolved and the constitution abrogated. Instituted press censorship and restrictions on protests. The first Muslim in charge of the mostly Buddhist army.
|-
| align=center|[[Kim Jong-un]] || align=center|[[North Korea]] || align=center| '''2011-present''' || Became General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and Chairman of the National Defense Commission (the highest state offices) on his father's death. Continues his grandpa's "[[Juche]]" ideology.
|-
|}

==Europe==

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center| [[Oliver Cromwell]] || align=center| [[Commonwealth of England]] || align=center| 1653-1658 || A [[Puritan]] general in the [[English Civil War]] who quickly rose through the ranks to become ''de facto'' head of the Parliamentary forces. After the Royalist defeat and the execution of [[Charles I]] the newly constituted [[Rump Parliament]] was overthrown by Cromwell who refused the Crown, choosing instead the title of Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland. After his death the monarchy was reinstated. [http://www.olivercromwell.org/].
|-
| align=center| [[Maximilien Robespierre]] || align=center| [[France]] || align=center| 1793–1794 || Head of the Committee of Public Safety during the French Revolution. To purge french society of "Counter Revolutionaries", he instituted the heavily repressive Reign of Terror, a period which killed thousands of french citizens, many of those killed were simply killed under mere suspicion, with little or no proof. Desposed when the National Convention declared him an outlaw.
|-
| align=center| [[Napoleon Bonaparte]] || align=center| [[France]]|| align=center| 1799–1814 || First Consul, 1799-1804. Emperor of the French 1804-1814. Declared himself "First Consul for Life" in 1802 and then Emperor in 1804.
|-
| align=center| [[Józef Chłopicki|Józef Grzegorz Chłopicki]] || align=center| [[Poland]] || align=center| 1830–1831 || Held official title of dictator for one year only.
|-
| align=center| [[Napoleon III of France|Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte]] || align=center| [[France]] || align=center| (1848–1851) 1851–1870|| President of France from 1848 to 1852. In 1851 he launched a coup against the legislature, making himself absolute ruler. From 1852 to 1870 he styled himself Emperor of the French under the name Napoléon III from 1852 to 1870. Later during his reign constitutional liberties were gradually restored. In 1870 he was captured during the abortive [[Franco-Prussian War]] and deposed in his absence by the [[Third Republic]] of France.
|-
| align=center| [[Romuald Traugutt]] || align=center| [[Poland]] || align=center| 1863–1864 || Held official title of dictator for one year. Succeeded [[Marian Langiewicz]] who had declared himself dictator previously, but only lasted less than a year in 1863. 
|-
|align=center|[[Nicholas II]] ||align=center| [[Russia]] ||align=center| 1894-1917 || Ruthless, overthrown by the "October Revolution" and the newly established communist government. The last Tsar of Russia.
|-
| align=center| [[Vladimir Lenin]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center| 1917-1924 || Head of Bolshevik Revolution took power in 1917. Secured victory in the Russian civil war. Headed effort to transform the Russian economy to a socialist model.[http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/lenin_vladimir.shtml] 
|-
| align=center|[[Mustafa Kemal Atatürk]] || align=center|[[Turkey]] || align=center|1918-1938 || Led the Turkish national movement. Transformed Turkey into a secular republic through broad authoritarian reforms.
|-
| align=center| [[Benito Mussolini]] || align=center| [[Italy]] || align=center| 1922–1943, and in part of the country 1943-1945 || Prime Minister of Italy 1922-1943; head of the so-called [[Italian Social Republic]] until 1945. "He introduced strict censorship and altered the methods of election so that in 1925–1926 he was able to assume dictatorial powers and dissolve all other political parties" (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:0PFM13qC39YJ:www.ablongman.com/history_rh_bridge/assets/0321025865_ch15.pdf+%22Italian+dictator+Benito+Mussolini%22],[http://doi.contentdirections.com/mr/greenwood.jsp?doi=10.1336/0275979377]).
|-
| align=center| [[Miguel Primo de Rivera]] || align=center| [[Spain]] || align=center| 1923–1930 || Prime Minister of Spain. Gained power in a coup; suspended the constitution; established martial law; imposed strict censorship; banned all political parties. Widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9061388], [http://www.bartleby.com/65/pr/PrimRivM.html], [http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761565186/Miguel_Primo_de_Rivera.html]). 
|-
| align=center| [[Aleksandar Tsankov]] || align=center| [[Bulgaria]] || align=center| 1923-1926 || Established Right wing nationalist, anti communist coup against [[Stamboliyski]]’s democratic elected [[Agrarians]]. Forced out of power by Tsar [[Boris III]]. [http://www.bartleby.com/65/ts/TsankovA.html]. 
|-
| align=center| [[Joseph Stalin]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center| 1924–1953 || General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, 1922 - 1953; Premier of the Soviet Union 1941 - 1953. Never elected; cult of personality; heavily repressive; responsible for deaths of millions of Soviet citizens (see [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9108469], [http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761559200/Stalin_Joseph.html],[http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/commandingheights/shared/minitextlo/prof_josephstalin.html]).
|-
| align=center| [[Ahmet Bej Zogu]] || align=center| [[Albania]] || align=center| 1925–1939 || Originally elected Prime Minister of Albania 1922-1924 and 1925; President of Albania 1925-1928; crowned himself King of the Albanians (as Zog I) 1928-1939. Described as a dictator (see[http://www.albanian.com/information/history/independ.html], [http://www.diplom.org/manus/talossa/?lingo=&page=Statute&act=25RZ13], [http://www.electionworld.org/history/albania.htm]). Forced to flee with his wife, Queen Geraldine, the imminent takeover of the country by Italy under [[Benito Mussolini]].
|-
| align=center| [[José Mendes Cabeçadas]] || align=center| [[Portugal]] || align=center| 1926 || Leader of [[Ditadura Nacional]] during the first part of June immediately after the [[28th May 1926 coup d'état]]
|-
| align=center| [[Gomes da Costa]] || align=center| [[Portugal]] || align=center| 1926 || Succeeded Cabeçadas as head of the [[Ditadura Nacional]] for less than a month
|-
| align=center| [[António Óscar Carmona]] || align=center| [[Portugal]] || align=center| 1926-1928 || Head of [[Ditadura Nacional]]
|-
| align=center| [[Józef Piłsudski]]|| align=center| [[Poland]] || align=center| 1926–1935 || Polish Head of State 1918-1922, but regained power in 1926 via coup. Prime Minister of Poland 1926-1928 and 1930; Commander in Chief of the Army 1926-1935. Initiated authoritarian [[Sanacja]] government; often described as a "benevolent dictator".
|-
| align=center| [[Antanas Smetona]] || align=center| [[Lithuania]] || align=center| 1926–1940 || President of Lithuania. Seized power in a 1925 military coup (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:wEZn53dBGtoJ:www.gla.ac.uk/departments/dcees/Duvold.pdf+Antanas+Smetona+%22dictatorship%22]); authoritarian rule. His description as a dictator is common (see[http://www.encyclopedia.com/searchpool.asp?target=@DOCKEYWORDS%20balthistbio&unkey=balthistbio&clientIp=216%2E63%2E197%2E211&userAgent=Mozilla%2F4%2E0+%28compatible%3B+MSIE+6%2E0%3B+Windows+NT+5%2E1%3B+SV1%3B+%2ENET+CLR+1%2E1%2E4322%29]), but not universal.
|-
| align=center| [[António de Oliveira Salazar]] || align=center| [[Portugal]] || align=center| 1928–1968 || Prime Minister of Portugal. Established an anti-democratic, anti-parliamentarian, ultra-[[Clericalism|clericalist]], [[Corporativism|corporativist]], extremely conservative, repressive and authoritarian dictatorship, connoted with the Italian fascism, highly supported by the [[Roman Catholic Church]]. Longest right-wing dictatorship ever (four complete decades).
|-
| align=center| [[Alexander I of Yugoslavia|Alexander I]] || align=center| [[Yugoslavia]] || align=center| 1929-1934 || King of Yugoslavia from 1921. On January 6, 1929 he abolished the constitution, prorogued parliament and established the so-called "January 6 Dictatorship." A new constitution in 1931 left all significant political power in the hands of the King.
|-
| align=center| [[Engelbert Dollfuss]] || align=center| [[Austria]] || align=center| 1933–1934 || Chancellor of Austria 1932-1934. Suspended parliament indefinitely in March 1933, governing thereafter by decree. Rule sometimes compared to Mussolini or Franco (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:PUVNNLui6y4J:www3.la.psu.edu/hrsweb/majmin/Theses/Houlihan/Thesis.pdf+%22dictator%22+%22Dollfuss%22]).
|-
| align=center| [[Konstantin Päts]] || align=center| [[Estonia]] || align=center| 1933–1940 || State Elder 1933 - 1937; State Protector 1937 - 1938; President of Estonia 1938-1940. Established authoritarian rule following a coup. Allowed (and won) election in 1938.
|-
| align=center| [[Adolf Hitler]] || align=center| [[Nazi Germany]] || align=center| 1933–1945 || Chancellor of Germany 1933-1945; ''Führer'' (Leader) 1934-1945. The 1933 [[Enabling Act]] suspended most of the constitution and allowed Hitler to [[rule by decree]]. Heavily repressive; ordered imprisonment of millions of political opponents and members of ethnic minorities in concentration camps, where they were abused and killed.
|-
| align=center| [[Kimon Georgiev]] || align=center| [[Bulgaria]] || align=center| 1934 || Took power in coup. Overthrown by Tsar Boris III. 
|-
| align=center| Tsar [[Boris III]] || align=center| [[Bulgaria]] || align=center| 1934-1943 || Overthrew Kimon Geogiev. Took power him self ruled through puppet Prime Ministers Georgi Kyoseivanov. His Regime banned all opposition parties. Took Bulgaria into alliance with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. 
|-
| align=center| [[Kurt Schuschnigg]] || align=center| [[Austria]] || align=center| 1934–1938 || Chancellor of Austria. Maintained his predecessor Dollfuss' oppressive rule.
|-
| align=center| [[Karlis Ulmanis|Kārlis Ulmanis]] || align=center| [[Latvia]] || align=center| 1934–1940 || Prime Minister of Latvia 1934-1940; President of Latvia 1936 - 1940. Gained power in a coup and dissolved parliament; generally viewed as a "benevolent dictator" (see [http://www.ltn.lv/~krz/latvia/lat_history.html], [http://www.sciencedaily.com/encyclopedia/karlis_ulmanis], [http://www.bartleby.com/65/la/Latvia.html]).
|-
| align=center| [[Ioannis Metaxas]] || align=center| [[Greece]] || align=center| 1936–1941 || Prime Minister of Greece. Never elected; banned political parties; arrested opponents; criminalized unions; censored media. Widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.bartleby.com/65/pa/PapandrG.html], [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9052304], [http://www.ahistoryofgreece.com/biography/metaxas.htm]). 
|-
| align=center| [[Francisco Franco]] || align=center| [[Spain]] || align=center| 1936–1975 || Prime Minister of Spain 1938-1975 and Head of State 1939 - 1975 (in the Nationalist Zone, both only to 1939). Purged opposition; often referred to as a dictator or ''caudillo'' (see[http://www.policyreview.org/jun03/diamond.html], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:B1Mmefo38twJ:www.personal.psu.edu/mlb300/spainsocprob.pdf+%22dictator+Francisco+Franco%22],[http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:NsfbKjiVUowJ:www.acad.carleton.edu/curricular/POSC/faculty/montero/Spain%2520Paper%25201.pdf+%22dictator+Francisco+Franco%22], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:9ZzXaMENcm8J:www.artcult.org/cst/spain_prepack_participants.pdf+%22Francisco+Franco%22+%22dictatorship%22]). Strongly supported by the [[Roman Catholic Church]] worldwide.

|-
| align=center| [[Jozef Tiso]] || align=center| [[Slovakia]] || align=center| 1939–1945 || President of [[Slovak Republic (1939-1945)|WWII Slovak Republic]]. Led a partly Roman Catholic clerical, partly pro-Nazi, one-party state. Described by some as a dictator (see [http://www.adl.org/PresRele/HolNa_52/3578_52.asp], [http://dominican-republic.asinah.net/en/wikipedia/j/jo/jozef_tiso.html], [http://www.ce-review.org/00/19/vaknin19.html]).
|-
| align=center| [[Ion Antonescu]] || align=center| [[Romania]] || align=center| 1940–1944 || Prime Minister of Romania. Two days after his appointment, forced King Carol II (see above) to abdicate in favor of his son, Mihai. Named himself ''Conducător'' (Leader), assumed dictatorial powers and relegated monarchy to decorative role.
|-
| align=center| [[Philippe Pétain]] || align=center| [[Vichy France]] || align=center| 1940–1944 || Prime Minister of France 1940 - 1942; Head of State 1940 - 1944. The ''Assemblée Nationale'' of Vichy France suspended the [[Third Republic]] and granted Pétain dictatorial power, although ultimately he was answerable to the German Nazi hierarchy.
|-
| align=center| [[Ante Pavelic|Ante Pavelić]] || align=center| [[Croatia]] || align=center| 1941–1945 ||''Poglavnik'' ("Leader") of Croatia. Not elected; ordered massacres of Serbs, Jews, Gypsies and dissidents; hundreds of thousands slaughtered; led the genocial, devoutly Roman Catholic Ustase (see [http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/tyrants.htm], [http://www.cuttingedge.org/articles/RC130.html], [http://emperors-clothes.com/vatican/cpix.htm]). Supported by most, if not all, of the Roman Catholic church in Croatia.
|-
| align=center| [[Vidkun Quisling]] || align=center| [[Norway]]|| align=center| 1942–1945 || Minister President of Norway between 1942-1945, and founder of the fascist "National Unity" party . Traitor to his country. Executed by firing squad. Described as being the Hitler of Norway.
|-
| align=center| [[Ferenc Szálasi]] (Szálasi Ferenc) || align=center| [[Hungary]] || align=center| 1944–1945 || Leader of the [[fascist]] [[Arrow Cross]] party, Szálasi was installed as a fascist ruler by the [[Nazis]] following their overthrow of [[regent]] [[Miklós Horthy]].
|-
| align=center| [[Josip Broz Tito]] || align=center| [[Yugoslavia]] || align=center| 1944–1980 || Secretary-General of the Yugoslav Communist Party 1937 - 1963; Prime Minister of Yugoslavia 1945–1953; Premier of Yugoslavia 1953 - 1963; President of Yugoslavia 1953 - 1980; President of the ''Presidium of the League of Communists'' from 1963 until 1980. Declared himself [[President for Life]] in 1963. Viewed favorably in Yugoslavia despite authoritarian rule.
|-
| align=center| [[Enver Hoxha]] || align=center| [[Albania]] || align=center| 1944-1985|| General Secretary of the Albanian Party of Labour. Leader of single-party Communist state; extensive personality cult; Declared his nation to be the world's only officially atheist state and banned all practice of religion in 1967.
|-
| align=center| [[Mátyás Rákosi]] || align=center| [[Hungary]] || align=center| 1949-1953|| General Secretary of the [[Hungarian Workers Party]] and Prime Minister of the [[Hungarian People's Republic]]. Leader of single-party Communist state; nicknamed "Stalin's best Hungarian disciple"; Invented the phrase "[[salami tactics]]" to describe piecemeal assumption of power.
|-
| align=center| [[Nikita Khrushchev]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center| 1953-1964 || First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union between 1953-1964. Allowed limited liberalisation in the arts and media later on. 
|-
| align=center| [[Todor Zhivkov]] || align=center| [[Bulgaria]] || align=center| 1956-1989 || Head of pro soviet communist regimen in Bulgaria. Became party secretary in 1956 and prime minister in 1962. Forced out of power in 1989 by communist party to comply with demands of protesters.
|-
| align=center| [[Antonín Novotný]] || align=center| [[Czechoslovakia]] || align=center| 1957-1968 || Antonín Novotný, the First Secretary of the Communist Party and President of the Republic, was leader of Czechoslovakia during the Stalinisation of the country, resulting in the replacement of the Czechoslovakian democracy by a one-party communist state. His dictatorship centralized power and used force to protect his regime which lasted fifteen years.
|-
| align=center| [[Walter Ulbricht]] || align=center| [[German Democratic Republic]] || align=center| 1950/1960-1971 || General Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany 1950-1971 and Head of State 1960-1973.
|-
| align=center| [[Leonid Brezhnev]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center| 1964–1982 || First/General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union between 1964-1982. Formed a [[cult of Personality]] later on.
|-
| align=center| [[Nicolae Ceauşescu]] || align=center| [[Romania]] || align=center| 1965–1989 || General Secretary of the Romanian Communist Party, 1965-1989; President of Romania, 1974-1989. Leader of single-party Communist state; extensive personality cult developed during the 1970s. Lived lavish lifestyle while country was still using donkey carts.
|-
| align=center| [[George Papadopoulos]] || align=center| [[Greece]] || align=center| 1967–1973 || Prime Minister of Greece 1967 - 1973; Regent 1972 - 1973; President of Greece 1973. Gained power in a coup; lead military regime. Widely described as a dictator (see [http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0778782.html], [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/379334.stm], [http://www.hellas.net]).
|-
| align=center| [[Marcelo Caetano]] || align=center| [[Portugal]] || align=center| 1968–1974 || Prime Minister of Portugal 1968 - 1974; Upon the death of [[António de Oliveira Salazar]] he continued the dictatorial regime. Some liberties were improved but the situation of the country and the [[Portuguese Colonial War|colonial wars]] lead to the [[Carnation Revolution]].
|-
| align=center| [[Gustáv Husák]] || align=center| [[Czechoslovakia]] || align=center| 1969-1987 || Came into power through soviets, Crushed the Prague spring. Headed brutal secret police stepped down from power in 1987 two years before communism fell. 
|-
| align=center| [[Erich Honecker]] || align=center| [[German Democratic Republic]] || align=center| 1971-1989 || General Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany 1971-1989 and Head of State 1976-1989.
|-
| align=center| [[Phaedon Gizikis]] || align=center| [[Greece]] || align=center| 1973-1974 || President of Greece 1973-1974. Gained power in coup. Lead millitary regime installed by previous head of state.
|-
| align=center| [[Wojciech Jaruzelski]] || align=center|[[Poland]] || align=center|1961-1990 || Imposed martial law in Poland in 1981 in response to Solidarity party led strikes. Made himself head of the "Commission for National Salvation." Stated his actions were taken in order to prevent a Soviet invasion of Poland. Was President of Poland until his resignation in 1990. 
|-
| align=center| [[Yuri Andropov]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center| 1982-1984 || General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union between 1982-1984. Early signs of [[Perestroika]] and [[Glasnost]].
|-
| align=center| [[Konstantin Chernenko]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center| 1984-1985 || General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union between 1984-1985. Ailing stop-gap leader. 
|-
| align=center| [[Mikhail Gorbachev]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center| 1985-1991 || General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991 when the Soviet Union collapsed and the CPSU was banned. Oversaw democratisation in the Soviet Union, but was never directly elected as leader.
|-
| align=center| [[Slobodan Milošević]] || align=center| [[Serbia]], [[Yugoslavia]] || align=center| 1989-1997, 1997-2000 || In 1984 he became the head of the local Communist party in Belgrade and adopted a populist style, the party's leader. He successfully took over as head of the Serbian Communist party in 1987. He challenged the federal government, championed Serbian control of the autonomous provinces of Kosovo and Vojvodina, and advocated stridently socialist economic policy. By 1988, he had replaced party leaders in Kosovo and Vojvodina, and in 1989 he became president of Serbia. However, in September 1990, a new democratic constitution was passed allowing direct, multi-party presidential and parliamentary elections. Milosevic was elected president of Serbia for the first time in December 1990, although allegations persist of electoral fraud during the Milosevic years.
|-
| align=center| [[Alexander Lukashenko]] || align=center| [[Belarus]] || align=center| '''1994-present''' || President of Belarus. Said to have an "authoritarian ruling style". Lack of democratic standards. Human rights violations. Referred to as "Europe's last dictatorship."
|-
| align=center| [[Herman Van Rompuy]] || align=center| [[European Union]] || align=center| '''2009-present''' || President of the European Council (Head of State of the European Union). Unelected. Was involved in the deposition of the elected Prime Ministers of Greece of Italy. Has been accused of being a dictator.
|}

==Oceania==
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center| [[Sitiveni Rabuka]] || align=center|[[Fiji]] || align=center|1987–1992 || Twice gained power through coup, allowed elections in 1992, which he won.
|-
| align=center| [[Frank Bainimarama]] || align=center|[[Fiji]] || align=center|'''2006-present''' ||Launched a coup d'etat in December 2006 after weeks of threats against the elected government.
|}

==See also==
* [[Constitutional crisis]]
* [[Cult of personality]]
* [[List of political leaders who held active military ranks in office]]
* [[List of political leaders who suspended the constitution]]
* [[List of successful coups d'état]]
* [[President for Life]]
* [[Single-party state]]

==External links==
*[http://www.thedictatorship.com The Dictatorship]
*[http://www.dkosopedia.com/wiki/Dictators_and_Non-Democratic_Governments Dictators and Non-Democratic Governments]
*[http://www.lkwdpl.org/schools/horacemann/dictators/ Modern dictators and Human Rights Violations]
*[http://www.dkosopedia.com/wiki/Oppressive_Regimes Oppressive Regimes]
*[http://www.parade.com/articles/editions/2006/edition_01-22-2006/Dictators The World’s 10 Worst Dictators]

[[Category:Lists|dictators]][[Category:Totalitarianism]]

List of dictators

2013-06-09T16:18:04Z

Thatteapartyguy: /* Africa */

: ''For a list of [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] dictators, see [[Roman dictator#Roman dictators|Roman dictator]].''
: ''See also the [[#See also|related lists]] at the end of this article.''

The following is a list of national leaders ([[Head of state|heads of state]] and/or [[Head of government|heads of government]]) commonly regarded as modern [[dictator]]s. This usage usually carries a pejorative sense and refers to a ruler who:

* Rules by decree, via an [[Enabling Act]] or similar laws passed by a legislature allowing him to do so;
* is an [[absolute ruler]] of a [[state|sovereign state]], usually appointed, but without hereditary ascension;
* governs outside the otherwise accepted [[rule of law]];
* commonly (but not necessarily) gaining power through [[fraud]], a [[coup d'état]], resorting to either again to continue in power;
* may develop a [[cult of personality]];
* may be autocratic, oppressive, despotic or tyrannical.

Some so-called "[[Dictator#"The benevolent dictator"|benevolent dictators]]" may be viewed as beneficial and their leadership seen as a "necessary evil".
The modern usage of the term 'dictator' developed largely in response to instances of autocratic rule in [[republic]]s, so traditional [[monarch]]s are not usually described as dictators in historical commentary. Also excluded from this list are those who held [[absolute power]] during national [[State of emergency|emergencies]], but restored the rule of law soon thereafter. Otherwise those included have been widely cited by historians or described by the [[Mass media|media]] as dictators. Any controversy surrounding such characterisation is mentioned in the notes.

The list is sorted according to when each dictator began their years in power. This refers to any years in office as a head of state, government or the like before their dictatorship was established. Any years of elected and judicial rule may be indicated parenthetically.

==Africa==
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
|align=center|[[Gamal Abdel Nasser]] ||align=center| [[Egypt]] ||align=center| 1954–1970 || Prime Minister of Egypt 1954-1962; President of Egypt 1956-1970. Part of a group of officers in control of Egypt after the coup against British supported [[Farouk of Egypt|King Farouk]] in 1952; In February 1954, Nasser forced {{fact}} President [[Muhammad Naguib]] to appoint him prime minister and give up most practical power to him; later in that year Naguib resigned and Nasser became president by self-appointment; elected by popular vote (as only candidate) in 1956, and subsequently. Many personalistic elements to Nasser's rule, but nominal parliamentary system under Nasser's 1956-1970 presidency {{fact}}, until his death in 1970.
|-
|align=center|[[Ahmed Sékou Touré]] ||align=center| [[Guinea]] ||align=center| 1958–1984 || President of Guinea. Widely described as a dictator (see [http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog/DIAINS.html], [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/world/awards2003/profile_jazz.shtml]) with estimates of up to 50,000 extra-judicial killings during his rule (see [http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/warstat6.htm]) and 250,000 Guineans fleeing his rule ([http://www.africanet.com/africanet/country/guinea/history.htm]).
|-
|align=center|[[David Dacko]] ||align=center| [[Central African Republic]] ||align=center| 1960–1966 1979–1981 || President of the Central African Republic. Banned opposition (see [http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ad36]); Gained power by coup in 1979, though subsequently stood for election (see [http://www.african-geopolitics.org/show.aspx?ArticleId=3638]).
|-
|align=center|[[Modibo Keita]] ||align=center| [[Mali]] ||align=center| 1960–1968 || Schoolteacher and first president of Mali. Forced socialization and extensive protectionism severely harmed the economy and continued the country's dependence on aid donors. Discontent with these policies led Keita to implement his own "Cultural Revolution" and establish a network of people's militias to inform on and punish dissent. In the last few years of his presidency, full powers were vested in an extralegal "National Committee for Defense of the Revolution". He was deposed in a military coup.
|-
|align=center|[[François (Ngarta) Tombalbaye|François Tombalbaye]] ||align=center| [[Chad]] ||align=center| 1960–1975 || Head of State 1960-1962; President of Chad 1962-1975. Never fought a contested election; imprisoned opposition leaders. Launched a "Cultural Revolution" in the early 1970s encouraging ''[[authenticité]]''.
|-
|align=center|[[Félix Houphouët-Boigny]] ||align=center| [[Côte d'Ivoire]] ||align=center| 1960–1993 || President of Côte d'Ivoire. Ruled until 1990 with all opposition banned, but not considered particularly repressive. Relocated the official capital to his home village of [[Yamoussoukro]] and constructed the [[Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro]], the largest religious structure in Africa.
|-
|align=center|[[Milton Obote]] ||align=center| [[Uganda]] ||align=center| 1962–1972 1980–1985 || Prime Minister of Uganda 1962-1966; President of Uganda 1966-1971 and 1980-1985. Suspended the constitution and declared himself President and Prime Minister in 1966.
|-
|align=center|[[Hastings Kamuzu Banda]] ||align=center| [[Malawi]] ||align=center| 1963–1994 || Prime Minister of Malawi 1963-1966; President of Malawi 1966-1994. Banned all opposition in 1966; declared himself [[President for Life]] in 1971; exiled and killed opposition leaders. Ordered that a letter bomb be sent to exiled opposition leader [[Attati Mpakati]]; suspected of being involved in the car crash deaths of senior Congress Party leaders; violently crushed an attempted rebellion. Aged 98, he allowed and lost a free election in 1994.
|-
|align=center|[[Kenneth Kaunda]] ||align=center| [[Zambia]] ||align=center| 1964–1991 || President of the Republic of Zambia 1964-1991.Elected 1964, banned all political parties in Zambia, viewed himself as "WAMUYAYA" (eternal President).Accused of torturing political opponents.Defeated by Frederick Chiluba in 1991.
|-
|align=center|[[Houari Boumediene]] ||align=center| [[Algeria]] ||align=center| 1965–1978 || 
President of Algeria from June 19, 1965 to his death, (December 27, 1978); Chairman of the Revolutionary Council until December 12, 1976). In June 1965, Boumédienne seized power in a bloodless coup. Initially lacking a personal power base, he was seen as a weak ruler. But after a botched coup attempt against him by military officers in 1967 he tightened his rule, and then remained Algeria's undisputed ruler until his death in 1978.
|-
|align=center|[[Modibo Keita]] ||align=center| [[Mali]] ||align=center| 1960–1968 || Schoolteacher and first president of Mali. Forced socialization and extensive protectionism severely harmed the economy and continued the country's dependence on aid donors. Discontent with these policies led Keita to implement his own "Cultural Revolution" and establish a network of people's militias to inform on and punish dissent. In the last few years of his presidency, full powers were vested in an extralegal "National Committee for Defense of the Revolution". He was deposed in a military coup.
|-
|align=center|[[Jean-Bédel Bokassa]] ||align=center| [[Central African Republic]] ||align=center| 1966–1979 || President of the Central African Republic 1966-1976; Emperor Bokassa I of the Central African Empire 1976-1979. Bokassa overthrew the autocratic Dacko in a swift coup d'état and assumed power as president of the Republic and head of the sole political party, the Mouvement pour l'évolution sociale de l'Afrique Noire (MESAN). Bokassa abolished the constitution of 1959 on January 4 and began to rule by decree. He proclaimed himself emperor in 1976 (see [http://www.african-geopolitics.org/show.aspx?ArticleId=3638]).
|-
|align=center|[[Gnassingbé Eyadéma]] ||align=center| [[Togo]] ||align=center| 1967–2005 || President of Togo. Gained power in a coup; never fought a contested election until 1998; banned, tortured and killed opposition. Fostered a cult of personality that was reinforced after he was the sole survivor of an airplane crash in 1974. In late 1991, troops loyal to Eyadéma closed a constitutional conference that had shifted most executive power to a new transitional government and banned Eyadéma's RPT party. January 1993 saw a mass exodus of residents to neighboring states after security forces fired on pro-democracy demonstrators. Further repression followed a purported 1994 coup attempt (see[http://www.cidcm.umd.edu/inscr/mar/data/togoewechro.htm]).
|-
|align=center|[[Omar Bongo]] ||align=center| [[Gabon]] ||align=center| 1967–2009 || As vice president, he acceded to the presidency following the death of President [[Léon M'ba]]. In 1968, Bongo decreed a one-party state under his [[Gabonese Democratic Party]] and was thrice elected unopposed in the 1970s and 1980s. He became very wealthy during the country's oil boom. Open elections were held in 1990 and Bongo was re-elected in 1993, 1998 and 2005. Observers have criticized the elections as unfair and corruption watchdogs have accused the president of [[nepotism]]. Riots resulting from the mysterious death in 1990 of prominent dissident [[Joseph Rendjambe]] in a government hotel room were put down by French troops.
|-
|align=center|[[Moussa Traoré]] ||align=center| [[Mali]] ||align=center| 1968–1991 || Chairman of the Military National Liberation Committee 1968-1969; Head of State 1969-1979; President of Mali 1979-1991. Seized power in a coup; banned all opposition; installed a police state; established one-party state in 1979.
|-
|align=center|[[Francisco Macías Nguema]] ||align=center| [[Equatorial Guinea]] ||align=center| 1968–1979 || President of Equatorial Guinea 1968-1979. Elected in 1968 but declared himself [[President for Life]] in 1972; "extreme personality cult"; over a third of population fled his regime. Banned fishing and sanctioned the deaths of most of his pre-independence political rivals, including ex-prime minister [[Bonifacio Ondó Edu]] and foreign minister [[Atanasio Ndongo Miyone]]. Declared an atheist state by Spanish dictator [[Francisco Franco]]. As many as 50,000 civilians were killed, in particular those of the [[Bubi]] ethnic [[minority]] on [[Bioko]] associated with relative wealth and [[intellectual]]ism.
|-
|align=center|[[Gaafar Nimeiry]] ||align=center| [[Sudan]] ||align=center| 1969–1985 || Chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council 1969-1971; President of Sudan 1971-1985. Gained power in a military coup, banned opposition, dissolved southern Sudanese government, imposed sharia law. Executed several leading communists (the most prominent being [[Abdel Khaliq Mahjub]] and [[Joseph Garang]]) after a botched 1971 coup attempt.
|-
|align=center|[[Mohamed Siad Barre]] ||align=center| [[Somalia]] ||align=center| 1969–1991 || Chairman of the Supreme Revolutionary Council 1969-1976; President of Somalia 1976-1991. In 1969, during the power vacuum following the assassination of President Abdirashid Ali Shermarke, the military staged a coup and took over. Barre was to rule for the next twenty-two years. He attempted to develop a personality cult; large posters of him were common in the capital Mogadishu during his reign, many of which can still be seen today. He dreamed of a "[[Greater Somalia]]" and tried unsuccessfully to annex the [[Ogaden]]—legally Ethiopian territory—in 1977 to realize this end (see [[Ogaden War]]).
|-
|align=center|[[Anwar Sadat]] || align=center|[[Egypt]] || align=center|1970-1981 || President of Egypt 1970-1981. Unelected, suppressed opposition in what was termed "The Corrective Revolution". Assassinated.
|-
|align=center|[[Idi Amin]] ||align=center| [[Uganda]] ||align=center| 1971–1979 || [[President of Uganda]], later (1976) declared as [[President for Life|for Life]]. Deposed in 1979 after declaring war on [[Tanzania]].
|-
|align=center|[[Mengistu Haile Mariam]] ||align=center| [[Ethiopia]] ||align=center| 1974–1991 || Chairman of the Provisional Military Administrative Council ([[Derg]]) in 1974 and 1977-1987; President of Ethiopia 1987-1991. One-party state; repression of opposition; tens of thousands of extra-judicial killings.
|-
|align=center|[[Olusegun Obasanjo]] ||align=center| [[Nigeria]] ||align=center| 1976-1979 || Head of the Federal Military Government of Nigeria between 1976 and 1979. Elected President of Nigeria in 1999. Chairman of the [[African Union]] 2004-2006.
|-
|align=center|[[Jean-Baptiste Bagaza]] ||align=center| [[Burundi]] ||align=center| 1976–1987 || President of Burundi. Widely described as a military dictator (see [http://www.africanews.com/article265.html], [http://www.electionworld.org/history/burundi.htm]).
|-
|align=center|[[Albert René]] ||align=center| [[Seychelles]] ||align=center| 1977–2004 || President of Seychelles. Deposed the elected president Sir [[James Mancham]] and promulgated a one-party constitution after a period of rule by decree. Created the [[National Youth Service]] (NYS), a compulsory educational institution that included traditional curricula interlaced with political indoctrination and paramilitary training.
|-
|align=center|[[Daniel arap Moi]] ||align=center| [[Kenya]] ||align=center| 1978–2002 || President of Kenya. Changed constitution to establish a ''de jure'' one-party state; resorted to repressive rule, including torture and imprisonment without trial.
|-
|align=center|[[Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo]] ||align=center| [[Equatorial Guinea]] ||align=center| '''1979–present''' || Chairman of the Supreme Military Council 1979-1982; President of Equatorial Guinea 1982-present. Deposed his uncle in a violent coup; opposition is banned in all but name.
|-
|align=center|[[José Eduardo dos Santos]] ||align=center| [[Angola]] ||align=center| '''1979–present''' || President of Angola. One-party state; did not stand for election until 1992 (see [http://www.cpj.org/Briefings/2000/Angola_Marques_00/Angola_Marques_00.html]).
|-
|align=center|[[João Bernardo Vieira]] ||align=center| [[Guinea-Bissau]] ||align=center| 1980-1984 and '''2005-present''' || become president by a coup. killing and exiled opposition. faoumes for the [[Guinea-Bissau Civil War]].
|-
|align=center|[[Samuel K. Doe]] ||align=center| [[Liberia]] ||align=center| 1980–1990 || Chairman of the People's Redemption Council 1980-1984; President of Liberia 1984-1990. Gained power in a military coup that killed President [[William R. Tolbert, Jr.]], a [[Reform movement|reformer]]. Promoted [[Krahn]] chauvinism and "died a multi-millionaire and proud owner of mansions and estates" (see[http://www.theperspective.org/2004/oct/bookpeople.html]).
|-
|align=center|[[Robert Mugabe]] ||align=center| [[Zimbabwe]] ||align=center| '''1980–present''' ||
Gained power through election, and repeatedly re-elected, but criticized for steps used to maintain power. From 1999 on, used police and militant groups like the War Veterans Association and [[Border Gezi Youth]] to enforce [[ZANU-PF]] policies and to prevent opponents from voting; called "king" by his aides.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/1709488.stm] Arrested and tortured opponents and human rights activists; gave amnesty to murderers of his political opponents in 2000; ignores court rulings.[http://www.guardian.co.uk/elsewhere/journalist/story/0,7792,410850,00.html]
|-
|align=center|[[Jerry Rawlings]] ||align=center| [[Ghana]] ||align=center| 1981-1992 || Gained power in a military coup during 1979 but handed it over. Re-took power in another coup of 1981. Elected President in 1992 and again in 1996 before standing aside as per the constitution.
|-
|align=center|[[André Kolingba]] ||align=center| [[Central African Republic]] ||align=center| 1981–1993 || Chairman of the Military Committee of National Recovery 1981-1985; President of the Central African Republic 1985-1993. Gained power in a coup; persecuted opposition; allowed (and lost) free elections in 1993. Attempted second coup in 2001.
|-
|align=center|[[Hosni Mubarak]] || align=center|[[Egypt]] || align=center| 1981-2011 || Former President of Egypt. Did not stand in a contested election until 2005, when a highly-restricted democratic process was allowed. Was forced from power after a series of mass protests.
|-
|align=center|[[Paul Biya]] ||align=center| [[Cameroon]] ||align=center| '''1982–present''' || He served under President Ahmadou Ahidjo and became Prime Minister in 1975. Ahidjo resigned on November 6, 1982 and Biya became president. After years of totalitarian rule, he allowed the creation of opposition parties in 1990 but his re-elections have been marked by widespread fraud and intimidation.
|-
|align=center|[[Hissène Habré]] ||align=center| [[Chad]] ||align=center| 1982–1990 || Chairman of the Council of State 1982; President of Chad 1982-1990. Gained power in a coup; abolished post of Prime Minister; executed opposition leaders.
|-
|align=center|[[Thomas Sankara]] ||align=center| [[Burkina Faso]] ||align=center| 1983-1987 || President of Upper Volta 1983-1984; President of Burkina Faso 1984-1987. Gained power in coup. Lead millitary regime. Overthrown and killed in coup.
|-
|align=center|[[Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya]] ||align=center| [[Mauritania]] ||align=center| 1984–2005 || Deposed the military head of state, [[Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla]], on December 1984 and declared himself Chairman of the Military Committee for National Salvation. Deposed by [[Ely Ould Mohamed Vall]] in a bloodless coup d'état. 
|-
|align=center|[[Ibrahim Babangida]] ||align=center| [[Nigeria]] ||align=center| 1985-1993 || Annulled the most free and fair presidential election in the history of Nigeria, leading to the death of the presidenstial candidate [[Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola]].
|-
|align=center|[[Zine El Abidine Ben Ali]] ||align=center| [[Tunisia]] ||align=center| 1987–2011 || President of Tunisia. Although he announced [[Pluralism#Plualism in politics|political pluralism]] in 1992, his Democratic Constitutional Rally (formerly Neo-Destour party) continues to dominate the national politics and there is no genuine open political debate. In 1999, although two unknown alternative candidates were permitted for the first time to stand in the presidential elections, Ben Ali was re-elected with 99.66% of the vote. A controversial constitutional referendum in 2002 allowed him to seek re-election and contemplate the possibility of remaining in office until 2014. On October 24, 2004, he was again re-elected, officially taking 94.48% of the vote. Certain books, periodicals and internet sites are banned or blocked. The [http://www.tunisiatv.com National Television] frequently show his actions during a week, but often the President only appears in passing on television. In 2011 he was forced from power after mass protests.
|-
|align=center|[[Omar Hasan Ahmad al-Bashir]] ||align=center| [[Sudan]] ||align=center| '''1989–present''' || President of the Revolutionary Command Council for National Salvation 1989-1993; President of Sudan 1993-present. Took power in a military coup and increasingly centralized power into himself. Widely believed to be implicated in the [[Darfur]] [[Janjaweed]] [[pogrom]]s.
|-
|align=center|[[Idriss Déby]] ||align=center| [[Chad]] ||align=center| '''1990–present''' || Head of State 1990-1991; President of Chad 1991 to date. Gained power in a coup; continues to suppress opposition and press (see [http://web.amnesty.org/report2005/tcd-summary-eng]).
|-
|align=center|[[Sani Abacha]] ||align=center| [[Nigeria]] ||align=center| 1993–1998 || Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council 1993-1998. Seized power in a coup; persecuted opposition; never stood for election. Jailed Chief [[Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola]], the presumed winner of the annulled 1993 presidential election; presided over execution of activist [[Ken Saro-Wiwa]].
|-
|align=center|[[Paul Kagame]] || align=center|[[Rwanda]] || align=center|'''1994-present''' || Vice-President of Rwanda 1994-2000; President 2000-Present. Brouhgt to power by a guerilla movement which plunged the country into bloodshed and led to the Rwandan Genocide in 1994. Responsible of the the killings of innocent civilians, women and children in Kibeho refugee camp. Responsible of the killings of 4 millions congolese. Responsible of the killings of Priests and Archbishops in Kabgayi.
|-
|align=center|[[Yahya Jammeh]] ||align=center| [[The Gambia]] ||align=center| '''1994-Present''' || President of The Gambia. Gained power in coup d'état. Right to the press and free speech supressed. Stood for three elections (1996, 2001, and 2006); last election deemed unfair by opposition.
|-
|align=center|[[Laurent-Désiré Kabila]] ||align=center| [[Congo-Kinshasa]] ||align=center| 1997–2001 || President of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Overthrew [[Mobutu Sese Seko]] in coup. No elections held during ongoing, interstate [[First Congo War|First]] and [[Second Congo War]]s.
|-
|align=center|[[Charles G. Taylor]] ||align=center| [[Liberia]] ||align=center| 1997–2003 || President of Liberia 1997-2003. Elected, but widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.guardian.co.uk/sierra/article/0,2763,221878,00.html], [http://www.cij.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewNews&newsID=9], [http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2003/127/48.0.html]). Linked to "[[blood diamonds]]" and illegal arms trading. Believed to have interfered frequently in the internal affairs of neighboring states while a [[warlord]], before his election to the presidency.
|-
|align=center|[[François Bozizé]] ||align=center| [[Central African Republic]] ||align=center| 2003–2013 || President of the Central African Republic 2003 to date. Gained power in a coup and suspended the constitution, though he has restored some democracy (see [http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/02/28/1456242]).
|-
|align=center|[[Ely Ould Mohamed Vall]] ||align=center| [[Mauritania]] ||align=center| 2005-2007 || Chairman of the Military Council for Justice and Democracy. Gained power via a military coup. Though he has said to relinquish power to an elected government in 2007.
|-
|align=center|[[Michael Sata]] ||align=center| [[Zambia]] ||align=center| '''2011–present''' || Elected President of Zambia. Sata shut down the opposition and maintains relationships with [[Robert Mugabe]].
|-
|align=center|[[Mohamed Morsi]] ||align=center| [[Zambia]] ||align=center| '''2012–present''' || Supported by the Muslim Brotherhood. Described Jews as "apes and pigs". Massively expanded his presidential authority upon being elected, giving himself unlimited powers.
|}

==The Americas==
===North America===

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center|[[Agustín de Iturbide]] || align=center|[[Mexico]] || align=center|1822 - 1823 || Shortly after the Mexican War of Independence, he was declared Emperor of Mexico in 1822. Repressive, cracked down on free speech and any opposition. Desposed when popular opposition forced him to abdicate.
|-
| align=center|[[Antonio López de Santa Anna|Antonio López de Santa Anna]] || align=center|[[Mexico]] || align=center|1833 - 1855 (intermittent) || President or Provisional President of Mexico 1833-1837, then 1841 to February 1844, June to December 1844, March to September 1847 and finally 1853-1855. When [[Anastasio Bustamante]] led a coup overthrowing and killing President [[Vicente Guerrero]], Santa Anna seized power and then was elected President in 1833. At first he gave a free hand to his vice-president [[Valentín Gómez Farías]], a liberal reformer. Later he dismissed Gómez Farías, declared the Constitution suspended, disbanded the Congress and worked to concentrate power in the central government. He was overthrown and restored to power several times before his final overthrow in 1855.
|-
| align=center|[[Porfirio Díaz]] || align=center|[[Mexico]] || align=center|1879 - 1910 || Interim president 1876-1877; President of Mexico 1877-1880, 1884-1911. ''De facto'' ruler 1880-1884. Gained power in a coup, after his Revolution of Tuxtepac overthrew his predecessor, Lerdo. He did not run for reelection after his first term in order to keep his one-term promises that he made during his revolution. However, he retook the presidency a few years later and did not leave from power until the [[Mexican Revolution|Revolution of 1910]] kicked him from the Presidency. His rule saw the rapid modernization of Mexico, progress mainly caused by Diaz's encouragement of foreign investment in the country's infrastructure. However, the poor became quite miserable during this time. Political opposition was squelched and rebellions were put down by the ''rurals'', Diaz's personal guard. He was eventually overthrown by the [[Mexican Revolution|Revolution]] which lasted 10 years.
|-
| align=center|[[Victoriano Huerta]] || align=center|[[Mexico]] || align=center|1913 - 1914 || Appointed president, established a military dictatorship for about a year, and then was forced to resign.
|}

===Central America===
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center|[[Rafael Carrera]] || align=center|[[Guatemala]] || align=center|1844–1848 1851–1865 || President of Guatemala. Gained power in a coup; styled himself [[President for Life]].
|-
|align=center|[[William Walker]] ||align=center| [[Nicaragua]] ||align=center| 1856-1857 || An american fillibuster takes over and proclaims himself President of Nicaragua. Tried to conquer several central american countries. Eventually executed.
|-
| align=center|[[Justo Rufino Barrios]] || align=center|[[Guatemala]] || align=center|1873–1885 || President of Guatemala. Gained power in a bloody coup, but introduced reforms.
|-
| align=center|[[Manuel Estrada Cabrera]] || align=center|[[Guatemala]] || align=center|1898–1920 || President of Guatemala. Never elected; subverted constitution; widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9033093], [http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761558775/Estrada_Cabrera_Manuel.html]). Constructed numerous large [[Ancient Greece|Hellenic]]-style temples as monuments to his rule.
|-
| align=center|[[Maximiliano Hernández Martínez]] || align=center|[[El Salvador]] || align=center|1931–1934 1935–1944 || Acting President 1931-1934; President of El Salvador 1935-1944. Gained power in a coup; suppressed opposition; oversaw massacre of between ten and forty thousand suspected opponents. Presided over ''[[1932 Salvadoran peasant uprising|La Matanza]]'' in 1932, a massacre (genocide) of communists, suspected communists, [[campesinos]] and [[Pipil]] Indians (see [http://countrystudies.us/el-salvador/7.htm]).
|-
| align=center|[[Jorge Ubico]] || align=center|[[Guatemala]] || align=center|1931–1944 || President of Guatemala. Elected, but suppressed opposition and "assumed dictatorial powers".
|-
| align=center|[[Tiburcio Carías Andino]] || align=center|[[Honduras]] || align=center|1933–1949 || President of Honduras. Banned opposition and set up a [[Rubberstamp (politics)|rubber-stamp]] congress; suppressed unions (see[http://countrystudies.us/honduras/19.htm]).
|-
| align=center|[[Anastasio Somoza García]] || align=center|[[Nicaragua]] || align=center|1937–1956 || Somoza used his position as head of the [[National Guard (Nicaragua)|National Guard]] to overthrow President [[Juan Bautista Sacasa]]; centralized constitutional authority under his control; alternately rigged elections for himself or installed relatives in his place; kleptocrat.[http://www.immigrantinfo.org/kin/nicaragua.htm][http://www.country-data.com/cgi-bin/query/r-9212.html].
|-
| align=center|[[Carlos Castillo Armas]] || align=center|[[Guatemala]] || align=center|1954–1957 || Junta Chairman, 1954; President of Guatemala 1954-1957. Gained power in a coup; banned the popular [[Guatemalan Party of Labour|Communist party]]; purged trade unions of leftist influence; declared himself president in 1956. Assassinated.
|-
| align=center|[[Oswaldo López Arellano]] || align=center|[[Honduras]] || align=center|1963–1971 1972–1975 || Head of Military Government 1963-1965; President of Honduras 1965-1971; Head of State 1972-1975. Military officer who allowed elections in 1971 before re-seizing power the next year. According to Clara Nieto in ''Masters of War: Latin America and United States Aggression from the Cuban Revolution through the Clinton years'', p. 114 (ISBN 1-58322-545-5): "During this second term (1972-1975) López governed without a congress and by decree."
|-
| align=center|[[Anastasio Somoza Debayle]] || align=center|[[Nicaragua]] || align=center|1967-1979 || Succeeded his somewhat more liberal brother [[Luis Somoza Debayle|Luis]]; stepped down briefly in 1972, then resumed the presidency after an earthquake; outlawed several opposition parties; declared [[martial law]] in response to guerilla opposition; oversaw brutal repression by the National Guard.
|-
| align=center|[[Omar Torrijos]] || align=center|[[Panama]] || align=center|1968–1981 || Commander of the National Guard. Gained power in a coup; banned opposition, unions and free press.
|-
| align=center|[[Manuel Noriega]] || align=center|[[Panama]]|| align=center|1983–1989 || Commander of the National Guard and ''de facto'' military leader, widely described as a dictator (see [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9056130], [http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761561240/Noriega_Moreno_Manuel_Antonio.html], [http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/8155061.htm]).
|}

===South America===

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center|[[José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia]] || align=center|[[Paraguay]] || align=center|1813-1814 and 1814-1840 ||gained power in election. Outlawed all opposition. Installed a police state. Cult of personality; citizens forced to raise their hats or a brim when he passed by; styled himself with the position name "El Supremo". 
|-
| align=center| [[Simón Bolívar]] || align=center| [[Gran Columbia]] || align=center| 1821-1830 || Though an admirer of classical liberal democracy, the founder and president of Gran Colombia proclaimed himself dictator in 1828 after an unsuccessful constitutional convention. Resigned eighteen months later.
|-
| align=center|[[Juan Manuel de Rosas]] || align=center|[[Argentina]] || align=center|1835–1852 || Governor of Buenos Aires 1829-1832, 1835-1852; Supreme Chief of the Argentine Confederation 1851-1852. Assumed dictatorial powers; exiled opponents.
|-
| align=center|[[Carlos Antonio López]] || align=center|[[Paraguay]] || align=center|1841–1862 || First Consul 1841-1844; President of Paraguay 1844-1862. 
|-
| align=center|[[Manuel Belzu]] || align=center|[[Bolivia]] || align=center|1848–1855 || Provisional President of Bolivia 1848-1850; President of Bolivia 1850-1855. Unelected military ruler; ''[[caudillo]]''. A populist and nationalist who voluntarily relinquished power after 1855 elections, described in (ISBN 0-13-524356-4), p.131, as the "cleanest ever held" in (early) Bolivian history.
|-
| align=center|[[Francisco Solano López]] || align=center|[[Paraguay]] || align=center|1862–1869 || President of Paraguay. Inherited power from his father; had himself awarded immense powers by a congress he had packed with supporters. Killed in the [[War of the Triple Alliance]] (which Lopez had caused by invading Brazil), along with 90 per cent of the Paraguayan adult (age 14+) male population.
|-
| align=center|[[Mariano Melgarejo]] || align=center|[[Bolivia]] || align=center|1864–1871 || Provisional President 1864-1870; President of Bolivia 1870-1871. Gained power in a coup and ruthlessly suppressed opposition. In 1869 he sent the army to suppress an uprising by [[Huaichu]] Indians attempting to regain land privileges they enjoyed under President Belzu (see ISBN 1-55753-324-5).
|-
| align=center|[[Antonio Guzmán Blanco]] || align=center|[[Venezuela]] || align=center|1870–1888 || Acting President of Venezuela 1863, 1865; General-in-chief April-July 1870; Provisional President of Venezuela 1870-1873; President of Venezuela 1873 - 1877; Supreme Director 1879; Provisional President of Venezuela 1879 - 1880; President of Venezuela 1880 -1884, 1886 -1888. Described, perhaps inaccurately, as a "benevolent despot"; other sources mention his "long dictatorship" (see[http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:ghIhQZ7WhgUJ:www.normangall.com/artigos/Church_Militant.pdf+Antonio+Guzm%C3%A1n+Blanco+%22dictator%22]).
|-
| align=center|[[Cipriano Castro]] || align=center|[[Venezuela]] || align=center|1899–1909 || Supreme Chief 1899-1901; Provisional President 1901 - 1902, 1904 - 1905; President of Venezuela 1902 - 1904, 1905 - 1909. Took over in a military coup (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:kdvql1ZK2-4J:www.sg.inter.edu/revista-ciscla/volume29/singh.pdf+Antonio+Guzm%C3%A1n+Blanco+%22dictator%22]).
|-
| align=center|[[Rafael Reyes]] || align=center|[[Colombia]] || align=center|1904–1909 || President 1904 - 1909, as a military ruler representing the Conservatives. "In the course of his regime, Reyes improved the country’s finances, expanded roads and railroads, and encouraged increased coffee production. Large U.S. investments and purchases of coffee and minerals contributed to Colombia’s economic growth. However, Reyes ruled as a dictator. He dissolved the congress and replaced it with a handpicked legislature, jailed and exiled political opponents, and declared martial law." (''Colombia'', [[Encarta|Microsoft Encarta]] 2003)
|-
| align=center|[[Juan Vicente Gómez]] || align=center|[[Venezuela]] || align=center|1909–1914 1922–1929 1931–1935 || Provisional President 1909-1910; President of Venezuela 1910-1914, 1922-1929, 1931-1935. Gained power in a coup; never elected; kleptocrat; widely described as a dictator (see [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9037322], [http://movies2.nytimes.com/gst/movies/movie.html?v_id=156078], [http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761563557/Juan_Vicente_Gomez.html]).
|-
| align=center|[[Óscar Benavides]] || align=center|[[Peru]] || align=center|1914–1915 1933–1939 || Junta Chairman 1914; President of Peru 1914-1915, 1933-1939. Twice gained power by coup.
|-
| align=center|[[Augusto B. Leguía y Salcedo|Augusto Leguía]] || align=center|[[Peru]] || 1919–1930 || President of Peru. Gained power in a coup; ignored constitution; suppressed and exiled opposition.
|-
| align=center|[[Carlos Ibáñez del Campo]] || align=center|[[Chile]] || align=center|1927–1931 || Acting President 1927, President 1927 - 1931. Democratically elected to a six-year term in 1952.
|-
| align=center|[[Getúlio Vargas]] || align=center|[[Brazil]] || align=center|1930–1934 1937–1945 || Head of provisional government 1930-1934 after revolution; indirectly elected as Constitutional President 1934-1937; launched a coup in 1937 and became dictator 1937-1945; democratically-elected President of Brazil 1950-1954.
|-
| align=center|[[Gabriel Terra]] || align=center|[[Uruguay]] || align=center|1931–1938 || President of Uruguay. Suspended congress and dissolved constitution in 1933. 
|-
| align=center|[[Higinio Morínigo]] || align=center|[[Paraguay]] || align=center|1940–1948 || Provisional president 1940-1943; President of Paraguay 1943-1948. Seized absolute power; ruled by [[diktat]] until 1946.
|-
| align=center|[[Manuel Odría]] || align=center|[[Peru]] || align=center|1948–1956 || Chairman of military junta 1948 - 1950; President of Peru 1950 - 1956. Gained power in a coup; restricted civil rights; allowed election in 1956.
|-
| align=center|[[Marcos Pérez Jiménez]] || align=center|[[Venezuela]] || align=center|1948–1958 || Member of military junta 1948 - 1952; Provisional president 1952 -1953; President of Venezuela 1953 - 1958. Never elected; pursued opposition violently; credited with improvements to the country's infrastructure.
|-
| align=center|[[Gustavo Rojas Pinilla]] || align=center|[[Colombia]] || align=center|1953–1957 || President of Colombia. Gained power in a coup.
|-
| align=center|[[Alfredo Stroessner]] || align=center|[[Paraguay]] || align=center|1954–1989 || President of Paraguay. He took over in a military coup (see[http://www.foreignaffairs.org/19890301faessay5951/riordan-roett/paraguay-after-stroessner.html], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:vqkaVDmcvaIJ:www.columbia.edu/cu/polisci/pdf-files/apsa_krutz.pdf+Stroessner+dictator],[http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:qfMgvA6bakgJ:users.ox.ac.uk/~newc1465/Proudman%2520-%2520SoftPowerMeetsHard.pdf+Stroessner+dictator]). 
|-
| align=center|[[Humberto de Alencar Castelo Branco|Humberto Castelo Branco]] || align=center|[[Brazil]] || align=center|1964–1967 || President of Brazil. Gained power in a coup; abolished most opposition; subsequently appointed by congress.
|-
| align=center|[[René Barrientos]] || align=center|[[Bolivia]] || align=center|1964–1969 || Chairman of the military junta, 1964-January 1966 (jointly with [[Alfredo Ovando]] 1965-1966); President of Bolivia, August 1966 - 1969. Gained power in military coup; kleptocrat; responsible for [[Catavi massacre]] and execution of [[Che Guevara]] (ISBN 0-85345-991-6), p.136.
|-
| align=center|[[Forbes Burnham]] || align=center|[[Guyana]] || align=center|1966–1985 || Prime Minister 1966 - 1980; President 1980 - 1985. Elected, but became increasingly dictatorial; held dubious elections and encouraged leftist religious cults (such as the [[Peoples Temple]]) to settle in the Guyanese interior (see [http://www.jagan.org/janet_jagan29.htm], [http://www.hardbeatnews.com/editor/RTE/my_documents/my_files/details.asp?newsid=4498&title=Politics]).
|-
| align=center|[[Artur da Costa e Silva]] || align=center|[[Brazil]] || align=center|1967–1969 || President of Brazil 1967-1969. Elected in 1966, but centralised power; closed the Congress; banned opposition; suspended free press. Decreed [[Institutional Act No. 5]], described as "the most unconstitutional, anti-democratic, arbitrary, and repressive decree in Brazil's history." (ISBN 1-58322-545-5), p.167.
|-
| align=center|[[Emílio Garrastazu Médici]] || align=center|[[Brazil]] || align=center|1969–1974 || President of Brazil. Appointed by congress, but instituted a military government; suppressed press and opposition (see[http://www.wrm.org.uy/bulletin/62/index.rtf]).
|-
| align=center|[[Hugo Banzer]] || align=center|[[Bolivia]] || align=center|1971–1978 || President of Bolivia. Gained power in a coup; suppressed opposition; closed universities; 3,000 opponents arrested, 200 killed.
|-
| align=center|[[Juan María Bordaberry]] || align=center|[[Uruguay]] || align=center|1972–1976 || President of Uruguay 1972 - 1976. Elected, but installed a military government, dissolved Congress, suspended civil liberties and banned unions.
|-
| align=center|[[Augusto Pinochet]] || align=center|[[Chile]] || align=center|1973–1990 || Chairman of military junta 1973-1974; Supreme Head of the Nation 1974; President of Chile 1974 - 1990. Gained power in a coup; suppressed and exiled opposition; over 3000 "[[Forced disappearance|disappearances]]" and 28,000 tortured.
|-
| align=center|[[Ernesto Geisel]] || align=center|[[Brazil]] || align=center|1974-1979 || Congress-appointed President of Brazil. The fourth of the military dictators; party and union freedom were still inexistent during his term; had oppositionists like journalist [[Wladimir Herzog]] and factory worker [[Manoel Fiel Filho]] tortured and murdered.
|-
| align=center|[[Jorge Rafael Videla]] || align=center|[[Argentina]] || align=center|1976–1981 || President of Argentina. Gained power in a coup; never elected; between ten and thirty thousand opponents killed.
|-
| align=center|[[João Baptista de Oliveira Figueiredo]] || align=center|[[Brazil]] || align=center|1979-1985 || Congress-appointed President of Brazil. Society won some democratic measures these years, but there was still a major fraud during 1982 State government elections. His government was responsible for the 1983 bomb in the Riocentro.
|-
| align=center|[[Dési Bouterse]] || align=center|[[Suriname]] || align=center|1980–1988 || Chairman of the National Military Council 1980-1988. Gained power in a coup; never elected; widespread misrule. Most infamous atrocity is the ''[[Decembermoorden]]''.
|-
| align=center|[[Luis García Meza Tejada]] || align=center|[[Bolivia]] || align=center|1980–1981 || President of Bolivia. Gained power in the "Cocaine Coup" aided by [[Klaus Barbie]]; highly repressive; over 1,000 killed.
|-
| align=center|[[Gregorio Conrado Álvarez]] || align=center|[[Uruguay]] || align=center|1981–1985 || President of Uruguay. Ignored constitution; extensive human rights abuses (see [http://www.rulers.org/indexa2.html]).
|-
| align=center|[[Leopoldo Galtieri]] || align=center|[[Argentina]] || align=center|1981–1982 || President of Argentina 1981-1982. Gained power in a coup (see[http://www.guardian.co.uk/argentina/story/0,,873601,00.html], [http://english.pravda.ru/world/2003/01/14/41968.html]). Deposed after failed [[Falklands War|invasion of the Falkland Islands]] in 1982.
|-
|align=center| [[Alberto Fujimori]] || align=center|[[Peru]] || align=center|1992-1993 || President of Peru 1990-2000, widely critizised for his political authoritarism. [http://www.fpif.org/briefs/vol5/v5n34peru_body.html][http://www.aprodeh.org.pe/fujimori/delitos-eng.htm] [http://www.cverdad.org.pe/ingles/pagina01.php]. After enjoying a certain degree of popular support, Fujimori was forced from office following controvertial third term re-election[http://archives.cnn.com/2000/WORLD/americas/05/29/peru.elections.04/]. In 2000 political opponent Mario Vargas Llosa called Fujimori a "dictator" [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/741841.stm]. His government was also marked by the influence of the director of the SIN, [[Vladimiro Montesinos]] [http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1477-7053.2005.00165.x?cookieSet=1&journalCode=goop][http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB37/]. Currently in Peru, Fujimori is in trial for presumed charges ranging from corruption to participation in crimes against humanity. [http://www.hrw.org/backgrounder/americas/peru-qna-1030.htm].
|-
|align=center|[[Hugo Chávez]] ||align=center| [[Venezuela]] ||align=center| 1999-2012 || Appointed special powers, nationalized the media and oil companies,Shut down opposition media and banned "The Simpsons."
|-

|align=center|[[Nicolás Maduro]] ||align=center| [[Venezuela]] ||align=center| '''2013-present''' || Continues the corrupt ideology of Hugo Chavez, which destroys the economy of Venezuela.
|-
|}

===Caribbean===

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center|[[Jean-Jacques Dessalines]] || align=center|[[Haiti]] || align=center|1804-1806 || Governor-General of Haiti 1804; Emperor of Haiti (as Jacques I) 1804 - 1806. Ruled autocratically.
|-
| align=center|[[Henry Christophe]] || align=center|[[Haiti]] (northern)|| align=center|1806-1820 || Provisional Chief of the Haitian Government 1806-1807; President of Haiti 1807-1811; King of Haiti (as Henry I) 1811-1820. Ruled autocratically.
|-
| align=center|[[Pedro Santana]] || align=center|[[Dominican Republic]] || align=center|1844-1848, 1853 -1856, 1858 - 1861 || Never elected; suppressed opposition; widely considered a dictator.
|-
| align=center|[[Buenaventura Báez]] || align=center|[[Dominican Republic]] || align=center|1849-1878 (intermittent) || President of the Dominican Republic five times. Gained power following coups; never elected.
|-
| align=center|[[Ulises Heureaux]] || align=center|[[Dominican Republic]] || align=center|1882-1899 (intermittent) || President of the Dominican Republic three times. Never elected; widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.marcusgarvey.com/wmview.php?ArtID=507], [http://countrystudies.us/dominican-republic/8.htm], [http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-7709.2004.00452.x]).
|-
| align=center|[[Gerardo Machado]] || align=center|[[Cuba]] || align=center|1925-1933 || President of Cuba. A follower of [[Benito Mussolini]], he is widely described as a dictator (see [http://www.historicaltextarchive.com/sections.php?op=viewarticle&artid=672], [http://www.highbeam.com/ref/doc0.asp?docid=1E1:MachadoG]).
|-
| align=center|[[Rafael Trujillo]] || align=center|[[Dominican Republic]] || align=center|1930-1961 || President of the Dominican Republic 1930 - 1938, 1942 - 1952; ''de facto'' ruler 1930-1961. Gained power in a coup; cult of personality (renamed the capital [[Ciudad Trujillo]]); promoted racism against Haitians and ordered the massacre of 20,000 blacks.
|-
| align=center|[[Paul Magloire]] || align=center|[[Haiti]] || align=center|1950-1956 || President of Haiti. Gained power in a coup; never elected.
|-
| align=center|[[François Duvalier]] || align=center|[[Haiti]] || align=center|1957-1971 || President of Haiti. Elected in 1957, but banned opposition; declared himself [[President for Life]] in 1964; highly repressive.
|-
| align=center|[[Fidel Castro]] || align=center|[[Cuba]] || align=center| 1959-2006 || Prime Minister of Cuba 1959-1976; President of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers from 1976. Gained power after [[Cuban Revolution|revolution]]. Castro was elected President [[Elections in Cuba|after 1976]], but within a one-party [[Communist state]].
|-
| align=center|[[Jean-Claude Duvalier]] || align=center|[[Haiti]] || align=center|1971-1986 || President of Haiti. Inherited presidency aged 19 from his father; never elected.
|-
| align=center|[[Eric Gairy]] || align=center|[[Grenada]] || align=center|1974-1979 || Prime Minister of Grenada 1967-1979. Widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.factbites.com/topics/Eric-Gairy], [http://www.paradise-inn-carriacou.com/grenada_revolution.php], [http://counterpunch.org/gibson06052004.html]). 
|-
| align=center|[[Raoul Cédras]] || align=center|[[Haiti]] || align=center|1991-1994 || ''De facto'' ruler for a relatively short period of time. Gained power in a coup (see [http://www.haitisupport.gn.apc.org/infamous.htm]).
|-
|align=center|[[Raul Castro]] ||align=center| [[Cuba]] ||align=center| '''2006-present''' || Appointed successor by his brother of the Communist Party of Cuba.
|-
|}

==Asia==

===Western Asia ("Middle East")===

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|
|-
| align=center|[[Abdul Karim Qassem]] || align=center|[[Iraq]] || align=center|1958–1963 || Gained power by coup; viewed by some as benevolent (see [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/03/18/wisad18.xml]).
|-
| align=center|[[Abdul Salam Arif]] || align=center|[[Iraq]] || align=center|1963–1966 || Gained power in a coup; military ruler.
|-
| align=center|[[Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr]] || align=center|[[Iraq]] || align=center|1968–1979 || Gained power in a coup; never elected.
|-
| align=center|[[Hafez al-Assad]] || align=center|[[Syria]] || align=center|1970–2000 ||Gained power in a coup; totalitarian;{{fact}} cult of personality; oversaw [[Hama massacre]] yielding twenty to forty thousand dead (see [http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=M1ARTM0012197]).
|-
| align=center|[[Ruhollah Khomeini]] || align=center|[[Iran]] || align=center|1979–1989 || As [[Supreme Leader of Iran|Supreme Leader]], held ultimate and uncontested authority over all government matters under the principle of [[Guardianship of the Islamic Jurists|Guardianship]]. Created the extra-constitutional [[Special Clerical Court]] system in 1987, accountable only to the Supreme Leader and used principally for suppression of political dissent. Instituted routine torture, beheadings for children.
|-
| align=center|[[Saddam Hussein]] || align=center|[[Iraq]] || align=center|1979–2003 || Pressured Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr to resign in 1979 and formally became president. Repressive; developed extensive personality cult; deposed by [[United States]] and coalition forces in an invasion.
|-
| align=center|[[Ali Khamenei|Ayatollah Ali Khamenei]]||align=center| [[Iran]] ||align=center| '''1989-present''' || Continues Khomeini's [[Islamist]] path & uses religion as a tool, cracks down on all authentic dissent, tortures, and has given orders that permit killings like that of [[Akbar Mohammadi]] and [[Zahra Kazemi]]. Only permitts [[government-organized demonstrations]]. Allows a multi-party government but disallows the candidacy of true moderates.[http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=9940][http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1527919/][http://www.nationalreview.com/ledeen/ledeen200505310823.asp][http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1154652871.shtml][http://isd.georgetown.edu/demo_0102.pdf][http://www.boycottliberalism.com/liberalcelebrity.htm]ISBN 0-16-074590-X
|-
| align=center|[[Bashar al-Assad]] || align=center|[[Syria]] || align=center|'''2000–present''' || No opposition permitted in election following death of his father; widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.opinionjournal.com/best/?id=110007449], [http://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP92405], [http://www.freeman.org/m_online/feb04/pasko.htm]).
|}

===Central Asia===

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center|[[Askar Akayev]] || align=center|[[Kyrgyzstan]] || align=center|1990–2005 || Appointed but became increasingly authoritarian; widely described as a dictator (see [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4542783.stm], [http://www.villagevoice.com/blogs/bushbeat/archive/000935.php], [http://www.eurasianet.org/resource/kazakhstan/hypermail/200507/0023.shtml]).
|-
| align=center|[[Islam Karimov]] || align=center|[[Uzbekistan]] || align=center|'''1991–present''' || Described as authoritarian who is increasingly centralizing power (see [http://www.ingentaconnect.com/search/expand?pub=infobike://bell/soviet/2003/00000019/00000004/art00002&unc=], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:uuOVzdj_xBoJ:www1.dogus.edu.tr/dogustru/journal/sayi_6/M00073.PDF+%22Islam+Karimov%22+%22dictator%22]). Elections essentially uncontested and unmonitored. Opposition repressed. 
|-
| align=center|[[Saparmurat Niyazov]] || align=center|[[Turkmenistan]] || align=center|1991–2006 || Declared [[President for Life]] in 1999; [[cult of personality]]; his book ''[[Ruhnama]]'' is to be treated with reverence (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:blnbM3mP0eAJ:www.eurasianet.org/turkmenistan.project/files2/050603Turkmenreport.pdf+%22Niyazov%22+%22dictatorship%22], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:Ie2QfLuR_ysJ:www.ndu.edu/ctnsp/tamerlane/Tamerlane-Chapter2.pdf+%22Niyazov%22+%22dictatorship%22]).
|-
| align=center|[[Muhammed Omar]] || align=center|[[Afghanistan]] || align=center|1996–2001 || Considered a Theocratic Dictator who excercized strict sharia laws; allowed the persecution of Hazaras; gave Al Qaeda refuge in Afghanistan. (see[http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0881088.html][http://www.afghan-web.com/bios/today/momar.html]).
|-
| align=center|[[Ilham Aliyev]] || align=center|[[Azerbaijan]] || align=center|'''2003–present''' || Dubious election; opposition suppressed (see[http://www.underreported.com/print.php?sid=1241]).
|-
| align=center| [[Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedow]] || align=center|[[Turkmenistan]] || align=center|'''2006-present''' ||Unelected, appointed as successor upon Niyazov's death. Turkemnistan still continues to be oppresive and a single-party state.
|}

===South Asia===
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center|[[Ayub Khan]] || align=center|[[Pakistan]] || align=center|1958–1969 || Gained power in a coup. Subsequent elections considered dubious (see[http://www.storyofpakistan.com/articletext.asp?artid=A069], [http://www.indianexpress.com/messages.php?content_id=71414]).
|-
| align=center|[[Yahya Khan]] || align=center|[[Pakistan]] || align=center|1969–1971 || Military ruler, gaining power from coup (see [http://presidentyahya.com],[http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/pakistantimeline.html], [http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/kpsgill/terrorism/04Jan10Pio.htm]).
|-
| align=center|[[Maumoon Abdul Gayoom]] || align=center|[[Maldives]] || align=center|1978–2008 || [[Autocracy|Autocrat]]; widely considered to be a dictator; no opposition or free press allowed.
|-
| align=center|[[Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq]] || align=center|[[Pakistan]] || align=center|1978–1988 || Took over following coup. Claimed government to be legitimate because it was Islamic (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:dcmhb0vRS4wJ:smartech.gatech.edu:8282/dspace/bitstream/1853/6901/1/kulkarni_nikhil_v_200505_ms.pdf+%22Muhammad+Zia%22+%22dictator%22]).
|-
| align=center|[[Rahimuddin Khan]] || align=center|[[Balochistan (Pakistan)]] || align=center|1978–1984 || Appointed supreme Martial Law Governor of Balochistan by central Pakistani military government following coup. (see [http://www.answers.com/rahimuddin%20khan]).
|-
|align=center|[[Hossain Mohammad Ershad]] || align=center|[[Bangladesh]] || align=center|1982–1990 ||Gained power in a coup; declared martial law; never elected.
|-
|align=center| [[Pervez Musharraf]] || align=center| [[Pakistan]] || align=center| 1999-2008 || Deposed Nawaz Sharif in a military coup, calling it a necessity during a state of emergency. Governed directly as commander in chief until Parliament reconvened in November 2002. Assumed the title of President upon Rafiq Tarar's resignation and stood in a referendum in 2002. Opposition parties state that the rule of law in his custody has deteriorated further.
|}

===Eastern Asia ("Far East")===
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in   power !! Notes
|-
|align=center|[[Tokugawa Ieyasu]] || align=center|[[Japan]] || align=center|1600-1616|| Shogun of [[Japan]] and founder of the long reigning [[Tokugawa shogunate]]. Gained power by unifying the warring clans during [[Japan]]'s long period of civil unrest. He also created an "alternate attendance" system to pacify the [[daimyo]] warlords, as well as closing and isolating trade and the economy, in order to retain his power. His rule was also marked by persecution of european missionaries and japanese christians.
|-
|align=center|[[Yuan Shikai]] || align=center|[[Republic of China]] || align=center|1912–1916 || [[President of the Republic of China]] 1912 - 1915, self-proclaimed [[Emperor of China]], 1916. Ignored legislative consent as defined by the [[Constitution of the Republic of China|Constitution]]; dissolved the [[National Assembly of the Republic of China|National Assembly]]; assassinated [[Song Jiaoren]]; disbanded the [[Kuomintang]].
|-
| align=center|[[Roman von Ungern-Sternberg]] || align=center|[[Mongolia]] || align=center|1921 || 
Born, Baron Roman Nicolaus von Ungern-Sternberg (Роман Фёдорович Унгерн фон Штернберг), in Graf, Austria of Prussian nobility, von Ungern-Sternberg fought, against his own Prussians, in the Imperial Russian Army during World War I and fought the [[Bolsheviks]], in [[Siberia]], after 1917. A rabid [[monarchist]], von Ungern-Sternberg soon thereafter became an independent [[warlord]] with the intention of establishing an independent Russo-Sino-Mongolian monarchy in [[Urga]] under the nominal rule of [[Bogd Khaan]] (the [[Living Buddha]]). Although considered the paragon of bravery, von Ungern-Sternberg was reckless, brutal and mentally unstable.

After a savage battle against occupying [[Chinese republic]]an forces, on March 13, 1921, [[Mongolia]] was proclaimed an independent [[monarchy]], and Ungern von Sternberg became Mongolian [[dictator]]. His brief rule of Mongolia was characterised by looting, raping and a reign of terror by his army. Eventually, the [[Bolsheviks]] invaded Mongolia and after a series of battles, von Ungern-Sternberg was defeated in a August 1921, captured by his own soldiers, and handed over to the [[Red Army]] on August 21, 1921.

|-
| align=center|[[Horloogiyn Choybalsan]] || align=center|[[Mongolia]] || align=center|1936–1952 || Unelected; opponents purged; cult of personality.
|-
| align=center|[[Kim Il-sung]] || align=center|[[North Korea]] || align=center|1948–1994 || Appointed prime minister in 1948; purged rivals in the [[Workers' Party of Korea]] to consolidate power in 1956 (see [http://muse.jhu.edu/cgi-bin/access.cgi?uri=/journals/korean_studies/v026/26.1lankov.pdf]); introduced "[[Juche]]" ideology demanding absolute loyalty to him and the party; created most pervavise cult of personality in recent history. Declared "Eternal President" on his death.
|-
|align=center|[[Ho Chi Minh]] ||align=center| [[North Vietnam]] ||align=center| 1945-1969 || Unelected; killed thousands of political rivals in the 1940s; killed tens of thousands more during the land reforms of the 1950s; presided over a one-party state.
|-
|align=center| [[Sukarno]] || align=center|[[Indonesia]] || align=center| 1949-1968 ||First President of Indonesia. Consolidated his powers, and got proclaimed President for LIfe. Was overthrown by the then Dictator of Indonesia, Suharto.
|-
|align=center|[[Mao Zedong]] || align=center|[[People's Republic of China]] || align=center|1949–1976 || Chairman of the PRC (1949 – 1959), Chairman of the [[Communist Party of China]] (1945 – 1976), Chairman of the [[Central Military Commission]] (1936 – 1976). Immense cult of personality; purged members of government; silenced opposition. Circumvented Communist Party hierarchy after the 1966 [[Cultural Revolution]]; imprisoned head of state [[Liu Shaoqi]]. Millions of Chinese citizens killed or murdered as a result of his policies and repression.
|-
| align=center|[[Park Chung Hee]] || align=center|[[South Korea]] || align=center|1961–1979 || Took power in 1961 coup. Although initially welcomed by much of the population, he suspended the constitution in 1971 and introduced a new constitution that greatly increased his power.
|-
| align=center|[[Ne Win]] || align=center|[[Burma]] || align=center|1962–1988 || Seized power in a coup; instituted extreme repression (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:rSAOt9c_lU0J:www.iseas.edu.sg/62003.pdf+%22Ne+Win%22+%22dictator%22], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:yqkmuBoqlnYJ:www.asiapacificms.com/papers/pdf/burma_india_china.pdf+%22Ne+Win%22+%22dictator%22]).
|-
| align=center|[[Thanom Kittikachorn]] || align=center|[[Thailand]] || align=center|1963–1973 || Military dictator, known as one of Thailand's so-called "Three Tyrants". Oppressed student-led uprisings in October 1973 and 1976.
|-
| align=center|[[Suharto]] || align=center|[[Indonesia]] || align=center|1967–1998 || His ''[[New Order (Indonesia)|New Order]]'' imprisoned Communists and alleged Communists; repressed Chinese inhabitants; made existing parties subordinate. Also a cleptocrat (with personal and family's assets at least worth US$ 15 billion, based on [[Time]] Magazine investigation in 1998). Described as a dictator in many sources (see[http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:Bbh_caM50o4J:www.aut.ac.nz/depts/commstud/journ/docs/reviewscronau.pdf+%22Suharto+dictatorship%22], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:128rEIvvRD4J:www.civiced.org/research/pdfs/RisingTide.pdf+%22Suharto+dictatorship%22], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:_233mw5azNkJ:cmbc.ucsd.edu/content/1/docs/laurance2004.pdf+%22Suharto+dictatorship%22]).
|-
| align=center|[[Lon Nol]] || align=center|[[Cambodia]] || align=center|1972–1975 || Gained power by coup; not elected.
|-
| align=center|[[Pol Pot]] || align=center|[[Democratic Kampuchea]] || align=center|1975–1979 || Unelected; led a [[Khmer Rouge]] dictatorship; responsible for deaths of at least 1 million Cambodian citizens during his rule.
|-
| align=center|[[Chun Doo Hwan]] || align=center|[[South Korea]] || align=center|1980–1988 || Gained power in a coup; declared martial law; oversaw [[Gwangju Massacre]].
|-
|align=center|[[Mahathir bin Mohamad]] ||align=center| [[Malaysia]] ||align=center| 1981-2003 || Authoritarian; suppresed opposition, media.
|-
| align=center|[[Khamtai Siphandon]] || align=center|[[Laos]] || align=center|1992–2006 || Unelected; one-party state (see[http://www.arthuredelstein.org/worlddictators]).
|-
| align=center|[[Than Shwe]] || align=center|[[Myanmar]] || align=center|'''1992–present''' || Unelected; persecution of minorities (especially [[Karenni]] and [[Rohingya]] groups [http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2005/51506.htm]) leading 250,000 to flee, either becoming [[IDP]]s or moving across the border to Thailand; consolidated power into himself from the [[SPDC]] - he moved to a new capital in Kyat Pyay in 2006 , &renamed it as Nay Pyi Daw ,i.e the Royal Palace City"; gained power via a military [[coup]] and announced that he would not hand over the power to [[Aung San Suu Kyi]]'s Elected Party (the [[NLD]]); no free press (see [http://www.bbc.co.uk/burmese/forum/story/2004/10/041020_khin_nyunt_ousted.shtml]).
|-
| align=center|[[Kim Jong-il]] || align=center|[[North Korea]] || align=center| 1994–2011 || Became General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and Chairman of the National Defense Commission (the highest state offices) on his father's death. Continues his father's "[[Juche]]" ideology.
|-
| align=center|[[Sonthi Boonyaratglin]] || align=center|[[Thailand]] || align=center|'''2006–present''' || Army chief seized power while Prime Minister [[Thaksin Shinawatra]] was out of the country. A state of martial law was declared, parliament was dissolved and the constitution abrogated. Instituted press censorship and restrictions on protests. The first Muslim in charge of the mostly Buddhist army.
|-
| align=center|[[Kim Jong-un]] || align=center|[[North Korea]] || align=center| '''2011-present''' || Became General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and Chairman of the National Defense Commission (the highest state offices) on his father's death. Continues his grandpa's "[[Juche]]" ideology.
|-
|}

==Europe==

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center| [[Oliver Cromwell]] || align=center| [[Commonwealth of England]] || align=center| 1653-1658 || A [[Puritan]] general in the [[English Civil War]] who quickly rose through the ranks to become ''de facto'' head of the Parliamentary forces. After the Royalist defeat and the execution of [[Charles I]] the newly constituted [[Rump Parliament]] was overthrown by Cromwell who refused the Crown, choosing instead the title of Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland. After his death the monarchy was reinstated. [http://www.olivercromwell.org/].
|-
| align=center| [[Maximilien Robespierre]] || align=center| [[France]] || align=center| 1793–1794 || Head of the Committee of Public Safety during the French Revolution. To purge french society of "Counter Revolutionaries", he instituted the heavily repressive Reign of Terror, a period which killed thousands of french citizens, many of those killed were simply killed under mere suspicion, with little or no proof. Desposed when the National Convention declared him an outlaw.
|-
| align=center| [[Napoleon Bonaparte]] || align=center| [[France]]|| align=center| 1799–1814 || First Consul, 1799-1804. Emperor of the French 1804-1814. Declared himself "First Consul for Life" in 1802 and then Emperor in 1804.
|-
| align=center| [[Józef Chłopicki|Józef Grzegorz Chłopicki]] || align=center| [[Poland]] || align=center| 1830–1831 || Held official title of dictator for one year only.
|-
| align=center| [[Napoleon III of France|Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte]] || align=center| [[France]] || align=center| (1848–1851) 1851–1870|| President of France from 1848 to 1852. In 1851 he launched a coup against the legislature, making himself absolute ruler. From 1852 to 1870 he styled himself Emperor of the French under the name Napoléon III from 1852 to 1870. Later during his reign constitutional liberties were gradually restored. In 1870 he was captured during the abortive [[Franco-Prussian War]] and deposed in his absence by the [[Third Republic]] of France.
|-
| align=center| [[Romuald Traugutt]] || align=center| [[Poland]] || align=center| 1863–1864 || Held official title of dictator for one year. Succeeded [[Marian Langiewicz]] who had declared himself dictator previously, but only lasted less than a year in 1863. 
|-
|align=center|[[Nicholas II]] ||align=center| [[Russia]] ||align=center| 1894-1917 || Ruthless, overthrown by the "October Revolution" and the newly established communist government. The last Tsar of Russia.
|-
| align=center| [[Vladimir Lenin]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center| 1917-1924 || Head of Bolshevik Revolution took power in 1917. Secured victory in the Russian civil war. Headed effort to transform the Russian economy to a socialist model.[http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/lenin_vladimir.shtml] 
|-
| align=center|[[Mustafa Kemal Atatürk]] || align=center|[[Turkey]] || align=center|1918-1938 || Led the Turkish national movement. Transformed Turkey into a secular republic through broad authoritarian reforms.
|-
| align=center| [[Benito Mussolini]] || align=center| [[Italy]] || align=center| 1922–1943, and in part of the country 1943-1945 || Prime Minister of Italy 1922-1943; head of the so-called [[Italian Social Republic]] until 1945. "He introduced strict censorship and altered the methods of election so that in 1925–1926 he was able to assume dictatorial powers and dissolve all other political parties" (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:0PFM13qC39YJ:www.ablongman.com/history_rh_bridge/assets/0321025865_ch15.pdf+%22Italian+dictator+Benito+Mussolini%22],[http://doi.contentdirections.com/mr/greenwood.jsp?doi=10.1336/0275979377]).
|-
| align=center| [[Miguel Primo de Rivera]] || align=center| [[Spain]] || align=center| 1923–1930 || Prime Minister of Spain. Gained power in a coup; suspended the constitution; established martial law; imposed strict censorship; banned all political parties. Widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9061388], [http://www.bartleby.com/65/pr/PrimRivM.html], [http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761565186/Miguel_Primo_de_Rivera.html]). 
|-
| align=center| [[Aleksandar Tsankov]] || align=center| [[Bulgaria]] || align=center| 1923-1926 || Established Right wing nationalist, anti communist coup against [[Stamboliyski]]’s democratic elected [[Agrarians]]. Forced out of power by Tsar [[Boris III]]. [http://www.bartleby.com/65/ts/TsankovA.html]. 
|-
| align=center| [[Joseph Stalin]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center| 1924–1953 || General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, 1922 - 1953; Premier of the Soviet Union 1941 - 1953. Never elected; cult of personality; heavily repressive; responsible for deaths of millions of Soviet citizens (see [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9108469], [http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761559200/Stalin_Joseph.html],[http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/commandingheights/shared/minitextlo/prof_josephstalin.html]).
|-
| align=center| [[Ahmet Bej Zogu]] || align=center| [[Albania]] || align=center| 1925–1939 || Originally elected Prime Minister of Albania 1922-1924 and 1925; President of Albania 1925-1928; crowned himself King of the Albanians (as Zog I) 1928-1939. Described as a dictator (see[http://www.albanian.com/information/history/independ.html], [http://www.diplom.org/manus/talossa/?lingo=&page=Statute&act=25RZ13], [http://www.electionworld.org/history/albania.htm]). Forced to flee with his wife, Queen Geraldine, the imminent takeover of the country by Italy under [[Benito Mussolini]].
|-
| align=center| [[José Mendes Cabeçadas]] || align=center| [[Portugal]] || align=center| 1926 || Leader of [[Ditadura Nacional]] during the first part of June immediately after the [[28th May 1926 coup d'état]]
|-
| align=center| [[Gomes da Costa]] || align=center| [[Portugal]] || align=center| 1926 || Succeeded Cabeçadas as head of the [[Ditadura Nacional]] for less than a month
|-
| align=center| [[António Óscar Carmona]] || align=center| [[Portugal]] || align=center| 1926-1928 || Head of [[Ditadura Nacional]]
|-
| align=center| [[Józef Piłsudski]]|| align=center| [[Poland]] || align=center| 1926–1935 || Polish Head of State 1918-1922, but regained power in 1926 via coup. Prime Minister of Poland 1926-1928 and 1930; Commander in Chief of the Army 1926-1935. Initiated authoritarian [[Sanacja]] government; often described as a "benevolent dictator".
|-
| align=center| [[Antanas Smetona]] || align=center| [[Lithuania]] || align=center| 1926–1940 || President of Lithuania. Seized power in a 1925 military coup (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:wEZn53dBGtoJ:www.gla.ac.uk/departments/dcees/Duvold.pdf+Antanas+Smetona+%22dictatorship%22]); authoritarian rule. His description as a dictator is common (see[http://www.encyclopedia.com/searchpool.asp?target=@DOCKEYWORDS%20balthistbio&unkey=balthistbio&clientIp=216%2E63%2E197%2E211&userAgent=Mozilla%2F4%2E0+%28compatible%3B+MSIE+6%2E0%3B+Windows+NT+5%2E1%3B+SV1%3B+%2ENET+CLR+1%2E1%2E4322%29]), but not universal.
|-
| align=center| [[António de Oliveira Salazar]] || align=center| [[Portugal]] || align=center| 1928–1968 || Prime Minister of Portugal. Established an anti-democratic, anti-parliamentarian, ultra-[[Clericalism|clericalist]], [[Corporativism|corporativist]], extremely conservative, repressive and authoritarian dictatorship, connoted with the Italian fascism, highly supported by the [[Roman Catholic Church]]. Longest right-wing dictatorship ever (four complete decades).
|-
| align=center| [[Alexander I of Yugoslavia|Alexander I]] || align=center| [[Yugoslavia]] || align=center| 1929-1934 || King of Yugoslavia from 1921. On January 6, 1929 he abolished the constitution, prorogued parliament and established the so-called "January 6 Dictatorship." A new constitution in 1931 left all significant political power in the hands of the King.
|-
| align=center| [[Engelbert Dollfuss]] || align=center| [[Austria]] || align=center| 1933–1934 || Chancellor of Austria 1932-1934. Suspended parliament indefinitely in March 1933, governing thereafter by decree. Rule sometimes compared to Mussolini or Franco (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:PUVNNLui6y4J:www3.la.psu.edu/hrsweb/majmin/Theses/Houlihan/Thesis.pdf+%22dictator%22+%22Dollfuss%22]).
|-
| align=center| [[Konstantin Päts]] || align=center| [[Estonia]] || align=center| 1933–1940 || State Elder 1933 - 1937; State Protector 1937 - 1938; President of Estonia 1938-1940. Established authoritarian rule following a coup. Allowed (and won) election in 1938.
|-
| align=center| [[Adolf Hitler]] || align=center| [[Nazi Germany]] || align=center| 1933–1945 || Chancellor of Germany 1933-1945; ''Führer'' (Leader) 1934-1945. The 1933 [[Enabling Act]] suspended most of the constitution and allowed Hitler to [[rule by decree]]. Heavily repressive; ordered imprisonment of millions of political opponents and members of ethnic minorities in concentration camps, where they were abused and killed.
|-
| align=center| [[Kimon Georgiev]] || align=center| [[Bulgaria]] || align=center| 1934 || Took power in coup. Overthrown by Tsar Boris III. 
|-
| align=center| Tsar [[Boris III]] || align=center| [[Bulgaria]] || align=center| 1934-1943 || Overthrew Kimon Geogiev. Took power him self ruled through puppet Prime Ministers Georgi Kyoseivanov. His Regime banned all opposition parties. Took Bulgaria into alliance with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. 
|-
| align=center| [[Kurt Schuschnigg]] || align=center| [[Austria]] || align=center| 1934–1938 || Chancellor of Austria. Maintained his predecessor Dollfuss' oppressive rule.
|-
| align=center| [[Karlis Ulmanis|Kārlis Ulmanis]] || align=center| [[Latvia]] || align=center| 1934–1940 || Prime Minister of Latvia 1934-1940; President of Latvia 1936 - 1940. Gained power in a coup and dissolved parliament; generally viewed as a "benevolent dictator" (see [http://www.ltn.lv/~krz/latvia/lat_history.html], [http://www.sciencedaily.com/encyclopedia/karlis_ulmanis], [http://www.bartleby.com/65/la/Latvia.html]).
|-
| align=center| [[Ioannis Metaxas]] || align=center| [[Greece]] || align=center| 1936–1941 || Prime Minister of Greece. Never elected; banned political parties; arrested opponents; criminalized unions; censored media. Widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.bartleby.com/65/pa/PapandrG.html], [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9052304], [http://www.ahistoryofgreece.com/biography/metaxas.htm]). 
|-
| align=center| [[Francisco Franco]] || align=center| [[Spain]] || align=center| 1936–1975 || Prime Minister of Spain 1938-1975 and Head of State 1939 - 1975 (in the Nationalist Zone, both only to 1939). Purged opposition; often referred to as a dictator or ''caudillo'' (see[http://www.policyreview.org/jun03/diamond.html], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:B1Mmefo38twJ:www.personal.psu.edu/mlb300/spainsocprob.pdf+%22dictator+Francisco+Franco%22],[http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:NsfbKjiVUowJ:www.acad.carleton.edu/curricular/POSC/faculty/montero/Spain%2520Paper%25201.pdf+%22dictator+Francisco+Franco%22], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:9ZzXaMENcm8J:www.artcult.org/cst/spain_prepack_participants.pdf+%22Francisco+Franco%22+%22dictatorship%22]). Strongly supported by the [[Roman Catholic Church]] worldwide.

|-
| align=center| [[Jozef Tiso]] || align=center| [[Slovakia]] || align=center| 1939–1945 || President of [[Slovak Republic (1939-1945)|WWII Slovak Republic]]. Led a partly Roman Catholic clerical, partly pro-Nazi, one-party state. Described by some as a dictator (see [http://www.adl.org/PresRele/HolNa_52/3578_52.asp], [http://dominican-republic.asinah.net/en/wikipedia/j/jo/jozef_tiso.html], [http://www.ce-review.org/00/19/vaknin19.html]).
|-
| align=center| [[Ion Antonescu]] || align=center| [[Romania]] || align=center| 1940–1944 || Prime Minister of Romania. Two days after his appointment, forced King Carol II (see above) to abdicate in favor of his son, Mihai. Named himself ''Conducător'' (Leader), assumed dictatorial powers and relegated monarchy to decorative role.
|-
| align=center| [[Philippe Pétain]] || align=center| [[Vichy France]] || align=center| 1940–1944 || Prime Minister of France 1940 - 1942; Head of State 1940 - 1944. The ''Assemblée Nationale'' of Vichy France suspended the [[Third Republic]] and granted Pétain dictatorial power, although ultimately he was answerable to the German Nazi hierarchy.
|-
| align=center| [[Ante Pavelic|Ante Pavelić]] || align=center| [[Croatia]] || align=center| 1941–1945 ||''Poglavnik'' ("Leader") of Croatia. Not elected; ordered massacres of Serbs, Jews, Gypsies and dissidents; hundreds of thousands slaughtered; led the genocial, devoutly Roman Catholic Ustase (see [http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/tyrants.htm], [http://www.cuttingedge.org/articles/RC130.html], [http://emperors-clothes.com/vatican/cpix.htm]). Supported by most, if not all, of the Roman Catholic church in Croatia.
|-
| align=center| [[Vidkun Quisling]] || align=center| [[Norway]]|| align=center| 1942–1945 || Minister President of Norway between 1942-1945, and founder of the fascist "National Unity" party . Traitor to his country. Executed by firing squad. Described as being the Hitler of Norway.
|-
| align=center| [[Ferenc Szálasi]] (Szálasi Ferenc) || align=center| [[Hungary]] || align=center| 1944–1945 || Leader of the [[fascist]] [[Arrow Cross]] party, Szálasi was installed as a fascist ruler by the [[Nazis]] following their overthrow of [[regent]] [[Miklós Horthy]].
|-
| align=center| [[Josip Broz Tito]] || align=center| [[Yugoslavia]] || align=center| 1944–1980 || Secretary-General of the Yugoslav Communist Party 1937 - 1963; Prime Minister of Yugoslavia 1945–1953; Premier of Yugoslavia 1953 - 1963; President of Yugoslavia 1953 - 1980; President of the ''Presidium of the League of Communists'' from 1963 until 1980. Declared himself [[President for Life]] in 1963. Viewed favorably in Yugoslavia despite authoritarian rule.
|-
| align=center| [[Enver Hoxha]] || align=center| [[Albania]] || align=center| 1944-1985|| General Secretary of the Albanian Party of Labour. Leader of single-party Communist state; extensive personality cult; Declared his nation to be the world's only officially atheist state and banned all practice of religion in 1967.
|-
| align=center| [[Mátyás Rákosi]] || align=center| [[Hungary]] || align=center| 1949-1953|| General Secretary of the [[Hungarian Workers Party]] and Prime Minister of the [[Hungarian People's Republic]]. Leader of single-party Communist state; nicknamed "Stalin's best Hungarian disciple"; Invented the phrase "[[salami tactics]]" to describe piecemeal assumption of power.
|-
| align=center| [[Nikita Khrushchev]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center| 1953-1964 || First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union between 1953-1964. Allowed limited liberalisation in the arts and media later on. 
|-
| align=center| [[Todor Zhivkov]] || align=center| [[Bulgaria]] || align=center| 1956-1989 || Head of pro soviet communist regimen in Bulgaria. Became party secretary in 1956 and prime minister in 1962. Forced out of power in 1989 by communist party to comply with demands of protesters.
|-
| align=center| [[Antonín Novotný]] || align=center| [[Czechoslovakia]] || align=center| 1957-1968 || Antonín Novotný, the First Secretary of the Communist Party and President of the Republic, was leader of Czechoslovakia during the Stalinisation of the country, resulting in the replacement of the Czechoslovakian democracy by a one-party communist state. His dictatorship centralized power and used force to protect his regime which lasted fifteen years.
|-
| align=center| [[Walter Ulbricht]] || align=center| [[German Democratic Republic]] || align=center| 1950/1960-1971 || General Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany 1950-1971 and Head of State 1960-1973.
|-
| align=center| [[Leonid Brezhnev]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center| 1964–1982 || First/General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union between 1964-1982. Formed a [[cult of Personality]] later on.
|-
| align=center| [[Nicolae Ceauşescu]] || align=center| [[Romania]] || align=center| 1965–1989 || General Secretary of the Romanian Communist Party, 1965-1989; President of Romania, 1974-1989. Leader of single-party Communist state; extensive personality cult developed during the 1970s. Lived lavish lifestyle while country was still using donkey carts.
|-
| align=center| [[George Papadopoulos]] || align=center| [[Greece]] || align=center| 1967–1973 || Prime Minister of Greece 1967 - 1973; Regent 1972 - 1973; President of Greece 1973. Gained power in a coup; lead military regime. Widely described as a dictator (see [http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0778782.html], [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/379334.stm], [http://www.hellas.net]).
|-
| align=center| [[Marcelo Caetano]] || align=center| [[Portugal]] || align=center| 1968–1974 || Prime Minister of Portugal 1968 - 1974; Upon the death of [[António de Oliveira Salazar]] he continued the dictatorial regime. Some liberties were improved but the situation of the country and the [[Portuguese Colonial War|colonial wars]] lead to the [[Carnation Revolution]].
|-
| align=center| [[Gustáv Husák]] || align=center| [[Czechoslovakia]] || align=center| 1969-1987 || Came into power through soviets, Crushed the Prague spring. Headed brutal secret police stepped down from power in 1987 two years before communism fell. 
|-
| align=center| [[Erich Honecker]] || align=center| [[German Democratic Republic]] || align=center| 1971-1989 || General Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany 1971-1989 and Head of State 1976-1989.
|-
| align=center| [[Phaedon Gizikis]] || align=center| [[Greece]] || align=center| 1973-1974 || President of Greece 1973-1974. Gained power in coup. Lead millitary regime installed by previous head of state.
|-
| align=center| [[Wojciech Jaruzelski]] || align=center|[[Poland]] || align=center|1961-1990 || Imposed martial law in Poland in 1981 in response to Solidarity party led strikes. Made himself head of the "Commission for National Salvation." Stated his actions were taken in order to prevent a Soviet invasion of Poland. Was President of Poland until his resignation in 1990. 
|-
| align=center| [[Yuri Andropov]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center| 1982-1984 || General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union between 1982-1984. Early signs of [[Perestroika]] and [[Glasnost]].
|-
| align=center| [[Konstantin Chernenko]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center| 1984-1985 || General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union between 1984-1985. Ailing stop-gap leader. 
|-
| align=center| [[Mikhail Gorbachev]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center| 1985-1991 || General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991 when the Soviet Union collapsed and the CPSU was banned. Oversaw democratisation in the Soviet Union, but was never directly elected as leader.
|-
| align=center| [[Slobodan Milošević]] || align=center| [[Serbia]], [[Yugoslavia]] || align=center| 1989-1997, 1997-2000 || In 1984 he became the head of the local Communist party in Belgrade and adopted a populist style, the party's leader. He successfully took over as head of the Serbian Communist party in 1987. He challenged the federal government, championed Serbian control of the autonomous provinces of Kosovo and Vojvodina, and advocated stridently socialist economic policy. By 1988, he had replaced party leaders in Kosovo and Vojvodina, and in 1989 he became president of Serbia. However, in September 1990, a new democratic constitution was passed allowing direct, multi-party presidential and parliamentary elections. Milosevic was elected president of Serbia for the first time in December 1990, although allegations persist of electoral fraud during the Milosevic years.
|-
| align=center| [[Alexander Lukashenko]] || align=center| [[Belarus]] || align=center| '''1994-present''' || President of Belarus. Said to have an "authoritarian ruling style". Lack of democratic standards. Human rights violations. Referred to as "Europe's last dictatorship."
|-
| align=center| [[Herman Van Rompuy]] || align=center| [[European Union]] || align=center| '''2009-present''' || President of the European Council (Head of State of the European Union). Unelected. Was involved in the deposition of the elected Prime Ministers of Greece of Italy. Has been accused of being a dictator.
|}

==Oceania==
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center| [[Sitiveni Rabuka]] || align=center|[[Fiji]] || align=center|1987–1992 || Twice gained power through coup, allowed elections in 1992, which he won.
|-
| align=center| [[Frank Bainimarama]] || align=center|[[Fiji]] || align=center|'''2006-present''' ||Launched a coup d'etat in December 2006 after weeks of threats against the elected government.
|}

==See also==
* [[Constitutional crisis]]
* [[Cult of personality]]
* [[List of political leaders who held active military ranks in office]]
* [[List of political leaders who suspended the constitution]]
* [[List of successful coups d'état]]
* [[President for Life]]
* [[Single-party state]]

==External links==
*[http://www.thedictatorship.com The Dictatorship]
*[http://www.dkosopedia.com/wiki/Dictators_and_Non-Democratic_Governments Dictators and Non-Democratic Governments]
*[http://www.lkwdpl.org/schools/horacemann/dictators/ Modern dictators and Human Rights Violations]
*[http://www.dkosopedia.com/wiki/Oppressive_Regimes Oppressive Regimes]
*[http://www.parade.com/articles/editions/2006/edition_01-22-2006/Dictators The World’s 10 Worst Dictators]

[[Category:Lists|dictators]][[Category:Totalitarianism]]

List of dictators

2013-06-09T16:14:10Z

Thatteapartyguy: /* Europe */

: ''For a list of [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] dictators, see [[Roman dictator#Roman dictators|Roman dictator]].''
: ''See also the [[#See also|related lists]] at the end of this article.''

The following is a list of national leaders ([[Head of state|heads of state]] and/or [[Head of government|heads of government]]) commonly regarded as modern [[dictator]]s. This usage usually carries a pejorative sense and refers to a ruler who:

* Rules by decree, via an [[Enabling Act]] or similar laws passed by a legislature allowing him to do so;
* is an [[absolute ruler]] of a [[state|sovereign state]], usually appointed, but without hereditary ascension;
* governs outside the otherwise accepted [[rule of law]];
* commonly (but not necessarily) gaining power through [[fraud]], a [[coup d'état]], resorting to either again to continue in power;
* may develop a [[cult of personality]];
* may be autocratic, oppressive, despotic or tyrannical.

Some so-called "[[Dictator#"The benevolent dictator"|benevolent dictators]]" may be viewed as beneficial and their leadership seen as a "necessary evil".
The modern usage of the term 'dictator' developed largely in response to instances of autocratic rule in [[republic]]s, so traditional [[monarch]]s are not usually described as dictators in historical commentary. Also excluded from this list are those who held [[absolute power]] during national [[State of emergency|emergencies]], but restored the rule of law soon thereafter. Otherwise those included have been widely cited by historians or described by the [[Mass media|media]] as dictators. Any controversy surrounding such characterisation is mentioned in the notes.

The list is sorted according to when each dictator began their years in power. This refers to any years in office as a head of state, government or the like before their dictatorship was established. Any years of elected and judicial rule may be indicated parenthetically.

==Africa==
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
|align=center|[[Gamal Abdel Nasser]] ||align=center| [[Egypt]] ||align=center| 1954–1970 || Prime Minister of Egypt 1954-1962; President of Egypt 1956-1970. Part of a group of officers in control of Egypt after the coup against British supported [[Farouk of Egypt|King Farouk]] in 1952; In February 1954, Nasser forced {{fact}} President [[Muhammad Naguib]] to appoint him prime minister and give up most practical power to him; later in that year Naguib resigned and Nasser became president by self-appointment; elected by popular vote (as only candidate) in 1956, and subsequently. Many personalistic elements to Nasser's rule, but nominal parliamentary system under Nasser's 1956-1970 presidency {{fact}}, until his death in 1970.
|-
|align=center|[[Ahmed Sékou Touré]] ||align=center| [[Guinea]] ||align=center| 1958–1984 || President of Guinea. Widely described as a dictator (see [http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog/DIAINS.html], [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/world/awards2003/profile_jazz.shtml]) with estimates of up to 50,000 extra-judicial killings during his rule (see [http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/warstat6.htm]) and 250,000 Guineans fleeing his rule ([http://www.africanet.com/africanet/country/guinea/history.htm]).
|-
|align=center|[[David Dacko]] ||align=center| [[Central African Republic]] ||align=center| 1960–1966 1979–1981 || President of the Central African Republic. Banned opposition (see [http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ad36]); Gained power by coup in 1979, though subsequently stood for election (see [http://www.african-geopolitics.org/show.aspx?ArticleId=3638]).
|-
|align=center|[[Modibo Keita]] ||align=center| [[Mali]] ||align=center| 1960–1968 || Schoolteacher and first president of Mali. Forced socialization and extensive protectionism severely harmed the economy and continued the country's dependence on aid donors. Discontent with these policies led Keita to implement his own "Cultural Revolution" and establish a network of people's militias to inform on and punish dissent. In the last few years of his presidency, full powers were vested in an extralegal "National Committee for Defense of the Revolution". He was deposed in a military coup.
|-
|align=center|[[François (Ngarta) Tombalbaye|François Tombalbaye]] ||align=center| [[Chad]] ||align=center| 1960–1975 || Head of State 1960-1962; President of Chad 1962-1975. Never fought a contested election; imprisoned opposition leaders. Launched a "Cultural Revolution" in the early 1970s encouraging ''[[authenticité]]''.
|-
|align=center|[[Félix Houphouët-Boigny]] ||align=center| [[Côte d'Ivoire]] ||align=center| 1960–1993 || President of Côte d'Ivoire. Ruled until 1990 with all opposition banned, but not considered particularly repressive. Relocated the official capital to his home village of [[Yamoussoukro]] and constructed the [[Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro]], the largest religious structure in Africa.
|-
|align=center|[[Milton Obote]] ||align=center| [[Uganda]] ||align=center| 1962–1972 1980–1985 || Prime Minister of Uganda 1962-1966; President of Uganda 1966-1971 and 1980-1985. Suspended the constitution and declared himself President and Prime Minister in 1966.
|-
|align=center|[[Hastings Kamuzu Banda]] ||align=center| [[Malawi]] ||align=center| 1963–1994 || Prime Minister of Malawi 1963-1966; President of Malawi 1966-1994. Banned all opposition in 1966; declared himself [[President for Life]] in 1971; exiled and killed opposition leaders. Ordered that a letter bomb be sent to exiled opposition leader [[Attati Mpakati]]; suspected of being involved in the car crash deaths of senior Congress Party leaders; violently crushed an attempted rebellion. Aged 98, he allowed and lost a free election in 1994.
|-
|align=center|[[Kenneth Kaunda]] ||align=center| [[Zambia]] ||align=center| 1964–1991 || President of the Republic of Zambia 1964-1991.Elected 1964, banned all political parties in Zambia, viewed himself as "WAMUYAYA" (eternal President).Accused of torturing political opponents.Defeated by Frederick Chiluba in 1991.
|-
|align=center|[[Houari Boumediene]] ||align=center| [[Algeria]] ||align=center| 1965–1978 || 
President of Algeria from June 19, 1965 to his death, (December 27, 1978); Chairman of the Revolutionary Council until December 12, 1976). In June 1965, Boumédienne seized power in a bloodless coup. Initially lacking a personal power base, he was seen as a weak ruler. But after a botched coup attempt against him by military officers in 1967 he tightened his rule, and then remained Algeria's undisputed ruler until his death in 1978.
|-
|align=center|[[Modibo Keita]] ||align=center| [[Mali]] ||align=center| 1960–1968 || Schoolteacher and first president of Mali. Forced socialization and extensive protectionism severely harmed the economy and continued the country's dependence on aid donors. Discontent with these policies led Keita to implement his own "Cultural Revolution" and establish a network of people's militias to inform on and punish dissent. In the last few years of his presidency, full powers were vested in an extralegal "National Committee for Defense of the Revolution". He was deposed in a military coup.
|-
|align=center|[[Jean-Bédel Bokassa]] ||align=center| [[Central African Republic]] ||align=center| 1966–1979 || President of the Central African Republic 1966-1976; Emperor Bokassa I of the Central African Empire 1976-1979. Bokassa overthrew the autocratic Dacko in a swift coup d'état and assumed power as president of the Republic and head of the sole political party, the Mouvement pour l'évolution sociale de l'Afrique Noire (MESAN). Bokassa abolished the constitution of 1959 on January 4 and began to rule by decree. He proclaimed himself emperor in 1976 (see [http://www.african-geopolitics.org/show.aspx?ArticleId=3638]).
|-
|align=center|[[Gnassingbé Eyadéma]] ||align=center| [[Togo]] ||align=center| 1967–2005 || President of Togo. Gained power in a coup; never fought a contested election until 1998; banned, tortured and killed opposition. Fostered a cult of personality that was reinforced after he was the sole survivor of an airplane crash in 1974. In late 1991, troops loyal to Eyadéma closed a constitutional conference that had shifted most executive power to a new transitional government and banned Eyadéma's RPT party. January 1993 saw a mass exodus of residents to neighboring states after security forces fired on pro-democracy demonstrators. Further repression followed a purported 1994 coup attempt (see[http://www.cidcm.umd.edu/inscr/mar/data/togoewechro.htm]).
|-
|align=center|[[Omar Bongo]] ||align=center| [[Gabon]] ||align=center| 1967–2009 || As vice president, he acceded to the presidency following the death of President [[Léon M'ba]]. In 1968, Bongo decreed a one-party state under his [[Gabonese Democratic Party]] and was thrice elected unopposed in the 1970s and 1980s. He became very wealthy during the country's oil boom. Open elections were held in 1990 and Bongo was re-elected in 1993, 1998 and 2005. Observers have criticized the elections as unfair and corruption watchdogs have accused the president of [[nepotism]]. Riots resulting from the mysterious death in 1990 of prominent dissident [[Joseph Rendjambe]] in a government hotel room were put down by French troops.
|-
|align=center|[[Moussa Traoré]] ||align=center| [[Mali]] ||align=center| 1968–1991 || Chairman of the Military National Liberation Committee 1968-1969; Head of State 1969-1979; President of Mali 1979-1991. Seized power in a coup; banned all opposition; installed a police state; established one-party state in 1979.
|-
|align=center|[[Francisco Macías Nguema]] ||align=center| [[Equatorial Guinea]] ||align=center| 1968–1979 || President of Equatorial Guinea 1968-1979. Elected in 1968 but declared himself [[President for Life]] in 1972; "extreme personality cult"; over a third of population fled his regime. Banned fishing and sanctioned the deaths of most of his pre-independence political rivals, including ex-prime minister [[Bonifacio Ondó Edu]] and foreign minister [[Atanasio Ndongo Miyone]]. Declared an atheist state by Spanish dictator [[Francisco Franco]]. As many as 50,000 civilians were killed, in particular those of the [[Bubi]] ethnic [[minority]] on [[Bioko]] associated with relative wealth and [[intellectual]]ism.
|-
|align=center|[[Gaafar Nimeiry]] ||align=center| [[Sudan]] ||align=center| 1969–1985 || Chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council 1969-1971; President of Sudan 1971-1985. Gained power in a military coup, banned opposition, dissolved southern Sudanese government, imposed sharia law. Executed several leading communists (the most prominent being [[Abdel Khaliq Mahjub]] and [[Joseph Garang]]) after a botched 1971 coup attempt.
|-
|align=center|[[Mohamed Siad Barre]] ||align=center| [[Somalia]] ||align=center| 1969–1991 || Chairman of the Supreme Revolutionary Council 1969-1976; President of Somalia 1976-1991. In 1969, during the power vacuum following the assassination of President Abdirashid Ali Shermarke, the military staged a coup and took over. Barre was to rule for the next twenty-two years. He attempted to develop a personality cult; large posters of him were common in the capital Mogadishu during his reign, many of which can still be seen today. He dreamed of a "[[Greater Somalia]]" and tried unsuccessfully to annex the [[Ogaden]]—legally Ethiopian territory—in 1977 to realize this end (see [[Ogaden War]]).
|-
|align=center|[[Anwar Sadat]] || align=center|[[Egypt]] || align=center|1970-1981 || President of Egypt 1970-1981. Unelected, suppressed opposition in what was termed "The Corrective Revolution". Assassinated.
|-
|align=center|[[Idi Amin]] ||align=center| [[Uganda]] ||align=center| 1971–1979 || [[President of Uganda]], later (1976) declared as [[President for Life|for Life]]. Deposed in 1979 after declaring war on [[Tanzania]].
|-
|align=center|[[Mengistu Haile Mariam]] ||align=center| [[Ethiopia]] ||align=center| 1974–1991 || Chairman of the Provisional Military Administrative Council ([[Derg]]) in 1974 and 1977-1987; President of Ethiopia 1987-1991. One-party state; repression of opposition; tens of thousands of extra-judicial killings.
|-
|align=center|[[Olusegun Obasanjo]] ||align=center| [[Nigeria]] ||align=center| 1976-1979 || Head of the Federal Military Government of Nigeria between 1976 and 1979. Elected President of Nigeria in 1999. Chairman of the [[African Union]] 2004-2006.
|-
|align=center|[[Jean-Baptiste Bagaza]] ||align=center| [[Burundi]] ||align=center| 1976–1987 || President of Burundi. Widely described as a military dictator (see [http://www.africanews.com/article265.html], [http://www.electionworld.org/history/burundi.htm]).
|-
|align=center|[[Albert René]] ||align=center| [[Seychelles]] ||align=center| 1977–2004 || President of Seychelles. Deposed the elected president Sir [[James Mancham]] and promulgated a one-party constitution after a period of rule by decree. Created the [[National Youth Service]] (NYS), a compulsory educational institution that included traditional curricula interlaced with political indoctrination and paramilitary training.
|-
|align=center|[[Daniel arap Moi]] ||align=center| [[Kenya]] ||align=center| 1978–2002 || President of Kenya. Changed constitution to establish a ''de jure'' one-party state; resorted to repressive rule, including torture and imprisonment without trial.
|-
|align=center|[[Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo]] ||align=center| [[Equatorial Guinea]] ||align=center| '''1979–present''' || Chairman of the Supreme Military Council 1979-1982; President of Equatorial Guinea 1982-present. Deposed his uncle in a violent coup; opposition is banned in all but name.
|-
|align=center|[[José Eduardo dos Santos]] ||align=center| [[Angola]] ||align=center| '''1979–present''' || President of Angola. One-party state; did not stand for election until 1992 (see [http://www.cpj.org/Briefings/2000/Angola_Marques_00/Angola_Marques_00.html]).
|-
|align=center|[[João Bernardo Vieira]] ||align=center| [[Guinea-Bissau]] ||align=center| 1980-1984 and '''2005-present''' || become president by a coup. killing and exiled opposition. faoumes for the [[Guinea-Bissau Civil War]].
|-
|align=center|[[Samuel K. Doe]] ||align=center| [[Liberia]] ||align=center| 1980–1990 || Chairman of the People's Redemption Council 1980-1984; President of Liberia 1984-1990. Gained power in a military coup that killed President [[William R. Tolbert, Jr.]], a [[Reform movement|reformer]]. Promoted [[Krahn]] chauvinism and "died a multi-millionaire and proud owner of mansions and estates" (see[http://www.theperspective.org/2004/oct/bookpeople.html]).
|-
|align=center|[[Robert Mugabe]] ||align=center| [[Zimbabwe]] ||align=center| '''1980–present''' ||
Gained power through election, and repeatedly re-elected, but criticized for steps used to maintain power. From 1999 on, used police and militant groups like the War Veterans Association and [[Border Gezi Youth]] to enforce [[ZANU-PF]] policies and to prevent opponents from voting; called "king" by his aides.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/1709488.stm] Arrested and tortured opponents and human rights activists; gave amnesty to murderers of his political opponents in 2000; ignores court rulings.[http://www.guardian.co.uk/elsewhere/journalist/story/0,7792,410850,00.html]
|-
|align=center|[[Jerry Rawlings]] ||align=center| [[Ghana]] ||align=center| 1981-1992 || Gained power in a military coup during 1979 but handed it over. Re-took power in another coup of 1981. Elected President in 1992 and again in 1996 before standing aside as per the constitution.
|-
|align=center|[[André Kolingba]] ||align=center| [[Central African Republic]] ||align=center| 1981–1993 || Chairman of the Military Committee of National Recovery 1981-1985; President of the Central African Republic 1985-1993. Gained power in a coup; persecuted opposition; allowed (and lost) free elections in 1993. Attempted second coup in 2001.
|-
|align=center|[[Hosni Mubarak]] || align=center|[[Egypt]] || align=center| 1981-2011 || Former President of Egypt. Did not stand in a contested election until 2005, when a highly-restricted democratic process was allowed. Was forced from power after a series of mass protests.
|-
|align=center|[[Paul Biya]] ||align=center| [[Cameroon]] ||align=center| '''1982–present''' || He served under President Ahmadou Ahidjo and became Prime Minister in 1975. Ahidjo resigned on November 6, 1982 and Biya became president. After years of totalitarian rule, he allowed the creation of opposition parties in 1990 but his re-elections have been marked by widespread fraud and intimidation.
|-
|align=center|[[Hissène Habré]] ||align=center| [[Chad]] ||align=center| 1982–1990 || Chairman of the Council of State 1982; President of Chad 1982-1990. Gained power in a coup; abolished post of Prime Minister; executed opposition leaders.
|-
|align=center|[[Thomas Sankara]] ||align=center| [[Burkina Faso]] ||align=center| 1983-1987 || President of Upper Volta 1983-1984; President of Burkina Faso 1984-1987. Gained power in coup. Lead millitary regime. Overthrown and killed in coup.
|-
|align=center|[[Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya]] ||align=center| [[Mauritania]] ||align=center| 1984–2005 || Deposed the military head of state, [[Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla]], on December 1984 and declared himself Chairman of the Military Committee for National Salvation. Deposed by [[Ely Ould Mohamed Vall]] in a bloodless coup d'état. 
|-
|align=center|[[Ibrahim Babangida]] ||align=center| [[Nigeria]] ||align=center| 1985-1993 || Annulled the most free and fair presidential election in the history of Nigeria, leading to the death of the presidenstial candidate [[Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola]].
|-
|align=center|[[Zine El Abidine Ben Ali]] ||align=center| [[Tunisia]] ||align=center| 1987–2011 || President of Tunisia. Although he announced [[Pluralism#Plualism in politics|political pluralism]] in 1992, his Democratic Constitutional Rally (formerly Neo-Destour party) continues to dominate the national politics and there is no genuine open political debate. In 1999, although two unknown alternative candidates were permitted for the first time to stand in the presidential elections, Ben Ali was re-elected with 99.66% of the vote. A controversial constitutional referendum in 2002 allowed him to seek re-election and contemplate the possibility of remaining in office until 2014. On October 24, 2004, he was again re-elected, officially taking 94.48% of the vote. Certain books, periodicals and internet sites are banned or blocked. The [http://www.tunisiatv.com National Television] frequently show his actions during a week, but often the President only appears in passing on television. In 2011 he was forced from power after mass protests.
|-
|align=center|[[Omar Hasan Ahmad al-Bashir]] ||align=center| [[Sudan]] ||align=center| '''1989–present''' || President of the Revolutionary Command Council for National Salvation 1989-1993; President of Sudan 1993-present. Took power in a military coup and increasingly centralized power into himself. Widely believed to be implicated in the [[Darfur]] [[Janjaweed]] [[pogrom]]s.
|-
|align=center|[[Idriss Déby]] ||align=center| [[Chad]] ||align=center| '''1990–present''' || Head of State 1990-1991; President of Chad 1991 to date. Gained power in a coup; continues to suppress opposition and press (see [http://web.amnesty.org/report2005/tcd-summary-eng]).
|-
|align=center|[[Sani Abacha]] ||align=center| [[Nigeria]] ||align=center| 1993–1998 || Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council 1993-1998. Seized power in a coup; persecuted opposition; never stood for election. Jailed Chief [[Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola]], the presumed winner of the annulled 1993 presidential election; presided over execution of activist [[Ken Saro-Wiwa]].
|-
|align=center|[[Paul Kagame]] || align=center|[[Rwanda]] || align=center|'''1994-present''' || Vice-President of Rwanda 1994-2000; President 2000-Present. Brouhgt to power by a guerilla movement which plunged the country into bloodshed and led to the Rwandan Genocide in 1994. Responsible of the the killings of innocent civilians, women and children in Kibeho refugee camp. Responsible of the killings of 4 millions congolese. Responsible of the killings of Priests and Archbishops in Kabgayi.
|-
|align=center|[[Yahya Jammeh]] ||align=center| [[The Gambia]] ||align=center| '''1994-Present''' || President of The Gambia. Gained power in coup d'état. Right to the press and free speech supressed. Stood for three elections (1996, 2001, and 2006); last election deemed unfair by opposition.
|-
|align=center|[[Laurent-Désiré Kabila]] ||align=center| [[Congo-Kinshasa]] ||align=center| 1997–2001 || President of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Overthrew [[Mobutu Sese Seko]] in coup. No elections held during ongoing, interstate [[First Congo War|First]] and [[Second Congo War]]s.
|-
|align=center|[[Charles G. Taylor]] ||align=center| [[Liberia]] ||align=center| 1997–2003 || President of Liberia 1997-2003. Elected, but widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.guardian.co.uk/sierra/article/0,2763,221878,00.html], [http://www.cij.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewNews&newsID=9], [http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2003/127/48.0.html]). Linked to "[[blood diamonds]]" and illegal arms trading. Believed to have interfered frequently in the internal affairs of neighboring states while a [[warlord]], before his election to the presidency.
|-
|align=center|[[François Bozizé]] ||align=center| [[Central African Republic]] ||align=center| 2003–2013 || President of the Central African Republic 2003 to date. Gained power in a coup and suspended the constitution, though he has restored some democracy (see [http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/02/28/1456242]).
|-
|align=center|[[Ely Ould Mohamed Vall]] ||align=center| [[Mauritania]] ||align=center| 2005-2007 || Chairman of the Military Council for Justice and Democracy. Gained power via a military coup. Though he has said to relinquish power to an elected government in 2007.
|-
|align=center|[[Michael Sata]] ||align=center| [[Zambia]] ||align=center| '''2011–present''' || Elected President of Sambia. Sata shut down the opposition and maintains relationships with [[Robert Mugabe]].
|}

==The Americas==
===North America===

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center|[[Agustín de Iturbide]] || align=center|[[Mexico]] || align=center|1822 - 1823 || Shortly after the Mexican War of Independence, he was declared Emperor of Mexico in 1822. Repressive, cracked down on free speech and any opposition. Desposed when popular opposition forced him to abdicate.
|-
| align=center|[[Antonio López de Santa Anna|Antonio López de Santa Anna]] || align=center|[[Mexico]] || align=center|1833 - 1855 (intermittent) || President or Provisional President of Mexico 1833-1837, then 1841 to February 1844, June to December 1844, March to September 1847 and finally 1853-1855. When [[Anastasio Bustamante]] led a coup overthrowing and killing President [[Vicente Guerrero]], Santa Anna seized power and then was elected President in 1833. At first he gave a free hand to his vice-president [[Valentín Gómez Farías]], a liberal reformer. Later he dismissed Gómez Farías, declared the Constitution suspended, disbanded the Congress and worked to concentrate power in the central government. He was overthrown and restored to power several times before his final overthrow in 1855.
|-
| align=center|[[Porfirio Díaz]] || align=center|[[Mexico]] || align=center|1879 - 1910 || Interim president 1876-1877; President of Mexico 1877-1880, 1884-1911. ''De facto'' ruler 1880-1884. Gained power in a coup, after his Revolution of Tuxtepac overthrew his predecessor, Lerdo. He did not run for reelection after his first term in order to keep his one-term promises that he made during his revolution. However, he retook the presidency a few years later and did not leave from power until the [[Mexican Revolution|Revolution of 1910]] kicked him from the Presidency. His rule saw the rapid modernization of Mexico, progress mainly caused by Diaz's encouragement of foreign investment in the country's infrastructure. However, the poor became quite miserable during this time. Political opposition was squelched and rebellions were put down by the ''rurals'', Diaz's personal guard. He was eventually overthrown by the [[Mexican Revolution|Revolution]] which lasted 10 years.
|-
| align=center|[[Victoriano Huerta]] || align=center|[[Mexico]] || align=center|1913 - 1914 || Appointed president, established a military dictatorship for about a year, and then was forced to resign.
|}

===Central America===
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center|[[Rafael Carrera]] || align=center|[[Guatemala]] || align=center|1844–1848 1851–1865 || President of Guatemala. Gained power in a coup; styled himself [[President for Life]].
|-
|align=center|[[William Walker]] ||align=center| [[Nicaragua]] ||align=center| 1856-1857 || An american fillibuster takes over and proclaims himself President of Nicaragua. Tried to conquer several central american countries. Eventually executed.
|-
| align=center|[[Justo Rufino Barrios]] || align=center|[[Guatemala]] || align=center|1873–1885 || President of Guatemala. Gained power in a bloody coup, but introduced reforms.
|-
| align=center|[[Manuel Estrada Cabrera]] || align=center|[[Guatemala]] || align=center|1898–1920 || President of Guatemala. Never elected; subverted constitution; widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9033093], [http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761558775/Estrada_Cabrera_Manuel.html]). Constructed numerous large [[Ancient Greece|Hellenic]]-style temples as monuments to his rule.
|-
| align=center|[[Maximiliano Hernández Martínez]] || align=center|[[El Salvador]] || align=center|1931–1934 1935–1944 || Acting President 1931-1934; President of El Salvador 1935-1944. Gained power in a coup; suppressed opposition; oversaw massacre of between ten and forty thousand suspected opponents. Presided over ''[[1932 Salvadoran peasant uprising|La Matanza]]'' in 1932, a massacre (genocide) of communists, suspected communists, [[campesinos]] and [[Pipil]] Indians (see [http://countrystudies.us/el-salvador/7.htm]).
|-
| align=center|[[Jorge Ubico]] || align=center|[[Guatemala]] || align=center|1931–1944 || President of Guatemala. Elected, but suppressed opposition and "assumed dictatorial powers".
|-
| align=center|[[Tiburcio Carías Andino]] || align=center|[[Honduras]] || align=center|1933–1949 || President of Honduras. Banned opposition and set up a [[Rubberstamp (politics)|rubber-stamp]] congress; suppressed unions (see[http://countrystudies.us/honduras/19.htm]).
|-
| align=center|[[Anastasio Somoza García]] || align=center|[[Nicaragua]] || align=center|1937–1956 || Somoza used his position as head of the [[National Guard (Nicaragua)|National Guard]] to overthrow President [[Juan Bautista Sacasa]]; centralized constitutional authority under his control; alternately rigged elections for himself or installed relatives in his place; kleptocrat.[http://www.immigrantinfo.org/kin/nicaragua.htm][http://www.country-data.com/cgi-bin/query/r-9212.html].
|-
| align=center|[[Carlos Castillo Armas]] || align=center|[[Guatemala]] || align=center|1954–1957 || Junta Chairman, 1954; President of Guatemala 1954-1957. Gained power in a coup; banned the popular [[Guatemalan Party of Labour|Communist party]]; purged trade unions of leftist influence; declared himself president in 1956. Assassinated.
|-
| align=center|[[Oswaldo López Arellano]] || align=center|[[Honduras]] || align=center|1963–1971 1972–1975 || Head of Military Government 1963-1965; President of Honduras 1965-1971; Head of State 1972-1975. Military officer who allowed elections in 1971 before re-seizing power the next year. According to Clara Nieto in ''Masters of War: Latin America and United States Aggression from the Cuban Revolution through the Clinton years'', p. 114 (ISBN 1-58322-545-5): "During this second term (1972-1975) López governed without a congress and by decree."
|-
| align=center|[[Anastasio Somoza Debayle]] || align=center|[[Nicaragua]] || align=center|1967-1979 || Succeeded his somewhat more liberal brother [[Luis Somoza Debayle|Luis]]; stepped down briefly in 1972, then resumed the presidency after an earthquake; outlawed several opposition parties; declared [[martial law]] in response to guerilla opposition; oversaw brutal repression by the National Guard.
|-
| align=center|[[Omar Torrijos]] || align=center|[[Panama]] || align=center|1968–1981 || Commander of the National Guard. Gained power in a coup; banned opposition, unions and free press.
|-
| align=center|[[Manuel Noriega]] || align=center|[[Panama]]|| align=center|1983–1989 || Commander of the National Guard and ''de facto'' military leader, widely described as a dictator (see [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9056130], [http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761561240/Noriega_Moreno_Manuel_Antonio.html], [http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/8155061.htm]).
|}

===South America===

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center|[[José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia]] || align=center|[[Paraguay]] || align=center|1813-1814 and 1814-1840 ||gained power in election. Outlawed all opposition. Installed a police state. Cult of personality; citizens forced to raise their hats or a brim when he passed by; styled himself with the position name "El Supremo". 
|-
| align=center| [[Simón Bolívar]] || align=center| [[Gran Columbia]] || align=center| 1821-1830 || Though an admirer of classical liberal democracy, the founder and president of Gran Colombia proclaimed himself dictator in 1828 after an unsuccessful constitutional convention. Resigned eighteen months later.
|-
| align=center|[[Juan Manuel de Rosas]] || align=center|[[Argentina]] || align=center|1835–1852 || Governor of Buenos Aires 1829-1832, 1835-1852; Supreme Chief of the Argentine Confederation 1851-1852. Assumed dictatorial powers; exiled opponents.
|-
| align=center|[[Carlos Antonio López]] || align=center|[[Paraguay]] || align=center|1841–1862 || First Consul 1841-1844; President of Paraguay 1844-1862. 
|-
| align=center|[[Manuel Belzu]] || align=center|[[Bolivia]] || align=center|1848–1855 || Provisional President of Bolivia 1848-1850; President of Bolivia 1850-1855. Unelected military ruler; ''[[caudillo]]''. A populist and nationalist who voluntarily relinquished power after 1855 elections, described in (ISBN 0-13-524356-4), p.131, as the "cleanest ever held" in (early) Bolivian history.
|-
| align=center|[[Francisco Solano López]] || align=center|[[Paraguay]] || align=center|1862–1869 || President of Paraguay. Inherited power from his father; had himself awarded immense powers by a congress he had packed with supporters. Killed in the [[War of the Triple Alliance]] (which Lopez had caused by invading Brazil), along with 90 per cent of the Paraguayan adult (age 14+) male population.
|-
| align=center|[[Mariano Melgarejo]] || align=center|[[Bolivia]] || align=center|1864–1871 || Provisional President 1864-1870; President of Bolivia 1870-1871. Gained power in a coup and ruthlessly suppressed opposition. In 1869 he sent the army to suppress an uprising by [[Huaichu]] Indians attempting to regain land privileges they enjoyed under President Belzu (see ISBN 1-55753-324-5).
|-
| align=center|[[Antonio Guzmán Blanco]] || align=center|[[Venezuela]] || align=center|1870–1888 || Acting President of Venezuela 1863, 1865; General-in-chief April-July 1870; Provisional President of Venezuela 1870-1873; President of Venezuela 1873 - 1877; Supreme Director 1879; Provisional President of Venezuela 1879 - 1880; President of Venezuela 1880 -1884, 1886 -1888. Described, perhaps inaccurately, as a "benevolent despot"; other sources mention his "long dictatorship" (see[http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:ghIhQZ7WhgUJ:www.normangall.com/artigos/Church_Militant.pdf+Antonio+Guzm%C3%A1n+Blanco+%22dictator%22]).
|-
| align=center|[[Cipriano Castro]] || align=center|[[Venezuela]] || align=center|1899–1909 || Supreme Chief 1899-1901; Provisional President 1901 - 1902, 1904 - 1905; President of Venezuela 1902 - 1904, 1905 - 1909. Took over in a military coup (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:kdvql1ZK2-4J:www.sg.inter.edu/revista-ciscla/volume29/singh.pdf+Antonio+Guzm%C3%A1n+Blanco+%22dictator%22]).
|-
| align=center|[[Rafael Reyes]] || align=center|[[Colombia]] || align=center|1904–1909 || President 1904 - 1909, as a military ruler representing the Conservatives. "In the course of his regime, Reyes improved the country’s finances, expanded roads and railroads, and encouraged increased coffee production. Large U.S. investments and purchases of coffee and minerals contributed to Colombia’s economic growth. However, Reyes ruled as a dictator. He dissolved the congress and replaced it with a handpicked legislature, jailed and exiled political opponents, and declared martial law." (''Colombia'', [[Encarta|Microsoft Encarta]] 2003)
|-
| align=center|[[Juan Vicente Gómez]] || align=center|[[Venezuela]] || align=center|1909–1914 1922–1929 1931–1935 || Provisional President 1909-1910; President of Venezuela 1910-1914, 1922-1929, 1931-1935. Gained power in a coup; never elected; kleptocrat; widely described as a dictator (see [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9037322], [http://movies2.nytimes.com/gst/movies/movie.html?v_id=156078], [http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761563557/Juan_Vicente_Gomez.html]).
|-
| align=center|[[Óscar Benavides]] || align=center|[[Peru]] || align=center|1914–1915 1933–1939 || Junta Chairman 1914; President of Peru 1914-1915, 1933-1939. Twice gained power by coup.
|-
| align=center|[[Augusto B. Leguía y Salcedo|Augusto Leguía]] || align=center|[[Peru]] || 1919–1930 || President of Peru. Gained power in a coup; ignored constitution; suppressed and exiled opposition.
|-
| align=center|[[Carlos Ibáñez del Campo]] || align=center|[[Chile]] || align=center|1927–1931 || Acting President 1927, President 1927 - 1931. Democratically elected to a six-year term in 1952.
|-
| align=center|[[Getúlio Vargas]] || align=center|[[Brazil]] || align=center|1930–1934 1937–1945 || Head of provisional government 1930-1934 after revolution; indirectly elected as Constitutional President 1934-1937; launched a coup in 1937 and became dictator 1937-1945; democratically-elected President of Brazil 1950-1954.
|-
| align=center|[[Gabriel Terra]] || align=center|[[Uruguay]] || align=center|1931–1938 || President of Uruguay. Suspended congress and dissolved constitution in 1933. 
|-
| align=center|[[Higinio Morínigo]] || align=center|[[Paraguay]] || align=center|1940–1948 || Provisional president 1940-1943; President of Paraguay 1943-1948. Seized absolute power; ruled by [[diktat]] until 1946.
|-
| align=center|[[Manuel Odría]] || align=center|[[Peru]] || align=center|1948–1956 || Chairman of military junta 1948 - 1950; President of Peru 1950 - 1956. Gained power in a coup; restricted civil rights; allowed election in 1956.
|-
| align=center|[[Marcos Pérez Jiménez]] || align=center|[[Venezuela]] || align=center|1948–1958 || Member of military junta 1948 - 1952; Provisional president 1952 -1953; President of Venezuela 1953 - 1958. Never elected; pursued opposition violently; credited with improvements to the country's infrastructure.
|-
| align=center|[[Gustavo Rojas Pinilla]] || align=center|[[Colombia]] || align=center|1953–1957 || President of Colombia. Gained power in a coup.
|-
| align=center|[[Alfredo Stroessner]] || align=center|[[Paraguay]] || align=center|1954–1989 || President of Paraguay. He took over in a military coup (see[http://www.foreignaffairs.org/19890301faessay5951/riordan-roett/paraguay-after-stroessner.html], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:vqkaVDmcvaIJ:www.columbia.edu/cu/polisci/pdf-files/apsa_krutz.pdf+Stroessner+dictator],[http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:qfMgvA6bakgJ:users.ox.ac.uk/~newc1465/Proudman%2520-%2520SoftPowerMeetsHard.pdf+Stroessner+dictator]). 
|-
| align=center|[[Humberto de Alencar Castelo Branco|Humberto Castelo Branco]] || align=center|[[Brazil]] || align=center|1964–1967 || President of Brazil. Gained power in a coup; abolished most opposition; subsequently appointed by congress.
|-
| align=center|[[René Barrientos]] || align=center|[[Bolivia]] || align=center|1964–1969 || Chairman of the military junta, 1964-January 1966 (jointly with [[Alfredo Ovando]] 1965-1966); President of Bolivia, August 1966 - 1969. Gained power in military coup; kleptocrat; responsible for [[Catavi massacre]] and execution of [[Che Guevara]] (ISBN 0-85345-991-6), p.136.
|-
| align=center|[[Forbes Burnham]] || align=center|[[Guyana]] || align=center|1966–1985 || Prime Minister 1966 - 1980; President 1980 - 1985. Elected, but became increasingly dictatorial; held dubious elections and encouraged leftist religious cults (such as the [[Peoples Temple]]) to settle in the Guyanese interior (see [http://www.jagan.org/janet_jagan29.htm], [http://www.hardbeatnews.com/editor/RTE/my_documents/my_files/details.asp?newsid=4498&title=Politics]).
|-
| align=center|[[Artur da Costa e Silva]] || align=center|[[Brazil]] || align=center|1967–1969 || President of Brazil 1967-1969. Elected in 1966, but centralised power; closed the Congress; banned opposition; suspended free press. Decreed [[Institutional Act No. 5]], described as "the most unconstitutional, anti-democratic, arbitrary, and repressive decree in Brazil's history." (ISBN 1-58322-545-5), p.167.
|-
| align=center|[[Emílio Garrastazu Médici]] || align=center|[[Brazil]] || align=center|1969–1974 || President of Brazil. Appointed by congress, but instituted a military government; suppressed press and opposition (see[http://www.wrm.org.uy/bulletin/62/index.rtf]).
|-
| align=center|[[Hugo Banzer]] || align=center|[[Bolivia]] || align=center|1971–1978 || President of Bolivia. Gained power in a coup; suppressed opposition; closed universities; 3,000 opponents arrested, 200 killed.
|-
| align=center|[[Juan María Bordaberry]] || align=center|[[Uruguay]] || align=center|1972–1976 || President of Uruguay 1972 - 1976. Elected, but installed a military government, dissolved Congress, suspended civil liberties and banned unions.
|-
| align=center|[[Augusto Pinochet]] || align=center|[[Chile]] || align=center|1973–1990 || Chairman of military junta 1973-1974; Supreme Head of the Nation 1974; President of Chile 1974 - 1990. Gained power in a coup; suppressed and exiled opposition; over 3000 "[[Forced disappearance|disappearances]]" and 28,000 tortured.
|-
| align=center|[[Ernesto Geisel]] || align=center|[[Brazil]] || align=center|1974-1979 || Congress-appointed President of Brazil. The fourth of the military dictators; party and union freedom were still inexistent during his term; had oppositionists like journalist [[Wladimir Herzog]] and factory worker [[Manoel Fiel Filho]] tortured and murdered.
|-
| align=center|[[Jorge Rafael Videla]] || align=center|[[Argentina]] || align=center|1976–1981 || President of Argentina. Gained power in a coup; never elected; between ten and thirty thousand opponents killed.
|-
| align=center|[[João Baptista de Oliveira Figueiredo]] || align=center|[[Brazil]] || align=center|1979-1985 || Congress-appointed President of Brazil. Society won some democratic measures these years, but there was still a major fraud during 1982 State government elections. His government was responsible for the 1983 bomb in the Riocentro.
|-
| align=center|[[Dési Bouterse]] || align=center|[[Suriname]] || align=center|1980–1988 || Chairman of the National Military Council 1980-1988. Gained power in a coup; never elected; widespread misrule. Most infamous atrocity is the ''[[Decembermoorden]]''.
|-
| align=center|[[Luis García Meza Tejada]] || align=center|[[Bolivia]] || align=center|1980–1981 || President of Bolivia. Gained power in the "Cocaine Coup" aided by [[Klaus Barbie]]; highly repressive; over 1,000 killed.
|-
| align=center|[[Gregorio Conrado Álvarez]] || align=center|[[Uruguay]] || align=center|1981–1985 || President of Uruguay. Ignored constitution; extensive human rights abuses (see [http://www.rulers.org/indexa2.html]).
|-
| align=center|[[Leopoldo Galtieri]] || align=center|[[Argentina]] || align=center|1981–1982 || President of Argentina 1981-1982. Gained power in a coup (see[http://www.guardian.co.uk/argentina/story/0,,873601,00.html], [http://english.pravda.ru/world/2003/01/14/41968.html]). Deposed after failed [[Falklands War|invasion of the Falkland Islands]] in 1982.
|-
|align=center| [[Alberto Fujimori]] || align=center|[[Peru]] || align=center|1992-1993 || President of Peru 1990-2000, widely critizised for his political authoritarism. [http://www.fpif.org/briefs/vol5/v5n34peru_body.html][http://www.aprodeh.org.pe/fujimori/delitos-eng.htm] [http://www.cverdad.org.pe/ingles/pagina01.php]. After enjoying a certain degree of popular support, Fujimori was forced from office following controvertial third term re-election[http://archives.cnn.com/2000/WORLD/americas/05/29/peru.elections.04/]. In 2000 political opponent Mario Vargas Llosa called Fujimori a "dictator" [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/741841.stm]. His government was also marked by the influence of the director of the SIN, [[Vladimiro Montesinos]] [http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1477-7053.2005.00165.x?cookieSet=1&journalCode=goop][http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB37/]. Currently in Peru, Fujimori is in trial for presumed charges ranging from corruption to participation in crimes against humanity. [http://www.hrw.org/backgrounder/americas/peru-qna-1030.htm].
|-
|align=center|[[Hugo Chávez]] ||align=center| [[Venezuela]] ||align=center| 1999-2012 || Appointed special powers, nationalized the media and oil companies,Shut down opposition media and banned "The Simpsons."
|-

|align=center|[[Nicolás Maduro]] ||align=center| [[Venezuela]] ||align=center| '''2013-present''' || Continues the corrupt ideology of Hugo Chavez, which destroys the economy of Venezuela.
|-
|}

===Caribbean===

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center|[[Jean-Jacques Dessalines]] || align=center|[[Haiti]] || align=center|1804-1806 || Governor-General of Haiti 1804; Emperor of Haiti (as Jacques I) 1804 - 1806. Ruled autocratically.
|-
| align=center|[[Henry Christophe]] || align=center|[[Haiti]] (northern)|| align=center|1806-1820 || Provisional Chief of the Haitian Government 1806-1807; President of Haiti 1807-1811; King of Haiti (as Henry I) 1811-1820. Ruled autocratically.
|-
| align=center|[[Pedro Santana]] || align=center|[[Dominican Republic]] || align=center|1844-1848, 1853 -1856, 1858 - 1861 || Never elected; suppressed opposition; widely considered a dictator.
|-
| align=center|[[Buenaventura Báez]] || align=center|[[Dominican Republic]] || align=center|1849-1878 (intermittent) || President of the Dominican Republic five times. Gained power following coups; never elected.
|-
| align=center|[[Ulises Heureaux]] || align=center|[[Dominican Republic]] || align=center|1882-1899 (intermittent) || President of the Dominican Republic three times. Never elected; widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.marcusgarvey.com/wmview.php?ArtID=507], [http://countrystudies.us/dominican-republic/8.htm], [http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-7709.2004.00452.x]).
|-
| align=center|[[Gerardo Machado]] || align=center|[[Cuba]] || align=center|1925-1933 || President of Cuba. A follower of [[Benito Mussolini]], he is widely described as a dictator (see [http://www.historicaltextarchive.com/sections.php?op=viewarticle&artid=672], [http://www.highbeam.com/ref/doc0.asp?docid=1E1:MachadoG]).
|-
| align=center|[[Rafael Trujillo]] || align=center|[[Dominican Republic]] || align=center|1930-1961 || President of the Dominican Republic 1930 - 1938, 1942 - 1952; ''de facto'' ruler 1930-1961. Gained power in a coup; cult of personality (renamed the capital [[Ciudad Trujillo]]); promoted racism against Haitians and ordered the massacre of 20,000 blacks.
|-
| align=center|[[Paul Magloire]] || align=center|[[Haiti]] || align=center|1950-1956 || President of Haiti. Gained power in a coup; never elected.
|-
| align=center|[[François Duvalier]] || align=center|[[Haiti]] || align=center|1957-1971 || President of Haiti. Elected in 1957, but banned opposition; declared himself [[President for Life]] in 1964; highly repressive.
|-
| align=center|[[Fidel Castro]] || align=center|[[Cuba]] || align=center| 1959-2006 || Prime Minister of Cuba 1959-1976; President of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers from 1976. Gained power after [[Cuban Revolution|revolution]]. Castro was elected President [[Elections in Cuba|after 1976]], but within a one-party [[Communist state]].
|-
| align=center|[[Jean-Claude Duvalier]] || align=center|[[Haiti]] || align=center|1971-1986 || President of Haiti. Inherited presidency aged 19 from his father; never elected.
|-
| align=center|[[Eric Gairy]] || align=center|[[Grenada]] || align=center|1974-1979 || Prime Minister of Grenada 1967-1979. Widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.factbites.com/topics/Eric-Gairy], [http://www.paradise-inn-carriacou.com/grenada_revolution.php], [http://counterpunch.org/gibson06052004.html]). 
|-
| align=center|[[Raoul Cédras]] || align=center|[[Haiti]] || align=center|1991-1994 || ''De facto'' ruler for a relatively short period of time. Gained power in a coup (see [http://www.haitisupport.gn.apc.org/infamous.htm]).
|-
|align=center|[[Raul Castro]] ||align=center| [[Cuba]] ||align=center| '''2006-present''' || Appointed successor by his brother of the Communist Party of Cuba.
|-
|}

==Asia==

===Western Asia ("Middle East")===

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|
|-
| align=center|[[Abdul Karim Qassem]] || align=center|[[Iraq]] || align=center|1958–1963 || Gained power by coup; viewed by some as benevolent (see [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/03/18/wisad18.xml]).
|-
| align=center|[[Abdul Salam Arif]] || align=center|[[Iraq]] || align=center|1963–1966 || Gained power in a coup; military ruler.
|-
| align=center|[[Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr]] || align=center|[[Iraq]] || align=center|1968–1979 || Gained power in a coup; never elected.
|-
| align=center|[[Hafez al-Assad]] || align=center|[[Syria]] || align=center|1970–2000 ||Gained power in a coup; totalitarian;{{fact}} cult of personality; oversaw [[Hama massacre]] yielding twenty to forty thousand dead (see [http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=M1ARTM0012197]).
|-
| align=center|[[Ruhollah Khomeini]] || align=center|[[Iran]] || align=center|1979–1989 || As [[Supreme Leader of Iran|Supreme Leader]], held ultimate and uncontested authority over all government matters under the principle of [[Guardianship of the Islamic Jurists|Guardianship]]. Created the extra-constitutional [[Special Clerical Court]] system in 1987, accountable only to the Supreme Leader and used principally for suppression of political dissent. Instituted routine torture, beheadings for children.
|-
| align=center|[[Saddam Hussein]] || align=center|[[Iraq]] || align=center|1979–2003 || Pressured Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr to resign in 1979 and formally became president. Repressive; developed extensive personality cult; deposed by [[United States]] and coalition forces in an invasion.
|-
| align=center|[[Ali Khamenei|Ayatollah Ali Khamenei]]||align=center| [[Iran]] ||align=center| '''1989-present''' || Continues Khomeini's [[Islamist]] path & uses religion as a tool, cracks down on all authentic dissent, tortures, and has given orders that permit killings like that of [[Akbar Mohammadi]] and [[Zahra Kazemi]]. Only permitts [[government-organized demonstrations]]. Allows a multi-party government but disallows the candidacy of true moderates.[http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=9940][http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1527919/][http://www.nationalreview.com/ledeen/ledeen200505310823.asp][http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1154652871.shtml][http://isd.georgetown.edu/demo_0102.pdf][http://www.boycottliberalism.com/liberalcelebrity.htm]ISBN 0-16-074590-X
|-
| align=center|[[Bashar al-Assad]] || align=center|[[Syria]] || align=center|'''2000–present''' || No opposition permitted in election following death of his father; widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.opinionjournal.com/best/?id=110007449], [http://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP92405], [http://www.freeman.org/m_online/feb04/pasko.htm]).
|}

===Central Asia===

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center|[[Askar Akayev]] || align=center|[[Kyrgyzstan]] || align=center|1990–2005 || Appointed but became increasingly authoritarian; widely described as a dictator (see [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4542783.stm], [http://www.villagevoice.com/blogs/bushbeat/archive/000935.php], [http://www.eurasianet.org/resource/kazakhstan/hypermail/200507/0023.shtml]).
|-
| align=center|[[Islam Karimov]] || align=center|[[Uzbekistan]] || align=center|'''1991–present''' || Described as authoritarian who is increasingly centralizing power (see [http://www.ingentaconnect.com/search/expand?pub=infobike://bell/soviet/2003/00000019/00000004/art00002&unc=], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:uuOVzdj_xBoJ:www1.dogus.edu.tr/dogustru/journal/sayi_6/M00073.PDF+%22Islam+Karimov%22+%22dictator%22]). Elections essentially uncontested and unmonitored. Opposition repressed. 
|-
| align=center|[[Saparmurat Niyazov]] || align=center|[[Turkmenistan]] || align=center|1991–2006 || Declared [[President for Life]] in 1999; [[cult of personality]]; his book ''[[Ruhnama]]'' is to be treated with reverence (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:blnbM3mP0eAJ:www.eurasianet.org/turkmenistan.project/files2/050603Turkmenreport.pdf+%22Niyazov%22+%22dictatorship%22], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:Ie2QfLuR_ysJ:www.ndu.edu/ctnsp/tamerlane/Tamerlane-Chapter2.pdf+%22Niyazov%22+%22dictatorship%22]).
|-
| align=center|[[Muhammed Omar]] || align=center|[[Afghanistan]] || align=center|1996–2001 || Considered a Theocratic Dictator who excercized strict sharia laws; allowed the persecution of Hazaras; gave Al Qaeda refuge in Afghanistan. (see[http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0881088.html][http://www.afghan-web.com/bios/today/momar.html]).
|-
| align=center|[[Ilham Aliyev]] || align=center|[[Azerbaijan]] || align=center|'''2003–present''' || Dubious election; opposition suppressed (see[http://www.underreported.com/print.php?sid=1241]).
|-
| align=center| [[Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedow]] || align=center|[[Turkmenistan]] || align=center|'''2006-present''' ||Unelected, appointed as successor upon Niyazov's death. Turkemnistan still continues to be oppresive and a single-party state.
|}

===South Asia===
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center|[[Ayub Khan]] || align=center|[[Pakistan]] || align=center|1958–1969 || Gained power in a coup. Subsequent elections considered dubious (see[http://www.storyofpakistan.com/articletext.asp?artid=A069], [http://www.indianexpress.com/messages.php?content_id=71414]).
|-
| align=center|[[Yahya Khan]] || align=center|[[Pakistan]] || align=center|1969–1971 || Military ruler, gaining power from coup (see [http://presidentyahya.com],[http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/pakistantimeline.html], [http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/kpsgill/terrorism/04Jan10Pio.htm]).
|-
| align=center|[[Maumoon Abdul Gayoom]] || align=center|[[Maldives]] || align=center|1978–2008 || [[Autocracy|Autocrat]]; widely considered to be a dictator; no opposition or free press allowed.
|-
| align=center|[[Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq]] || align=center|[[Pakistan]] || align=center|1978–1988 || Took over following coup. Claimed government to be legitimate because it was Islamic (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:dcmhb0vRS4wJ:smartech.gatech.edu:8282/dspace/bitstream/1853/6901/1/kulkarni_nikhil_v_200505_ms.pdf+%22Muhammad+Zia%22+%22dictator%22]).
|-
| align=center|[[Rahimuddin Khan]] || align=center|[[Balochistan (Pakistan)]] || align=center|1978–1984 || Appointed supreme Martial Law Governor of Balochistan by central Pakistani military government following coup. (see [http://www.answers.com/rahimuddin%20khan]).
|-
|align=center|[[Hossain Mohammad Ershad]] || align=center|[[Bangladesh]] || align=center|1982–1990 ||Gained power in a coup; declared martial law; never elected.
|-
|align=center| [[Pervez Musharraf]] || align=center| [[Pakistan]] || align=center| 1999-2008 || Deposed Nawaz Sharif in a military coup, calling it a necessity during a state of emergency. Governed directly as commander in chief until Parliament reconvened in November 2002. Assumed the title of President upon Rafiq Tarar's resignation and stood in a referendum in 2002. Opposition parties state that the rule of law in his custody has deteriorated further.
|}

===Eastern Asia ("Far East")===
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in   power !! Notes
|-
|align=center|[[Tokugawa Ieyasu]] || align=center|[[Japan]] || align=center|1600-1616|| Shogun of [[Japan]] and founder of the long reigning [[Tokugawa shogunate]]. Gained power by unifying the warring clans during [[Japan]]'s long period of civil unrest. He also created an "alternate attendance" system to pacify the [[daimyo]] warlords, as well as closing and isolating trade and the economy, in order to retain his power. His rule was also marked by persecution of european missionaries and japanese christians.
|-
|align=center|[[Yuan Shikai]] || align=center|[[Republic of China]] || align=center|1912–1916 || [[President of the Republic of China]] 1912 - 1915, self-proclaimed [[Emperor of China]], 1916. Ignored legislative consent as defined by the [[Constitution of the Republic of China|Constitution]]; dissolved the [[National Assembly of the Republic of China|National Assembly]]; assassinated [[Song Jiaoren]]; disbanded the [[Kuomintang]].
|-
| align=center|[[Roman von Ungern-Sternberg]] || align=center|[[Mongolia]] || align=center|1921 || 
Born, Baron Roman Nicolaus von Ungern-Sternberg (Роман Фёдорович Унгерн фон Штернберг), in Graf, Austria of Prussian nobility, von Ungern-Sternberg fought, against his own Prussians, in the Imperial Russian Army during World War I and fought the [[Bolsheviks]], in [[Siberia]], after 1917. A rabid [[monarchist]], von Ungern-Sternberg soon thereafter became an independent [[warlord]] with the intention of establishing an independent Russo-Sino-Mongolian monarchy in [[Urga]] under the nominal rule of [[Bogd Khaan]] (the [[Living Buddha]]). Although considered the paragon of bravery, von Ungern-Sternberg was reckless, brutal and mentally unstable.

After a savage battle against occupying [[Chinese republic]]an forces, on March 13, 1921, [[Mongolia]] was proclaimed an independent [[monarchy]], and Ungern von Sternberg became Mongolian [[dictator]]. His brief rule of Mongolia was characterised by looting, raping and a reign of terror by his army. Eventually, the [[Bolsheviks]] invaded Mongolia and after a series of battles, von Ungern-Sternberg was defeated in a August 1921, captured by his own soldiers, and handed over to the [[Red Army]] on August 21, 1921.

|-
| align=center|[[Horloogiyn Choybalsan]] || align=center|[[Mongolia]] || align=center|1936–1952 || Unelected; opponents purged; cult of personality.
|-
| align=center|[[Kim Il-sung]] || align=center|[[North Korea]] || align=center|1948–1994 || Appointed prime minister in 1948; purged rivals in the [[Workers' Party of Korea]] to consolidate power in 1956 (see [http://muse.jhu.edu/cgi-bin/access.cgi?uri=/journals/korean_studies/v026/26.1lankov.pdf]); introduced "[[Juche]]" ideology demanding absolute loyalty to him and the party; created most pervavise cult of personality in recent history. Declared "Eternal President" on his death.
|-
|align=center|[[Ho Chi Minh]] ||align=center| [[North Vietnam]] ||align=center| 1945-1969 || Unelected; killed thousands of political rivals in the 1940s; killed tens of thousands more during the land reforms of the 1950s; presided over a one-party state.
|-
|align=center| [[Sukarno]] || align=center|[[Indonesia]] || align=center| 1949-1968 ||First President of Indonesia. Consolidated his powers, and got proclaimed President for LIfe. Was overthrown by the then Dictator of Indonesia, Suharto.
|-
|align=center|[[Mao Zedong]] || align=center|[[People's Republic of China]] || align=center|1949–1976 || Chairman of the PRC (1949 – 1959), Chairman of the [[Communist Party of China]] (1945 – 1976), Chairman of the [[Central Military Commission]] (1936 – 1976). Immense cult of personality; purged members of government; silenced opposition. Circumvented Communist Party hierarchy after the 1966 [[Cultural Revolution]]; imprisoned head of state [[Liu Shaoqi]]. Millions of Chinese citizens killed or murdered as a result of his policies and repression.
|-
| align=center|[[Park Chung Hee]] || align=center|[[South Korea]] || align=center|1961–1979 || Took power in 1961 coup. Although initially welcomed by much of the population, he suspended the constitution in 1971 and introduced a new constitution that greatly increased his power.
|-
| align=center|[[Ne Win]] || align=center|[[Burma]] || align=center|1962–1988 || Seized power in a coup; instituted extreme repression (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:rSAOt9c_lU0J:www.iseas.edu.sg/62003.pdf+%22Ne+Win%22+%22dictator%22], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:yqkmuBoqlnYJ:www.asiapacificms.com/papers/pdf/burma_india_china.pdf+%22Ne+Win%22+%22dictator%22]).
|-
| align=center|[[Thanom Kittikachorn]] || align=center|[[Thailand]] || align=center|1963–1973 || Military dictator, known as one of Thailand's so-called "Three Tyrants". Oppressed student-led uprisings in October 1973 and 1976.
|-
| align=center|[[Suharto]] || align=center|[[Indonesia]] || align=center|1967–1998 || His ''[[New Order (Indonesia)|New Order]]'' imprisoned Communists and alleged Communists; repressed Chinese inhabitants; made existing parties subordinate. Also a cleptocrat (with personal and family's assets at least worth US$ 15 billion, based on [[Time]] Magazine investigation in 1998). Described as a dictator in many sources (see[http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:Bbh_caM50o4J:www.aut.ac.nz/depts/commstud/journ/docs/reviewscronau.pdf+%22Suharto+dictatorship%22], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:128rEIvvRD4J:www.civiced.org/research/pdfs/RisingTide.pdf+%22Suharto+dictatorship%22], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:_233mw5azNkJ:cmbc.ucsd.edu/content/1/docs/laurance2004.pdf+%22Suharto+dictatorship%22]).
|-
| align=center|[[Lon Nol]] || align=center|[[Cambodia]] || align=center|1972–1975 || Gained power by coup; not elected.
|-
| align=center|[[Pol Pot]] || align=center|[[Democratic Kampuchea]] || align=center|1975–1979 || Unelected; led a [[Khmer Rouge]] dictatorship; responsible for deaths of at least 1 million Cambodian citizens during his rule.
|-
| align=center|[[Chun Doo Hwan]] || align=center|[[South Korea]] || align=center|1980–1988 || Gained power in a coup; declared martial law; oversaw [[Gwangju Massacre]].
|-
|align=center|[[Mahathir bin Mohamad]] ||align=center| [[Malaysia]] ||align=center| 1981-2003 || Authoritarian; suppresed opposition, media.
|-
| align=center|[[Khamtai Siphandon]] || align=center|[[Laos]] || align=center|1992–2006 || Unelected; one-party state (see[http://www.arthuredelstein.org/worlddictators]).
|-
| align=center|[[Than Shwe]] || align=center|[[Myanmar]] || align=center|'''1992–present''' || Unelected; persecution of minorities (especially [[Karenni]] and [[Rohingya]] groups [http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2005/51506.htm]) leading 250,000 to flee, either becoming [[IDP]]s or moving across the border to Thailand; consolidated power into himself from the [[SPDC]] - he moved to a new capital in Kyat Pyay in 2006 , &renamed it as Nay Pyi Daw ,i.e the Royal Palace City"; gained power via a military [[coup]] and announced that he would not hand over the power to [[Aung San Suu Kyi]]'s Elected Party (the [[NLD]]); no free press (see [http://www.bbc.co.uk/burmese/forum/story/2004/10/041020_khin_nyunt_ousted.shtml]).
|-
| align=center|[[Kim Jong-il]] || align=center|[[North Korea]] || align=center| 1994–2011 || Became General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and Chairman of the National Defense Commission (the highest state offices) on his father's death. Continues his father's "[[Juche]]" ideology.
|-
| align=center|[[Sonthi Boonyaratglin]] || align=center|[[Thailand]] || align=center|'''2006–present''' || Army chief seized power while Prime Minister [[Thaksin Shinawatra]] was out of the country. A state of martial law was declared, parliament was dissolved and the constitution abrogated. Instituted press censorship and restrictions on protests. The first Muslim in charge of the mostly Buddhist army.
|-
| align=center|[[Kim Jong-un]] || align=center|[[North Korea]] || align=center| '''2011-present''' || Became General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and Chairman of the National Defense Commission (the highest state offices) on his father's death. Continues his grandpa's "[[Juche]]" ideology.
|-
|}

==Europe==

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center| [[Oliver Cromwell]] || align=center| [[Commonwealth of England]] || align=center| 1653-1658 || A [[Puritan]] general in the [[English Civil War]] who quickly rose through the ranks to become ''de facto'' head of the Parliamentary forces. After the Royalist defeat and the execution of [[Charles I]] the newly constituted [[Rump Parliament]] was overthrown by Cromwell who refused the Crown, choosing instead the title of Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland. After his death the monarchy was reinstated. [http://www.olivercromwell.org/].
|-
| align=center| [[Maximilien Robespierre]] || align=center| [[France]] || align=center| 1793–1794 || Head of the Committee of Public Safety during the French Revolution. To purge french society of "Counter Revolutionaries", he instituted the heavily repressive Reign of Terror, a period which killed thousands of french citizens, many of those killed were simply killed under mere suspicion, with little or no proof. Desposed when the National Convention declared him an outlaw.
|-
| align=center| [[Napoleon Bonaparte]] || align=center| [[France]]|| align=center| 1799–1814 || First Consul, 1799-1804. Emperor of the French 1804-1814. Declared himself "First Consul for Life" in 1802 and then Emperor in 1804.
|-
| align=center| [[Józef Chłopicki|Józef Grzegorz Chłopicki]] || align=center| [[Poland]] || align=center| 1830–1831 || Held official title of dictator for one year only.
|-
| align=center| [[Napoleon III of France|Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte]] || align=center| [[France]] || align=center| (1848–1851) 1851–1870|| President of France from 1848 to 1852. In 1851 he launched a coup against the legislature, making himself absolute ruler. From 1852 to 1870 he styled himself Emperor of the French under the name Napoléon III from 1852 to 1870. Later during his reign constitutional liberties were gradually restored. In 1870 he was captured during the abortive [[Franco-Prussian War]] and deposed in his absence by the [[Third Republic]] of France.
|-
| align=center| [[Romuald Traugutt]] || align=center| [[Poland]] || align=center| 1863–1864 || Held official title of dictator for one year. Succeeded [[Marian Langiewicz]] who had declared himself dictator previously, but only lasted less than a year in 1863. 
|-
|align=center|[[Nicholas II]] ||align=center| [[Russia]] ||align=center| 1894-1917 || Ruthless, overthrown by the "October Revolution" and the newly established communist government. The last Tsar of Russia.
|-
| align=center| [[Vladimir Lenin]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center| 1917-1924 || Head of Bolshevik Revolution took power in 1917. Secured victory in the Russian civil war. Headed effort to transform the Russian economy to a socialist model.[http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/lenin_vladimir.shtml] 
|-
| align=center|[[Mustafa Kemal Atatürk]] || align=center|[[Turkey]] || align=center|1918-1938 || Led the Turkish national movement. Transformed Turkey into a secular republic through broad authoritarian reforms.
|-
| align=center| [[Benito Mussolini]] || align=center| [[Italy]] || align=center| 1922–1943, and in part of the country 1943-1945 || Prime Minister of Italy 1922-1943; head of the so-called [[Italian Social Republic]] until 1945. "He introduced strict censorship and altered the methods of election so that in 1925–1926 he was able to assume dictatorial powers and dissolve all other political parties" (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:0PFM13qC39YJ:www.ablongman.com/history_rh_bridge/assets/0321025865_ch15.pdf+%22Italian+dictator+Benito+Mussolini%22],[http://doi.contentdirections.com/mr/greenwood.jsp?doi=10.1336/0275979377]).
|-
| align=center| [[Miguel Primo de Rivera]] || align=center| [[Spain]] || align=center| 1923–1930 || Prime Minister of Spain. Gained power in a coup; suspended the constitution; established martial law; imposed strict censorship; banned all political parties. Widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9061388], [http://www.bartleby.com/65/pr/PrimRivM.html], [http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761565186/Miguel_Primo_de_Rivera.html]). 
|-
| align=center| [[Aleksandar Tsankov]] || align=center| [[Bulgaria]] || align=center| 1923-1926 || Established Right wing nationalist, anti communist coup against [[Stamboliyski]]’s democratic elected [[Agrarians]]. Forced out of power by Tsar [[Boris III]]. [http://www.bartleby.com/65/ts/TsankovA.html]. 
|-
| align=center| [[Joseph Stalin]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center| 1924–1953 || General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, 1922 - 1953; Premier of the Soviet Union 1941 - 1953. Never elected; cult of personality; heavily repressive; responsible for deaths of millions of Soviet citizens (see [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9108469], [http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761559200/Stalin_Joseph.html],[http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/commandingheights/shared/minitextlo/prof_josephstalin.html]).
|-
| align=center| [[Ahmet Bej Zogu]] || align=center| [[Albania]] || align=center| 1925–1939 || Originally elected Prime Minister of Albania 1922-1924 and 1925; President of Albania 1925-1928; crowned himself King of the Albanians (as Zog I) 1928-1939. Described as a dictator (see[http://www.albanian.com/information/history/independ.html], [http://www.diplom.org/manus/talossa/?lingo=&page=Statute&act=25RZ13], [http://www.electionworld.org/history/albania.htm]). Forced to flee with his wife, Queen Geraldine, the imminent takeover of the country by Italy under [[Benito Mussolini]].
|-
| align=center| [[José Mendes Cabeçadas]] || align=center| [[Portugal]] || align=center| 1926 || Leader of [[Ditadura Nacional]] during the first part of June immediately after the [[28th May 1926 coup d'état]]
|-
| align=center| [[Gomes da Costa]] || align=center| [[Portugal]] || align=center| 1926 || Succeeded Cabeçadas as head of the [[Ditadura Nacional]] for less than a month
|-
| align=center| [[António Óscar Carmona]] || align=center| [[Portugal]] || align=center| 1926-1928 || Head of [[Ditadura Nacional]]
|-
| align=center| [[Józef Piłsudski]]|| align=center| [[Poland]] || align=center| 1926–1935 || Polish Head of State 1918-1922, but regained power in 1926 via coup. Prime Minister of Poland 1926-1928 and 1930; Commander in Chief of the Army 1926-1935. Initiated authoritarian [[Sanacja]] government; often described as a "benevolent dictator".
|-
| align=center| [[Antanas Smetona]] || align=center| [[Lithuania]] || align=center| 1926–1940 || President of Lithuania. Seized power in a 1925 military coup (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:wEZn53dBGtoJ:www.gla.ac.uk/departments/dcees/Duvold.pdf+Antanas+Smetona+%22dictatorship%22]); authoritarian rule. His description as a dictator is common (see[http://www.encyclopedia.com/searchpool.asp?target=@DOCKEYWORDS%20balthistbio&unkey=balthistbio&clientIp=216%2E63%2E197%2E211&userAgent=Mozilla%2F4%2E0+%28compatible%3B+MSIE+6%2E0%3B+Windows+NT+5%2E1%3B+SV1%3B+%2ENET+CLR+1%2E1%2E4322%29]), but not universal.
|-
| align=center| [[António de Oliveira Salazar]] || align=center| [[Portugal]] || align=center| 1928–1968 || Prime Minister of Portugal. Established an anti-democratic, anti-parliamentarian, ultra-[[Clericalism|clericalist]], [[Corporativism|corporativist]], extremely conservative, repressive and authoritarian dictatorship, connoted with the Italian fascism, highly supported by the [[Roman Catholic Church]]. Longest right-wing dictatorship ever (four complete decades).
|-
| align=center| [[Alexander I of Yugoslavia|Alexander I]] || align=center| [[Yugoslavia]] || align=center| 1929-1934 || King of Yugoslavia from 1921. On January 6, 1929 he abolished the constitution, prorogued parliament and established the so-called "January 6 Dictatorship." A new constitution in 1931 left all significant political power in the hands of the King.
|-
| align=center| [[Engelbert Dollfuss]] || align=center| [[Austria]] || align=center| 1933–1934 || Chancellor of Austria 1932-1934. Suspended parliament indefinitely in March 1933, governing thereafter by decree. Rule sometimes compared to Mussolini or Franco (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:PUVNNLui6y4J:www3.la.psu.edu/hrsweb/majmin/Theses/Houlihan/Thesis.pdf+%22dictator%22+%22Dollfuss%22]).
|-
| align=center| [[Konstantin Päts]] || align=center| [[Estonia]] || align=center| 1933–1940 || State Elder 1933 - 1937; State Protector 1937 - 1938; President of Estonia 1938-1940. Established authoritarian rule following a coup. Allowed (and won) election in 1938.
|-
| align=center| [[Adolf Hitler]] || align=center| [[Nazi Germany]] || align=center| 1933–1945 || Chancellor of Germany 1933-1945; ''Führer'' (Leader) 1934-1945. The 1933 [[Enabling Act]] suspended most of the constitution and allowed Hitler to [[rule by decree]]. Heavily repressive; ordered imprisonment of millions of political opponents and members of ethnic minorities in concentration camps, where they were abused and killed.
|-
| align=center| [[Kimon Georgiev]] || align=center| [[Bulgaria]] || align=center| 1934 || Took power in coup. Overthrown by Tsar Boris III. 
|-
| align=center| Tsar [[Boris III]] || align=center| [[Bulgaria]] || align=center| 1934-1943 || Overthrew Kimon Geogiev. Took power him self ruled through puppet Prime Ministers Georgi Kyoseivanov. His Regime banned all opposition parties. Took Bulgaria into alliance with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. 
|-
| align=center| [[Kurt Schuschnigg]] || align=center| [[Austria]] || align=center| 1934–1938 || Chancellor of Austria. Maintained his predecessor Dollfuss' oppressive rule.
|-
| align=center| [[Karlis Ulmanis|Kārlis Ulmanis]] || align=center| [[Latvia]] || align=center| 1934–1940 || Prime Minister of Latvia 1934-1940; President of Latvia 1936 - 1940. Gained power in a coup and dissolved parliament; generally viewed as a "benevolent dictator" (see [http://www.ltn.lv/~krz/latvia/lat_history.html], [http://www.sciencedaily.com/encyclopedia/karlis_ulmanis], [http://www.bartleby.com/65/la/Latvia.html]).
|-
| align=center| [[Ioannis Metaxas]] || align=center| [[Greece]] || align=center| 1936–1941 || Prime Minister of Greece. Never elected; banned political parties; arrested opponents; criminalized unions; censored media. Widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.bartleby.com/65/pa/PapandrG.html], [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9052304], [http://www.ahistoryofgreece.com/biography/metaxas.htm]). 
|-
| align=center| [[Francisco Franco]] || align=center| [[Spain]] || align=center| 1936–1975 || Prime Minister of Spain 1938-1975 and Head of State 1939 - 1975 (in the Nationalist Zone, both only to 1939). Purged opposition; often referred to as a dictator or ''caudillo'' (see[http://www.policyreview.org/jun03/diamond.html], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:B1Mmefo38twJ:www.personal.psu.edu/mlb300/spainsocprob.pdf+%22dictator+Francisco+Franco%22],[http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:NsfbKjiVUowJ:www.acad.carleton.edu/curricular/POSC/faculty/montero/Spain%2520Paper%25201.pdf+%22dictator+Francisco+Franco%22], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:9ZzXaMENcm8J:www.artcult.org/cst/spain_prepack_participants.pdf+%22Francisco+Franco%22+%22dictatorship%22]). Strongly supported by the [[Roman Catholic Church]] worldwide.

|-
| align=center| [[Jozef Tiso]] || align=center| [[Slovakia]] || align=center| 1939–1945 || President of [[Slovak Republic (1939-1945)|WWII Slovak Republic]]. Led a partly Roman Catholic clerical, partly pro-Nazi, one-party state. Described by some as a dictator (see [http://www.adl.org/PresRele/HolNa_52/3578_52.asp], [http://dominican-republic.asinah.net/en/wikipedia/j/jo/jozef_tiso.html], [http://www.ce-review.org/00/19/vaknin19.html]).
|-
| align=center| [[Ion Antonescu]] || align=center| [[Romania]] || align=center| 1940–1944 || Prime Minister of Romania. Two days after his appointment, forced King Carol II (see above) to abdicate in favor of his son, Mihai. Named himself ''Conducător'' (Leader), assumed dictatorial powers and relegated monarchy to decorative role.
|-
| align=center| [[Philippe Pétain]] || align=center| [[Vichy France]] || align=center| 1940–1944 || Prime Minister of France 1940 - 1942; Head of State 1940 - 1944. The ''Assemblée Nationale'' of Vichy France suspended the [[Third Republic]] and granted Pétain dictatorial power, although ultimately he was answerable to the German Nazi hierarchy.
|-
| align=center| [[Ante Pavelic|Ante Pavelić]] || align=center| [[Croatia]] || align=center| 1941–1945 ||''Poglavnik'' ("Leader") of Croatia. Not elected; ordered massacres of Serbs, Jews, Gypsies and dissidents; hundreds of thousands slaughtered; led the genocial, devoutly Roman Catholic Ustase (see [http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/tyrants.htm], [http://www.cuttingedge.org/articles/RC130.html], [http://emperors-clothes.com/vatican/cpix.htm]). Supported by most, if not all, of the Roman Catholic church in Croatia.
|-
| align=center| [[Vidkun Quisling]] || align=center| [[Norway]]|| align=center| 1942–1945 || Minister President of Norway between 1942-1945, and founder of the fascist "National Unity" party . Traitor to his country. Executed by firing squad. Described as being the Hitler of Norway.
|-
| align=center| [[Ferenc Szálasi]] (Szálasi Ferenc) || align=center| [[Hungary]] || align=center| 1944–1945 || Leader of the [[fascist]] [[Arrow Cross]] party, Szálasi was installed as a fascist ruler by the [[Nazis]] following their overthrow of [[regent]] [[Miklós Horthy]].
|-
| align=center| [[Josip Broz Tito]] || align=center| [[Yugoslavia]] || align=center| 1944–1980 || Secretary-General of the Yugoslav Communist Party 1937 - 1963; Prime Minister of Yugoslavia 1945–1953; Premier of Yugoslavia 1953 - 1963; President of Yugoslavia 1953 - 1980; President of the ''Presidium of the League of Communists'' from 1963 until 1980. Declared himself [[President for Life]] in 1963. Viewed favorably in Yugoslavia despite authoritarian rule.
|-
| align=center| [[Enver Hoxha]] || align=center| [[Albania]] || align=center| 1944-1985|| General Secretary of the Albanian Party of Labour. Leader of single-party Communist state; extensive personality cult; Declared his nation to be the world's only officially atheist state and banned all practice of religion in 1967.
|-
| align=center| [[Mátyás Rákosi]] || align=center| [[Hungary]] || align=center| 1949-1953|| General Secretary of the [[Hungarian Workers Party]] and Prime Minister of the [[Hungarian People's Republic]]. Leader of single-party Communist state; nicknamed "Stalin's best Hungarian disciple"; Invented the phrase "[[salami tactics]]" to describe piecemeal assumption of power.
|-
| align=center| [[Nikita Khrushchev]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center| 1953-1964 || First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union between 1953-1964. Allowed limited liberalisation in the arts and media later on. 
|-
| align=center| [[Todor Zhivkov]] || align=center| [[Bulgaria]] || align=center| 1956-1989 || Head of pro soviet communist regimen in Bulgaria. Became party secretary in 1956 and prime minister in 1962. Forced out of power in 1989 by communist party to comply with demands of protesters.
|-
| align=center| [[Antonín Novotný]] || align=center| [[Czechoslovakia]] || align=center| 1957-1968 || Antonín Novotný, the First Secretary of the Communist Party and President of the Republic, was leader of Czechoslovakia during the Stalinisation of the country, resulting in the replacement of the Czechoslovakian democracy by a one-party communist state. His dictatorship centralized power and used force to protect his regime which lasted fifteen years.
|-
| align=center| [[Walter Ulbricht]] || align=center| [[German Democratic Republic]] || align=center| 1950/1960-1971 || General Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany 1950-1971 and Head of State 1960-1973.
|-
| align=center| [[Leonid Brezhnev]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center| 1964–1982 || First/General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union between 1964-1982. Formed a [[cult of Personality]] later on.
|-
| align=center| [[Nicolae Ceauşescu]] || align=center| [[Romania]] || align=center| 1965–1989 || General Secretary of the Romanian Communist Party, 1965-1989; President of Romania, 1974-1989. Leader of single-party Communist state; extensive personality cult developed during the 1970s. Lived lavish lifestyle while country was still using donkey carts.
|-
| align=center| [[George Papadopoulos]] || align=center| [[Greece]] || align=center| 1967–1973 || Prime Minister of Greece 1967 - 1973; Regent 1972 - 1973; President of Greece 1973. Gained power in a coup; lead military regime. Widely described as a dictator (see [http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0778782.html], [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/379334.stm], [http://www.hellas.net]).
|-
| align=center| [[Marcelo Caetano]] || align=center| [[Portugal]] || align=center| 1968–1974 || Prime Minister of Portugal 1968 - 1974; Upon the death of [[António de Oliveira Salazar]] he continued the dictatorial regime. Some liberties were improved but the situation of the country and the [[Portuguese Colonial War|colonial wars]] lead to the [[Carnation Revolution]].
|-
| align=center| [[Gustáv Husák]] || align=center| [[Czechoslovakia]] || align=center| 1969-1987 || Came into power through soviets, Crushed the Prague spring. Headed brutal secret police stepped down from power in 1987 two years before communism fell. 
|-
| align=center| [[Erich Honecker]] || align=center| [[German Democratic Republic]] || align=center| 1971-1989 || General Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany 1971-1989 and Head of State 1976-1989.
|-
| align=center| [[Phaedon Gizikis]] || align=center| [[Greece]] || align=center| 1973-1974 || President of Greece 1973-1974. Gained power in coup. Lead millitary regime installed by previous head of state.
|-
| align=center| [[Wojciech Jaruzelski]] || align=center|[[Poland]] || align=center|1961-1990 || Imposed martial law in Poland in 1981 in response to Solidarity party led strikes. Made himself head of the "Commission for National Salvation." Stated his actions were taken in order to prevent a Soviet invasion of Poland. Was President of Poland until his resignation in 1990. 
|-
| align=center| [[Yuri Andropov]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center| 1982-1984 || General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union between 1982-1984. Early signs of [[Perestroika]] and [[Glasnost]].
|-
| align=center| [[Konstantin Chernenko]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center| 1984-1985 || General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union between 1984-1985. Ailing stop-gap leader. 
|-
| align=center| [[Mikhail Gorbachev]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center| 1985-1991 || General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991 when the Soviet Union collapsed and the CPSU was banned. Oversaw democratisation in the Soviet Union, but was never directly elected as leader.
|-
| align=center| [[Slobodan Milošević]] || align=center| [[Serbia]], [[Yugoslavia]] || align=center| 1989-1997, 1997-2000 || In 1984 he became the head of the local Communist party in Belgrade and adopted a populist style, the party's leader. He successfully took over as head of the Serbian Communist party in 1987. He challenged the federal government, championed Serbian control of the autonomous provinces of Kosovo and Vojvodina, and advocated stridently socialist economic policy. By 1988, he had replaced party leaders in Kosovo and Vojvodina, and in 1989 he became president of Serbia. However, in September 1990, a new democratic constitution was passed allowing direct, multi-party presidential and parliamentary elections. Milosevic was elected president of Serbia for the first time in December 1990, although allegations persist of electoral fraud during the Milosevic years.
|-
| align=center| [[Alexander Lukashenko]] || align=center| [[Belarus]] || align=center| '''1994-present''' || President of Belarus. Said to have an "authoritarian ruling style". Lack of democratic standards. Human rights violations. Referred to as "Europe's last dictatorship."
|-
| align=center| [[Herman Van Rompuy]] || align=center| [[European Union]] || align=center| '''2009-present''' || President of the European Council (Head of State of the European Union). Unelected. Was involved in the deposition of the elected Prime Ministers of Greece of Italy. Has been accused of being a dictator.
|}

==Oceania==
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center| [[Sitiveni Rabuka]] || align=center|[[Fiji]] || align=center|1987–1992 || Twice gained power through coup, allowed elections in 1992, which he won.
|-
| align=center| [[Frank Bainimarama]] || align=center|[[Fiji]] || align=center|'''2006-present''' ||Launched a coup d'etat in December 2006 after weeks of threats against the elected government.
|}

==See also==
* [[Constitutional crisis]]
* [[Cult of personality]]
* [[List of political leaders who held active military ranks in office]]
* [[List of political leaders who suspended the constitution]]
* [[List of successful coups d'état]]
* [[President for Life]]
* [[Single-party state]]

==External links==
*[http://www.thedictatorship.com The Dictatorship]
*[http://www.dkosopedia.com/wiki/Dictators_and_Non-Democratic_Governments Dictators and Non-Democratic Governments]
*[http://www.lkwdpl.org/schools/horacemann/dictators/ Modern dictators and Human Rights Violations]
*[http://www.dkosopedia.com/wiki/Oppressive_Regimes Oppressive Regimes]
*[http://www.parade.com/articles/editions/2006/edition_01-22-2006/Dictators The World’s 10 Worst Dictators]

[[Category:Lists|dictators]][[Category:Totalitarianism]]

European Union

2013-06-09T16:05:25Z

Thatteapartyguy: /* The European Council */

{{Country
|name =''European Union''
|map =European_Union.jpg
|flag =567rugyhj.png
|arms =
|capital =
|capital-raw = [[Brussels]], [[Luxembourg]], [[Strasbourg]]
|government =
|government-raw = Sui generis [[supranationalism]]
|language = 23 official languages
|king =
|queen =
|monarch-raw =
|president =
|president-raw = Herman Van Rompuy (Council) Jose Manuel Barroso (Commission)
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =
|pm-raw =
|area =4,324,782 km² (1,669,807 sq mi)
|pop =497,198,740 (2007)
|pop-basis =
|gdp =$16,574 billion (2007 IMF)
|gdp-year =
|gdp-pc =$33,482 (2007 IMF)
|currency =euro
|idd =
|tld =.eu
}}
The '''European Union (EU)''' is an experiment in [[globalism]], combining very different cultures and nations into one legal, political and economic union of 27 [[European]] countries. It was formed in 1993 with the ratification of the [[Maastricht Treaty]], though its predecessor, the [[European Economic Community]], was founded in 1957. It is not the same as "[[Europe]]", though most European nations have joined the EU.

As a set of institutions, the EU has more powers over its member states and their citizens than other international bodies; many of its competencies are supranational (above the member states) rather than intergovernmental (between them). Despite having a legal personality and sovereignty in agreed areas, it is not regarded as a federation or state in its own right: rather, it stands somewhere between these two points. Fifteen member states use a common currency, the '''[[euro]]'''<ref>Five other states formally agree to use it, and four others use it without formal agreement.</ref>.

There is no EU military. Each nation has its own forces, but nearly all are members of [[NATO]], in which the U.S. has a preponderant voice.

The EU is a driving force of global economic and political integration, but Hix (2008) sees three problems with the EU: policy gridlock, lack of popular legitimacy and the democratic deficit. He notes, "In substantive terms ... the EU is closer to a form of enlightened despotism than a genuine democracy."<ref> Hix (2008) </ref>
==Politics==
Each nation elects members to the Parliament in proportion to population. The June 2009 elections saw sweeping gains by conservative and anti-immigration parties, as labor and socialist parties lost heavily. Since the 2004 elections the largest grouping has for the last five years been the centre-right European People's Party '''EPP''' (288 seats out of a current 785), followed by the centre-left '''PES''' (216) and the liberal '''ALDE''' (100). With the 2009 election EPP made gains and retains power in the parliament.

Conservative Jose Manuel Barroso, who will have a second term as European Commission president, thanked voters and assured them their voices would be heard.

In 2009 The British [[Labour Party]], Germany's [[SPD]] (Social Democrats) and France's Socialist Party suffered historic defeats--the worst defeat for Labour in Britain in a century..

Turnout was at an all-time low in some countries, including France (41%) and Germany (42%).

==Structure==

===The European Commission===
In September 2009 Jose Manuel Barroso, was re-elected as president of the European Commission after the European Parliament voted to give him a second term. This ended weeks of uncertainty during which Socialist, Green and Liberal critics tried to block Mr Barroso's candidacy on the grounds that he had yielded too much power to national governments and promoted the kind of free-market liberalism that led to the financial crisis.

The role and responsibilities of the European Commission place it at the centre of the EU's decision-making process. Acting as the EU's policy and executive engine, the Commission is composed of 27 Commissioners, one from each state, and is supported by a substantial staff located primarily in [[Brussels]], [[Belgium]]. In matters relating to economic integration ("First or 'Community' Pillar"), only the Commission has the right to propose legislation for approval by the EU Council and European Parliament. As "guardian of the Treaties," the Commission ensures that EU laws are applied and upheld throughout the EU, prosecuting member states and other institutions for failing to follow treaty precepts or otherwise apply Community law. The Commission has full authority to enforce Community competition policy, and its policing of implementation of Community legislation preserves the integrity of the EU single market. The Commission likewise manages and develops the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP), implements the budget, and represents the European Community in its areas of competence, notably including international trade negotiations.

The Commission President is appointed by agreement of the EU heads of government and is subject to approval by the European Parliament. Commissioners serve for a renewable five-year term. New Commissioners are identified by member state governments in consultation with the President-designate of the Commission and are normally put in place at the beginning of the term of the Commission President. The entire Commission must be confirmed as a collective whole by the European Parliament before its formal appointment by common accord of EU governments.

===The European Council===
The European Council brings together EU heads of government and the President of the European Commission; foreign ministers of member states also participate. Finance ministers are normally included when the leaders discuss questions related to the euro and the economy. The European Council meets at least twice a year, usually quarterly, at the end of each Presidency, to review major EU projects, set guidelines for policies and provide necessary guidance. The Presidency of the Council rotates every six months among EU member states (January–June; July–December). Its role has become increasingly important with the expansion of EU responsibilities and competencies. The Presidency organises and presides over the meetings of the European Council and EU Council (ministerial) meetings, drafts compromises, and seeks solutions to problems submitted to the European Council.

The President of the European Council is unelected and appointed by bureaucrats, filling a position similar to that of a constitutional monarch, albeit with much greater power. This has led many Euro-sceptics, such as MEP Nigel Farage, to describe the position as like that of a dictator.

===Council of Ministers===
The Council of Ministers of the European Union (the "EU Council") is the body in which representatives of the individual member state governments, usually ministers, legislate for the EU, set its political objectives, coordinate national policies and resolve differences among their governments and with other EU bodies. Legally speaking, there is only one Council, but it meets in nine different formations, depending on the matters on its agenda. Foreign ministers usually meet at least once a month in the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC), which deals with major foreign policy issues and plays a coordinating role. Ministers for the Economy and Finance (ECOFIN) and ministers responsible for agriculture also hold monthly meetings. Ministers for Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) hold regular meetings to coordinate policies within their competence.

The Council holds formal sessions in its Brussels headquarters, except in April, June and October, when all sessions take place in Luxembourg. Most formations of the Council also meet informally (tasking no legally binding decisions) in the country holding the EU Presidency, usually once in the course of the Presidency's six-month term. The most prominent of these informal meetings is the so-called "Gymnich" meeting of foreign ministers, named for a town in Germany where the first such meeting took place.

The Council takes most decisions under the Community Pillar by qualified majority voting (QMV) but endeavours to reach the broadest possible consensus before approving legislation. Unanimity is required for a number of specific areas related to economic integration (e.g. taxation), constitutional matters such as amendments to the treaties, the launching of a new common policy, the accession of a new member state, and matters falling within the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy, European Security and Defence Policy, and aspects of law enforcement and judicial cooperation. The number of votes cast by each member state when the EU Council votes by qualified majority voting was determined by the Nice Treaty and roughly correlates to the size of its population.

===The [[European Parliament]]===
The European Parliament is the largest trans-national parliament in the world, and the second-largest overall (behind [[India]]), with an electorate of almost half a billion. Members of the Parliament are directly elected by all EU citizens for five-year terms; elections follow national election procedures, except they have to be a form of proportional representation. Members do not sit in national delegations; rather, they sit in groups according to political affiliation (including Socialists, Christian Democrats/Conservatives, Liberals, Greens, et cetera).

Parliament's powers have gradually grown with the entry into force of the Single European Act (1986), the Maastricht Treaty (1993) and the Treaty of Amsterdam (1999). Parliament shares decision-making power on an equal footing with the Council in many areas under the Community Pillar to which the "co-decision procedure" applies. The European Parliament is one of the two branches with budgetary authority – the Council is the other. The signature of the EP president brings the overall EU budget into effect.

The European Parliament also plays a role in the process of selecting the President and other members of the Commission. The European Council's nomination of the President is subject to approval by the Parliament. The EP holds U.S.-style public hearings of Commission nominees before taking a formal vote to approve the nomination of the Commission as a body. Parliament has the power to censure the entire Commission, but not to dismiss individual Commissioners.

===The European Court of Justice===
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ensures uniform interpretation and application of both the Treaties establishing the European Communities and the secondary legislation and other law adopted under their authority. To enable it to carry out that task, the Court has wide jurisdiction to hear various types of cases. For example, the Court has the authority to hear and issue binding judgements in lawsuits that seek to annul a law adopted by the EU, to compel an EU institution to act, or to require that a member state comply with EU law. The ECJ may issue clarifications of EU law (in response to a request for a preliminary ruling from any member state court) and hears appeals on legal questions arising out of cases at the Court of First Instance. The ECJ currently has 27 justices and eight advocates-general, who are appointed by common accord of the governments of the member states and who hold office for six-year renewable terms.

==Sovereignty==
The member states of the European Union fall under the jurisdiction of the Union's legislative and judicial institutions (the Court of Justice, the Commission, the Council and the Parliament) in those competences that they have conferred to the Union (the principle of subsidiarity). Similar to Federal Law trumping State Law in United States politics, EU member states are obliged to follow the laws set forth by the European Court of Justice, even if their national laws are contradictory. This system of government pools sovereignty in those agreed areas from the nation, and rests it in the EU institutions. Some political theorists argue that the EU is thus the death of the nation, as by the [[Treaty of Westphalia]], nations are defined by their right of self-sovereignty; however, each member state has a legal right to cede from the EU, which non-sovereign components of states do not.

==Economy==
The institutions of the European Union were originally created to oversee the operation of the several economic communities that later became the Single European Market. Even as the EU's political integration has continued, the area of greatest integration has always been in the economic sphere: goods, capital, and labour move freely between member states (with exceptions for goods which pose a public health risk), businesses in all member states are increasingly subject to common basic rules, and fifteen of the 27 member states use a common currency, the euro. The rest of the states are legally obliged to adopt the euro when their economies meet strict ''Convergence Criteria''. The fifteen euro-area countries share a common monetary policy administered by the European Central Bank in Frankfurt, Germany. The EU strives to eliminate internal barriers to the free flow of goods, services, labour, and capital, and to promote the overall convergence of living standards. Internationally, the EU aims to strengthen Europe's trade position and capitalise on the political and economic leverage that a large, unified market brings.

===Growth===
The EU is the world's largest economic area (the U.S. is second) with a 2007 GDP of $16.6 trillion. Growth in many member states has been slow; between 2001 and 2003, the overall growth rate dropped from 1.8 percent to 1.0 percent, then recovered in 2004 to 2.4%, fell to 1.8 percent in 2005, then rose to 2.8% in 2006 and 2.4% in 2007. Within the euro area, growth varies as much as 4.5 percentage points between the fastest and slowest-growing economies: in 2005, the economies of Germany, France and Italy, grew by less than two percent. Growth remains strong in the new [[Central Europe]]an member states with rapidly industrialising economies.

In spring 2000, the EU committed to a ten-year strategic goal of transforming the EU into a more competitive, knowledge-based economy capable of sustaining higher levels of growth. Focusing on labour market reform, macroeconomic and fiscal policy, and promotion of e-commerce and entrepreneurship, the EU's "Lisbon Agenda" was an attempt to stimulate growth while remaining committed to the EU social model. Some suggest that it has so far failed to achieve its goals in large part because national governments (which retain authority over employment policy, immigration, large public sector workforces, entitlement programs and pensions) have not completed the necessary reforms, with unemployment at 6.9 percent in 2007. The European Commission re-launched the Lisbon Agenda in March 2005, promising three percent growth and six million new jobs by 2010. The revamped strategy focuses on developing political consensus within member states to make the changes necessary to complete elimination of barriers in the internal market, reduce the regulatory burden on business, improve labour market flexibility, provide incentives to work and increase investment in human capital.

===Fiscal and Monetary Policy===
Introduced in 1999, the euro is currently the official currency of fifteen of the 27 EU member states. The United Kingdom, Denmark and Sweden chose to retain their national currencies, and some of the newer EU members have yet to meet the strict economic conditions required to adopt the euro. Prior to the euro's launch in 1999, national currency exchange rates of countries intending to join the euro were fixed within an Exchange Rate Mechanism. Following the January 2002 introduction of euro notes and coins into general circulation, national currencies were removed from circulation. Each of the euro area countries agreed to abide by a shared fiscal policy rule book known as the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP). This agreement generally obliges national governments to limit government budget deficits to 3 percent of GDP and established a target debt-to-GDP ratio of below sixty percent. Although enforcement actions have been forgiving – France and Germany, for example, avoided sanctions despite missing SGP targets – countries violating the SGP are technically subject to sanctions by the European Commission. As of March 2005, national governments have been granted budget leeway to achieve structural reforms and to combat prolonged stagnation, negative growth or other factors, such as the cost of German reunification or state pensions. The revised standards still require deficits to remain close to the targets; they may only temporarily exceed the three percent limit.

The euro area's monetary policy is set by the European Central Bank (ECB), which must devise a monetary policy to accommodate a wide range of domestic policies and economic conditions within the euro area. The Treaties require that the ECB's primary objective be to maintain price stability (i.e., to keep inflation low). Euro area national governments have sometimes criticised the ECB for guarding against inflation at the expense of interest rate flexibility that could enable struggling economies to gain traction. The ECB's consistent overnight interest rate of two percent has been credited with creating favourable conditions for growth in Spain and Ireland, but has been blamed for hindering growth in France, Germany, Italy, and Portugal. Non-EU countries have also adopted the euro, including Andorra, United Kingdom base areas, Kosovo, Monaco, Montenegro, and the Vatican City. Additionally, several countries have currencies pegged to the euro, including French African states and those in the Exchange Rate Mechanism.

===Trade===
The EU is the world's largest exporter of goods and services. In 2003, the then fifteen EU members exported $987 billion worth of goods to non-EU countries. The EU's exports grew rapidly between 1996 and 2000 but have grown more slowly since. Except for 2002, the EU as a whole has posted a trade deficit every year since 1999; it was $62 billion in 2004. The EU is a major exporter of chemicals, transport equipment, and industrial machinery. The EU has large trade deficits in raw materials and energy, and a small deficit in food and drink.

The U.S. is the EU's main trading partner by a wide margin. U.S. goods and services exports to the EU reached $283 billion in 2004, while U.S. goods and services imports from the EU totalled $388 billion. Asian economies such as Japan and China, however, account for an increasingly important share of EU trade. The EU's two-way merchandise trade with China grew to $223 million in 2004, while merchandise trade with Japan was $149 million. Internal trade between euro area and non-euro area countries was down one percent in the first quarter of 2005, but the EU's external trade was up four percent, particularly with Russia and Norway.

Member states have given almost exclusive authority to the EU to negotiate binding international trade treaties. The European Community (EC) is a full member of the World Trade Organisation and plays an active role in the Doha Development Round to foster international trade in services and agricultural products. Bilaterally, the EC maintains framework agreements to facilitate trade flows with thirty-five countries worldwide, mostly elsewhere in Europe, in North Africa, and in the Middle East.

===Foreign Direct Investment===
The EU is both a major destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) and a major source of FDI. U.S. foreign direct investment in the EU totalled $83.3 billion in 2004; EU FDI into the U.S. totalled $46.6 billion. Following strong year-upon-year growth in the late 1990s, however, inward and outward flows of FDI have contracted since 2001. The EU is a net recipient of FDI from Japan, receiving $81 billion in 2003. Conversely, the EU is a net investor in Canada ($86 billion in outward investment in 2003), and China ($29 billion in outward investment in 2003). Growth of intra-EU FDI has increased rapidly in recent years and has increased much faster than FDI in non-EU countries.

The pattern of foreign investment by European firms reflects deep commercial ties with the United States. U.S. and EU businesses invest heavily and operate profitably on both sides of the Atlantic. U.S. affiliates in Europe accounted for 56 percent of the aggregate output of U.S. affiliates worldwide. European firms were the largest foreign investors in 44 U.S. states and the second largest foreign investor in the remaining six. Sales by U.S. affiliates in Europe totalled $1.5 trillion in 2002, more than double those of U.S. affiliates in the Asia/Pacific region. European affiliate sales in the U.S. were $1.2 trillion in 2002, more than three times the value of U.S. imports from Europe.

Intra-firm trade involving foreign affiliates is particularly important to the transatlantic trade and investment relationship. Approximately 58 percent of U.S. imports from the EU in 2004 involved trade between related parties, as did 30 percent of U.S. exports to Europe in 2003. This high level of intra-firm trade has contributed to the persistence of the U.S. trade deficit with Europe even as the dollar has lost value against the euro since 2002.

===Budget===
The EU's budget is composed of member state contributions. Equivalent to roughly one percent of the member states' combined gross national income (GNI), it was $123 billion in 2005. The UK receives a rebate for some of its contribution, as the CAP benefits the UK less than other states. In June 2005, the EU failed to agree on a budget plan for 2007 through 2013, due in part to a disagreement between the UK and France over the persistence of the UK budget rebate and the funding of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Costs attributable to the CAP constitute the EU's largest annual budget item, benefiting farmers across the EU, especially in France. Payments to net-recipient member states, designed to reduce economic and social disparities among EU countries and regions, are another budget item which has become more contentious with the accession of ten new states poorer than the EU average.

==Criticism==
A significant number of Europeans on the political right of centre are opposed to the EU on the grounds that it undermines national sovereignty and identity. The term "eurosceptic" has risen in popularity in Britan to describe these people, and among them are such members as the former British Prime Minister [[Margaret Thatcher]] (although, while in power, she committed Britain to the 1986 [[Single European Act]], a major integrationist measure). They also, however, include less well-respected politicians belonging to far right or [[nationalism|nationalist]] parties, such as France's [[Jean-Marie Le Pen]]. There are also extreme left-wing opponents of the European Union, such as ''Die Linke'' in Germany, who regard it as constituting an anti-progressive "Fortress Europe", and claim that EU membership impedes countries from following socialist policies.

==History==
Following World War II, traditional European rivals sought to solidify peace by bringing their nations together under a common institutional structure. Influenced by his compatriot [[Jean Monnet]], French Foreign Minister [[Robert Schuman]] officially tabled a plan on May 9, 1950 to pool French and German coal and steel production under an organisation that would be open to other European countries. German Chancellor [[Konrad Adenauer]] supported this proposal, and six founding countries – Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands – took an early step toward European integration by establishing the '''European Coal and Steel Community''' (ECSC) in 1951.

After failing to establish a European Defence Community in the 1950s, the six countries then decided to set up a common market. With the entry into force of the ''''Treaty of Rome''' in 1957, they created the '''European Economic Community''' (EEC), with an objective of liberating the movement of goods, capital, workers and services. (The European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM) was also established at this time.) The Treaty of Rome established the basic institutions and decision-making mechanisms still in place in today's European Union. in 1968, the EEC abolished customs duties between member states on manufactured goods. New policies, including a common agricultural policy (CAP) and a common trade policy, were in place by the end of the 1960s.

The success of the European integration project during a period of steady economic growth in the 1960s set the stage for a first enlargement – the accession of Britain, Ireland and Denmark – in 1973. Further "deepening" of European integration followed: the Community acquired executive authority in social, regional, and environment policies. The benefits of economic convergence became more evident in the context of the 1970s energy crisis and financial turmoil, which led to the launch of the European Monetary System in 1979. In the same year, the first direct elections to the European Parliament (EP) took place. Previously, delegates from national parliaments had represented their country's legislative bodies at the EP in Strasbourg, France.

The Community further expanded southward with the accession of Greece (1981, the second enlargement), followed by Spain and Portugal (1986, the third enlargement). These accessions led the EEC to adopt "structural programs" in order to reduce economic and social disparities among its regions.

During the 1960s and 1970s, the Community began to assert itself on the international scene with the conclusion of agreements with southern Mediterranean countries. Starting in 1963, the EEC signed four successive Lome Conventions, which guaranteed trading advantages and development aid for member states' former colonies in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific (ACP).

World recession and internal disputes over member states' financial burdens gave way, from 1985 onward, to renewed efforts for economic integration, enshrined in the 1985 "Single European Act" (SEA) and marked by the 1992 "Single Market Project." The SEA set January 1, 1993 as the date by which an internal single market was to be established and, by extending the practice of majority voting rather than unanimity in the EU Council, gave Community institutions the means of adopting the 300 Community-wide Directives required to abolish the remaining barriers and obstacles to intra-Community trade. In 1995, the Community entered into the "Barcelona" partnership with twelve southern Mediterranean countries. The partnership, reinforced by agreements on social, cultural, and human cooperation, was intended to lead to a free-trade area.

The collapse of the Berlin Wall and German unification prompted member states to negotiate the 1992 Treaty on European Union (the "Maastricht Treaty"). In addition to establishing the European Union, the Maastricht Treaty set an ambitious program of further integration: establishment of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) by 1999 (part of the "First or 'Community' Pillar"), setting up of a Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) ("Second Pillar"); and cooperation on Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) ("Third Pillar"). Shortly thereafter, in 1995, Austria, Finland and Sweden joined the EU – the fourth enlargement.

Signed in 1997 and entering into force on May 1, 1999, the '''Amsterdam Treaty''' partially streamlined the EU institutional structure. Its most significant effects were: (1) to transfer aspects of Justice and Home Affairs policy to the Community Pillar, enabling the Commission to propose decisions to be taken by the EU Council by qualified majority voting instead of by consensus, and (2) to establish a High Representative for the CFSP (who also serves as Secretary-General of the Council Secretariat). Ten countries in [[Central Europe]] and Cyprus began accession procedures in 1997, followed by Malta. The prospect of eastward enlargement raised significant resource concerns and prompted the adoption in March 1999 of the "Agenda 2000" package, which covered amendments to the CAP and EU structural policies, as well as a budgetary framework through 2006.

In May 1998, EU heads of government officially designated eleven member states eligible to adopt a single currency. Britain and Denmark "opted out." On January 1, 1999, the euro became the official currency of the EU, and the '''European Central Bank''' (ECB) put euro notes and coins into circulation in 2002. Today, fifteen countries use the euro: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain.

Streamlining the size and procedures of EU institutions to make the expanded EU more efficient was also an aim of the 2003 Treaty of Nice.

===Expansion===
In 2004, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia joined the EU, and in 2007 Bulgaria and Romania acceded, bringing total membership to 27. Candidate countries currently include Turkey, FYR Macedonia and Croatia, and potential candidates include the rest of the Western [[Balkans|Balkan]] states.

In October 2004, member states signed an EU Constitutional Treaty designed to replace all previous treaties. French and Dutch voters rejected the treaty through referendums in 2005, thereby suspending the ratification process. In 2007, a modified '''Treaty of Lisbon''' was agreed upon, which retains most of the reforms of the Constitution, but amends rather than replaces previous treaties.

At the late 2009 the [[European sovereign-debt crisis]] started. [[Greece]], [[Ireland]], [[Portugal]], [[Cyprus]], [[Spain]] and [[Italy]] are most affected.

==Candidates for membership==
[[Croatia]] will be a member of the EU on July the first 2013. There are three official candidates being considered for membership, [[Turkey]], [[Iceland]], [[Montenegro]], [[Serbia]] and [[Macedonia]]. The western Balkan states of Kosovo, Bosnia-Hercegovina and Albania are officially ''potential candidates''. A country that is expected to accede is required to make some economic, social and governmental changes to bring it in line with other member states.

The status of Turkey is highly controversial. It has repeatedly applied to join the EU but has been rejected each time on numerous grounds. Despite being one of the first countries to join the post-war Council of Europe and being a key regional power with a strong military Turkey has a long list of obstacles to overcome before accession. Many nations have cited its poor relations with other countries such as Cyprus, as well as its views on the rights of women and the Turkish Penal Code which includes the notorious Article 301. Article 301 is a recent piece of legislation that provides that "a person who publicly insults the Turkish nation, the State of the Republic of Turkey, or the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, shall be punishable by imprisonment of between six months and two years". Turkey's population of 70 million would make it one of the largest states in the EU with the second-highest amount of MEPs, and would be the first Muslim-majority state in Europe. Britain supports admission while France is strongly against Turkey's membership.

Gateway to the European Union (EU official website) <ref>http://europa.eu/</ref>

==Member states==
*[[Austria]]
*[[Belgium]]
*[[Bulgaria]]
*[[Cyprus]]
*[[Czech Republic]]
*[[Denmark]]
*[[Estonia]]
*[[Finland]]
*[[France]]
*[[Germany]]
*[[Greece]]
*[[Hungary]]
*[[Ireland]]
*[[Italy]]
*[[Latvia]]
*[[Lithuania]]
*[[Luxembourg]]
*[[Malta]]
*[[Netherlands]]
*[[Poland]]
*[[Portugal]]
*[[Romania]]
*[[Slovakia]]
*[[Slovenia]]
*[[Spain]]
*[[Sweden]]
*[[United Kingdom]]

==References==
<References/>

{{License|license = This work is in the [[public domain]] in the United States because it is a work of the United States Federal Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the US Code.| source = [http://www.state.gov/p/eur/rls/fs/54126.htm]}}
==Further reading==
* Cini, Michelle, and Nieves Perez-Solorzano Borragan, eds. ''European Union Politics'' (2009)
* Craig, Paul and Gráinne de Búrca. ''EU Law, Text, Cases and Materials'' (4th ed. 2007)
* Dinan, Desmond. '' Europe Recast: A History of European Union' '(2004).
* Hix, Simon. ''What's Wrong with the Europe Union and How to Fix It'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/Whats-Wrong-Europe-Union-How/dp/0745642055/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1263576617&sr=1-10-spell excerpt and text search]
* Kaiser, Wolfram. ''Christian Democracy and the Origins of European Union'' (2007)
* Peterson, John, and Michael Shackleton eds. ''The Institutions of the European Union'' (2nd ed. 2006)
* McCormick, John. ''The European Union: Politics and Policies'' (2007)
* Pinder, John, and Simon Usherwood. ''The European Union: A Very Short Introduction'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/European-Union-Short-Introduction-Introductions/dp/0199233977/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263575844&sr=1-3 excerpt and text search]
*Podmore, Will & Nicholls, Doug (2006), The EU: bad for Britain - a [[trade union]] view. Bread Books, ISBN 0-942112-5-1.
* Staab, Andreas. ''The European Union Explained: Institutions, Actors, Global Impact'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/European-Union-Explained-Institutions-Actors/dp/0253220181/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263575844&sr=1-2 excerpt and text search]
* Yesilada, Birol A. and David M. Wood. ''The Emerging European Union'' (5th ed. 2009)
[[Category:European Politics]]
[[Category:European History]]

European Union

2013-06-09T16:02:22Z

Thatteapartyguy: Pottering is no longer Parliament President, and Parliament President = Speaker of the House, not executive branch like Barroso is.

{{Country
|name =''European Union''
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|government-raw = Sui generis [[supranationalism]]
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|president =
|president-raw = Herman Van Rompuy (Council) Jose Manuel Barroso (Commission)
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|area =4,324,782 km² (1,669,807 sq mi)
|pop =497,198,740 (2007)
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|gdp-pc =$33,482 (2007 IMF)
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The '''European Union (EU)''' is an experiment in [[globalism]], combining very different cultures and nations into one legal, political and economic union of 27 [[European]] countries. It was formed in 1993 with the ratification of the [[Maastricht Treaty]], though its predecessor, the [[European Economic Community]], was founded in 1957. It is not the same as "[[Europe]]", though most European nations have joined the EU.

As a set of institutions, the EU has more powers over its member states and their citizens than other international bodies; many of its competencies are supranational (above the member states) rather than intergovernmental (between them). Despite having a legal personality and sovereignty in agreed areas, it is not regarded as a federation or state in its own right: rather, it stands somewhere between these two points. Fifteen member states use a common currency, the '''[[euro]]'''<ref>Five other states formally agree to use it, and four others use it without formal agreement.</ref>.

There is no EU military. Each nation has its own forces, but nearly all are members of [[NATO]], in which the U.S. has a preponderant voice.

The EU is a driving force of global economic and political integration, but Hix (2008) sees three problems with the EU: policy gridlock, lack of popular legitimacy and the democratic deficit. He notes, "In substantive terms ... the EU is closer to a form of enlightened despotism than a genuine democracy."<ref> Hix (2008) </ref>
==Politics==
Each nation elects members to the Parliament in proportion to population. The June 2009 elections saw sweeping gains by conservative and anti-immigration parties, as labor and socialist parties lost heavily. Since the 2004 elections the largest grouping has for the last five years been the centre-right European People's Party '''EPP''' (288 seats out of a current 785), followed by the centre-left '''PES''' (216) and the liberal '''ALDE''' (100). With the 2009 election EPP made gains and retains power in the parliament.

Conservative Jose Manuel Barroso, who will have a second term as European Commission president, thanked voters and assured them their voices would be heard.

In 2009 The British [[Labour Party]], Germany's [[SPD]] (Social Democrats) and France's Socialist Party suffered historic defeats--the worst defeat for Labour in Britain in a century..

Turnout was at an all-time low in some countries, including France (41%) and Germany (42%).

==Structure==

===The European Commission===
In September 2009 Jose Manuel Barroso, was re-elected as president of the European Commission after the European Parliament voted to give him a second term. This ended weeks of uncertainty during which Socialist, Green and Liberal critics tried to block Mr Barroso's candidacy on the grounds that he had yielded too much power to national governments and promoted the kind of free-market liberalism that led to the financial crisis.

The role and responsibilities of the European Commission place it at the centre of the EU's decision-making process. Acting as the EU's policy and executive engine, the Commission is composed of 27 Commissioners, one from each state, and is supported by a substantial staff located primarily in [[Brussels]], [[Belgium]]. In matters relating to economic integration ("First or 'Community' Pillar"), only the Commission has the right to propose legislation for approval by the EU Council and European Parliament. As "guardian of the Treaties," the Commission ensures that EU laws are applied and upheld throughout the EU, prosecuting member states and other institutions for failing to follow treaty precepts or otherwise apply Community law. The Commission has full authority to enforce Community competition policy, and its policing of implementation of Community legislation preserves the integrity of the EU single market. The Commission likewise manages and develops the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP), implements the budget, and represents the European Community in its areas of competence, notably including international trade negotiations.

The Commission President is appointed by agreement of the EU heads of government and is subject to approval by the European Parliament. Commissioners serve for a renewable five-year term. New Commissioners are identified by member state governments in consultation with the President-designate of the Commission and are normally put in place at the beginning of the term of the Commission President. The entire Commission must be confirmed as a collective whole by the European Parliament before its formal appointment by common accord of EU governments.

===The European Council===
The European Council brings together EU heads of government and the President of the European Commission; foreign ministers of member states also participate. Finance ministers are normally included when the leaders discuss questions related to the euro and the economy. The European Council meets at least twice a year, usually quarterly, at the end of each Presidency, to review major EU projects, set guidelines for policies and provide necessary guidance. The Presidency of the Council rotates every six months among EU member states (January–June; July–December). Its role has become increasingly important with the expansion of EU responsibilities and competencies. The Presidency organises and presides over the meetings of the European Council and EU Council (ministerial) meetings, drafts compromises, and seeks solutions to problems submitted to the European Council.

===Council of Ministers===
The Council of Ministers of the European Union (the "EU Council") is the body in which representatives of the individual member state governments, usually ministers, legislate for the EU, set its political objectives, coordinate national policies and resolve differences among their governments and with other EU bodies. Legally speaking, there is only one Council, but it meets in nine different formations, depending on the matters on its agenda. Foreign ministers usually meet at least once a month in the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC), which deals with major foreign policy issues and plays a coordinating role. Ministers for the Economy and Finance (ECOFIN) and ministers responsible for agriculture also hold monthly meetings. Ministers for Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) hold regular meetings to coordinate policies within their competence.

The Council holds formal sessions in its Brussels headquarters, except in April, June and October, when all sessions take place in Luxembourg. Most formations of the Council also meet informally (tasking no legally binding decisions) in the country holding the EU Presidency, usually once in the course of the Presidency's six-month term. The most prominent of these informal meetings is the so-called "Gymnich" meeting of foreign ministers, named for a town in Germany where the first such meeting took place.

The Council takes most decisions under the Community Pillar by qualified majority voting (QMV) but endeavours to reach the broadest possible consensus before approving legislation. Unanimity is required for a number of specific areas related to economic integration (e.g. taxation), constitutional matters such as amendments to the treaties, the launching of a new common policy, the accession of a new member state, and matters falling within the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy, European Security and Defence Policy, and aspects of law enforcement and judicial cooperation. The number of votes cast by each member state when the EU Council votes by qualified majority voting was determined by the Nice Treaty and roughly correlates to the size of its population.

===The [[European Parliament]]===
The European Parliament is the largest trans-national parliament in the world, and the second-largest overall (behind [[India]]), with an electorate of almost half a billion. Members of the Parliament are directly elected by all EU citizens for five-year terms; elections follow national election procedures, except they have to be a form of proportional representation. Members do not sit in national delegations; rather, they sit in groups according to political affiliation (including Socialists, Christian Democrats/Conservatives, Liberals, Greens, et cetera).

Parliament's powers have gradually grown with the entry into force of the Single European Act (1986), the Maastricht Treaty (1993) and the Treaty of Amsterdam (1999). Parliament shares decision-making power on an equal footing with the Council in many areas under the Community Pillar to which the "co-decision procedure" applies. The European Parliament is one of the two branches with budgetary authority – the Council is the other. The signature of the EP president brings the overall EU budget into effect.

The European Parliament also plays a role in the process of selecting the President and other members of the Commission. The European Council's nomination of the President is subject to approval by the Parliament. The EP holds U.S.-style public hearings of Commission nominees before taking a formal vote to approve the nomination of the Commission as a body. Parliament has the power to censure the entire Commission, but not to dismiss individual Commissioners.

===The European Court of Justice===
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ensures uniform interpretation and application of both the Treaties establishing the European Communities and the secondary legislation and other law adopted under their authority. To enable it to carry out that task, the Court has wide jurisdiction to hear various types of cases. For example, the Court has the authority to hear and issue binding judgements in lawsuits that seek to annul a law adopted by the EU, to compel an EU institution to act, or to require that a member state comply with EU law. The ECJ may issue clarifications of EU law (in response to a request for a preliminary ruling from any member state court) and hears appeals on legal questions arising out of cases at the Court of First Instance. The ECJ currently has 27 justices and eight advocates-general, who are appointed by common accord of the governments of the member states and who hold office for six-year renewable terms.

==Sovereignty==
The member states of the European Union fall under the jurisdiction of the Union's legislative and judicial institutions (the Court of Justice, the Commission, the Council and the Parliament) in those competences that they have conferred to the Union (the principle of subsidiarity). Similar to Federal Law trumping State Law in United States politics, EU member states are obliged to follow the laws set forth by the European Court of Justice, even if their national laws are contradictory. This system of government pools sovereignty in those agreed areas from the nation, and rests it in the EU institutions. Some political theorists argue that the EU is thus the death of the nation, as by the [[Treaty of Westphalia]], nations are defined by their right of self-sovereignty; however, each member state has a legal right to cede from the EU, which non-sovereign components of states do not.

==Economy==
The institutions of the European Union were originally created to oversee the operation of the several economic communities that later became the Single European Market. Even as the EU's political integration has continued, the area of greatest integration has always been in the economic sphere: goods, capital, and labour move freely between member states (with exceptions for goods which pose a public health risk), businesses in all member states are increasingly subject to common basic rules, and fifteen of the 27 member states use a common currency, the euro. The rest of the states are legally obliged to adopt the euro when their economies meet strict ''Convergence Criteria''. The fifteen euro-area countries share a common monetary policy administered by the European Central Bank in Frankfurt, Germany. The EU strives to eliminate internal barriers to the free flow of goods, services, labour, and capital, and to promote the overall convergence of living standards. Internationally, the EU aims to strengthen Europe's trade position and capitalise on the political and economic leverage that a large, unified market brings.

===Growth===
The EU is the world's largest economic area (the U.S. is second) with a 2007 GDP of $16.6 trillion. Growth in many member states has been slow; between 2001 and 2003, the overall growth rate dropped from 1.8 percent to 1.0 percent, then recovered in 2004 to 2.4%, fell to 1.8 percent in 2005, then rose to 2.8% in 2006 and 2.4% in 2007. Within the euro area, growth varies as much as 4.5 percentage points between the fastest and slowest-growing economies: in 2005, the economies of Germany, France and Italy, grew by less than two percent. Growth remains strong in the new [[Central Europe]]an member states with rapidly industrialising economies.

In spring 2000, the EU committed to a ten-year strategic goal of transforming the EU into a more competitive, knowledge-based economy capable of sustaining higher levels of growth. Focusing on labour market reform, macroeconomic and fiscal policy, and promotion of e-commerce and entrepreneurship, the EU's "Lisbon Agenda" was an attempt to stimulate growth while remaining committed to the EU social model. Some suggest that it has so far failed to achieve its goals in large part because national governments (which retain authority over employment policy, immigration, large public sector workforces, entitlement programs and pensions) have not completed the necessary reforms, with unemployment at 6.9 percent in 2007. The European Commission re-launched the Lisbon Agenda in March 2005, promising three percent growth and six million new jobs by 2010. The revamped strategy focuses on developing political consensus within member states to make the changes necessary to complete elimination of barriers in the internal market, reduce the regulatory burden on business, improve labour market flexibility, provide incentives to work and increase investment in human capital.

===Fiscal and Monetary Policy===
Introduced in 1999, the euro is currently the official currency of fifteen of the 27 EU member states. The United Kingdom, Denmark and Sweden chose to retain their national currencies, and some of the newer EU members have yet to meet the strict economic conditions required to adopt the euro. Prior to the euro's launch in 1999, national currency exchange rates of countries intending to join the euro were fixed within an Exchange Rate Mechanism. Following the January 2002 introduction of euro notes and coins into general circulation, national currencies were removed from circulation. Each of the euro area countries agreed to abide by a shared fiscal policy rule book known as the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP). This agreement generally obliges national governments to limit government budget deficits to 3 percent of GDP and established a target debt-to-GDP ratio of below sixty percent. Although enforcement actions have been forgiving – France and Germany, for example, avoided sanctions despite missing SGP targets – countries violating the SGP are technically subject to sanctions by the European Commission. As of March 2005, national governments have been granted budget leeway to achieve structural reforms and to combat prolonged stagnation, negative growth or other factors, such as the cost of German reunification or state pensions. The revised standards still require deficits to remain close to the targets; they may only temporarily exceed the three percent limit.

The euro area's monetary policy is set by the European Central Bank (ECB), which must devise a monetary policy to accommodate a wide range of domestic policies and economic conditions within the euro area. The Treaties require that the ECB's primary objective be to maintain price stability (i.e., to keep inflation low). Euro area national governments have sometimes criticised the ECB for guarding against inflation at the expense of interest rate flexibility that could enable struggling economies to gain traction. The ECB's consistent overnight interest rate of two percent has been credited with creating favourable conditions for growth in Spain and Ireland, but has been blamed for hindering growth in France, Germany, Italy, and Portugal. Non-EU countries have also adopted the euro, including Andorra, United Kingdom base areas, Kosovo, Monaco, Montenegro, and the Vatican City. Additionally, several countries have currencies pegged to the euro, including French African states and those in the Exchange Rate Mechanism.

===Trade===
The EU is the world's largest exporter of goods and services. In 2003, the then fifteen EU members exported $987 billion worth of goods to non-EU countries. The EU's exports grew rapidly between 1996 and 2000 but have grown more slowly since. Except for 2002, the EU as a whole has posted a trade deficit every year since 1999; it was $62 billion in 2004. The EU is a major exporter of chemicals, transport equipment, and industrial machinery. The EU has large trade deficits in raw materials and energy, and a small deficit in food and drink.

The U.S. is the EU's main trading partner by a wide margin. U.S. goods and services exports to the EU reached $283 billion in 2004, while U.S. goods and services imports from the EU totalled $388 billion. Asian economies such as Japan and China, however, account for an increasingly important share of EU trade. The EU's two-way merchandise trade with China grew to $223 million in 2004, while merchandise trade with Japan was $149 million. Internal trade between euro area and non-euro area countries was down one percent in the first quarter of 2005, but the EU's external trade was up four percent, particularly with Russia and Norway.

Member states have given almost exclusive authority to the EU to negotiate binding international trade treaties. The European Community (EC) is a full member of the World Trade Organisation and plays an active role in the Doha Development Round to foster international trade in services and agricultural products. Bilaterally, the EC maintains framework agreements to facilitate trade flows with thirty-five countries worldwide, mostly elsewhere in Europe, in North Africa, and in the Middle East.

===Foreign Direct Investment===
The EU is both a major destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) and a major source of FDI. U.S. foreign direct investment in the EU totalled $83.3 billion in 2004; EU FDI into the U.S. totalled $46.6 billion. Following strong year-upon-year growth in the late 1990s, however, inward and outward flows of FDI have contracted since 2001. The EU is a net recipient of FDI from Japan, receiving $81 billion in 2003. Conversely, the EU is a net investor in Canada ($86 billion in outward investment in 2003), and China ($29 billion in outward investment in 2003). Growth of intra-EU FDI has increased rapidly in recent years and has increased much faster than FDI in non-EU countries.

The pattern of foreign investment by European firms reflects deep commercial ties with the United States. U.S. and EU businesses invest heavily and operate profitably on both sides of the Atlantic. U.S. affiliates in Europe accounted for 56 percent of the aggregate output of U.S. affiliates worldwide. European firms were the largest foreign investors in 44 U.S. states and the second largest foreign investor in the remaining six. Sales by U.S. affiliates in Europe totalled $1.5 trillion in 2002, more than double those of U.S. affiliates in the Asia/Pacific region. European affiliate sales in the U.S. were $1.2 trillion in 2002, more than three times the value of U.S. imports from Europe.

Intra-firm trade involving foreign affiliates is particularly important to the transatlantic trade and investment relationship. Approximately 58 percent of U.S. imports from the EU in 2004 involved trade between related parties, as did 30 percent of U.S. exports to Europe in 2003. This high level of intra-firm trade has contributed to the persistence of the U.S. trade deficit with Europe even as the dollar has lost value against the euro since 2002.

===Budget===
The EU's budget is composed of member state contributions. Equivalent to roughly one percent of the member states' combined gross national income (GNI), it was $123 billion in 2005. The UK receives a rebate for some of its contribution, as the CAP benefits the UK less than other states. In June 2005, the EU failed to agree on a budget plan for 2007 through 2013, due in part to a disagreement between the UK and France over the persistence of the UK budget rebate and the funding of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Costs attributable to the CAP constitute the EU's largest annual budget item, benefiting farmers across the EU, especially in France. Payments to net-recipient member states, designed to reduce economic and social disparities among EU countries and regions, are another budget item which has become more contentious with the accession of ten new states poorer than the EU average.

==Criticism==
A significant number of Europeans on the political right of centre are opposed to the EU on the grounds that it undermines national sovereignty and identity. The term "eurosceptic" has risen in popularity in Britan to describe these people, and among them are such members as the former British Prime Minister [[Margaret Thatcher]] (although, while in power, she committed Britain to the 1986 [[Single European Act]], a major integrationist measure). They also, however, include less well-respected politicians belonging to far right or [[nationalism|nationalist]] parties, such as France's [[Jean-Marie Le Pen]]. There are also extreme left-wing opponents of the European Union, such as ''Die Linke'' in Germany, who regard it as constituting an anti-progressive "Fortress Europe", and claim that EU membership impedes countries from following socialist policies.

==History==
Following World War II, traditional European rivals sought to solidify peace by bringing their nations together under a common institutional structure. Influenced by his compatriot [[Jean Monnet]], French Foreign Minister [[Robert Schuman]] officially tabled a plan on May 9, 1950 to pool French and German coal and steel production under an organisation that would be open to other European countries. German Chancellor [[Konrad Adenauer]] supported this proposal, and six founding countries – Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands – took an early step toward European integration by establishing the '''European Coal and Steel Community''' (ECSC) in 1951.

After failing to establish a European Defence Community in the 1950s, the six countries then decided to set up a common market. With the entry into force of the ''''Treaty of Rome''' in 1957, they created the '''European Economic Community''' (EEC), with an objective of liberating the movement of goods, capital, workers and services. (The European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM) was also established at this time.) The Treaty of Rome established the basic institutions and decision-making mechanisms still in place in today's European Union. in 1968, the EEC abolished customs duties between member states on manufactured goods. New policies, including a common agricultural policy (CAP) and a common trade policy, were in place by the end of the 1960s.

The success of the European integration project during a period of steady economic growth in the 1960s set the stage for a first enlargement – the accession of Britain, Ireland and Denmark – in 1973. Further "deepening" of European integration followed: the Community acquired executive authority in social, regional, and environment policies. The benefits of economic convergence became more evident in the context of the 1970s energy crisis and financial turmoil, which led to the launch of the European Monetary System in 1979. In the same year, the first direct elections to the European Parliament (EP) took place. Previously, delegates from national parliaments had represented their country's legislative bodies at the EP in Strasbourg, France.

The Community further expanded southward with the accession of Greece (1981, the second enlargement), followed by Spain and Portugal (1986, the third enlargement). These accessions led the EEC to adopt "structural programs" in order to reduce economic and social disparities among its regions.

During the 1960s and 1970s, the Community began to assert itself on the international scene with the conclusion of agreements with southern Mediterranean countries. Starting in 1963, the EEC signed four successive Lome Conventions, which guaranteed trading advantages and development aid for member states' former colonies in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific (ACP).

World recession and internal disputes over member states' financial burdens gave way, from 1985 onward, to renewed efforts for economic integration, enshrined in the 1985 "Single European Act" (SEA) and marked by the 1992 "Single Market Project." The SEA set January 1, 1993 as the date by which an internal single market was to be established and, by extending the practice of majority voting rather than unanimity in the EU Council, gave Community institutions the means of adopting the 300 Community-wide Directives required to abolish the remaining barriers and obstacles to intra-Community trade. In 1995, the Community entered into the "Barcelona" partnership with twelve southern Mediterranean countries. The partnership, reinforced by agreements on social, cultural, and human cooperation, was intended to lead to a free-trade area.

The collapse of the Berlin Wall and German unification prompted member states to negotiate the 1992 Treaty on European Union (the "Maastricht Treaty"). In addition to establishing the European Union, the Maastricht Treaty set an ambitious program of further integration: establishment of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) by 1999 (part of the "First or 'Community' Pillar"), setting up of a Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) ("Second Pillar"); and cooperation on Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) ("Third Pillar"). Shortly thereafter, in 1995, Austria, Finland and Sweden joined the EU – the fourth enlargement.

Signed in 1997 and entering into force on May 1, 1999, the '''Amsterdam Treaty''' partially streamlined the EU institutional structure. Its most significant effects were: (1) to transfer aspects of Justice and Home Affairs policy to the Community Pillar, enabling the Commission to propose decisions to be taken by the EU Council by qualified majority voting instead of by consensus, and (2) to establish a High Representative for the CFSP (who also serves as Secretary-General of the Council Secretariat). Ten countries in [[Central Europe]] and Cyprus began accession procedures in 1997, followed by Malta. The prospect of eastward enlargement raised significant resource concerns and prompted the adoption in March 1999 of the "Agenda 2000" package, which covered amendments to the CAP and EU structural policies, as well as a budgetary framework through 2006.

In May 1998, EU heads of government officially designated eleven member states eligible to adopt a single currency. Britain and Denmark "opted out." On January 1, 1999, the euro became the official currency of the EU, and the '''European Central Bank''' (ECB) put euro notes and coins into circulation in 2002. Today, fifteen countries use the euro: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain.

Streamlining the size and procedures of EU institutions to make the expanded EU more efficient was also an aim of the 2003 Treaty of Nice.

===Expansion===
In 2004, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia joined the EU, and in 2007 Bulgaria and Romania acceded, bringing total membership to 27. Candidate countries currently include Turkey, FYR Macedonia and Croatia, and potential candidates include the rest of the Western [[Balkans|Balkan]] states.

In October 2004, member states signed an EU Constitutional Treaty designed to replace all previous treaties. French and Dutch voters rejected the treaty through referendums in 2005, thereby suspending the ratification process. In 2007, a modified '''Treaty of Lisbon''' was agreed upon, which retains most of the reforms of the Constitution, but amends rather than replaces previous treaties.

At the late 2009 the [[European sovereign-debt crisis]] started. [[Greece]], [[Ireland]], [[Portugal]], [[Cyprus]], [[Spain]] and [[Italy]] are most affected.

==Candidates for membership==
[[Croatia]] will be a member of the EU on July the first 2013. There are three official candidates being considered for membership, [[Turkey]], [[Iceland]], [[Montenegro]], [[Serbia]] and [[Macedonia]]. The western Balkan states of Kosovo, Bosnia-Hercegovina and Albania are officially ''potential candidates''. A country that is expected to accede is required to make some economic, social and governmental changes to bring it in line with other member states.

The status of Turkey is highly controversial. It has repeatedly applied to join the EU but has been rejected each time on numerous grounds. Despite being one of the first countries to join the post-war Council of Europe and being a key regional power with a strong military Turkey has a long list of obstacles to overcome before accession. Many nations have cited its poor relations with other countries such as Cyprus, as well as its views on the rights of women and the Turkish Penal Code which includes the notorious Article 301. Article 301 is a recent piece of legislation that provides that "a person who publicly insults the Turkish nation, the State of the Republic of Turkey, or the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, shall be punishable by imprisonment of between six months and two years". Turkey's population of 70 million would make it one of the largest states in the EU with the second-highest amount of MEPs, and would be the first Muslim-majority state in Europe. Britain supports admission while France is strongly against Turkey's membership.

Gateway to the European Union (EU official website) <ref>http://europa.eu/</ref>

==Member states==
*[[Austria]]
*[[Belgium]]
*[[Bulgaria]]
*[[Cyprus]]
*[[Czech Republic]]
*[[Denmark]]
*[[Estonia]]
*[[Finland]]
*[[France]]
*[[Germany]]
*[[Greece]]
*[[Hungary]]
*[[Ireland]]
*[[Italy]]
*[[Latvia]]
*[[Lithuania]]
*[[Luxembourg]]
*[[Malta]]
*[[Netherlands]]
*[[Poland]]
*[[Portugal]]
*[[Romania]]
*[[Slovakia]]
*[[Slovenia]]
*[[Spain]]
*[[Sweden]]
*[[United Kingdom]]

==References==
<References/>

{{License|license = This work is in the [[public domain]] in the United States because it is a work of the United States Federal Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the US Code.| source = [http://www.state.gov/p/eur/rls/fs/54126.htm]}}
==Further reading==
* Cini, Michelle, and Nieves Perez-Solorzano Borragan, eds. ''European Union Politics'' (2009)
* Craig, Paul and Gráinne de Búrca. ''EU Law, Text, Cases and Materials'' (4th ed. 2007)
* Dinan, Desmond. '' Europe Recast: A History of European Union' '(2004).
* Hix, Simon. ''What's Wrong with the Europe Union and How to Fix It'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/Whats-Wrong-Europe-Union-How/dp/0745642055/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1263576617&sr=1-10-spell excerpt and text search]
* Kaiser, Wolfram. ''Christian Democracy and the Origins of European Union'' (2007)
* Peterson, John, and Michael Shackleton eds. ''The Institutions of the European Union'' (2nd ed. 2006)
* McCormick, John. ''The European Union: Politics and Policies'' (2007)
* Pinder, John, and Simon Usherwood. ''The European Union: A Very Short Introduction'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/European-Union-Short-Introduction-Introductions/dp/0199233977/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263575844&sr=1-3 excerpt and text search]
*Podmore, Will & Nicholls, Doug (2006), The EU: bad for Britain - a [[trade union]] view. Bread Books, ISBN 0-942112-5-1.
* Staab, Andreas. ''The European Union Explained: Institutions, Actors, Global Impact'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/European-Union-Explained-Institutions-Actors/dp/0253220181/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263575844&sr=1-2 excerpt and text search]
* Yesilada, Birol A. and David M. Wood. ''The Emerging European Union'' (5th ed. 2009)
[[Category:European Politics]]
[[Category:European History]]

RINO

2013-05-07T17:45:49Z

Thatteapartyguy: /* RINOs currently holding political office */

[[File:Kel-rino.jpg|thumb|250px|Sergeant [[Jesse Kelly]] runs for Congress in Arizona in 2009 and attacks the RINOs in the GOP]]
A '''RINO''' ('''R'''epublican '''i'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly) is an officeholder or candidate who is a member of the [[Republican Party]], but holds views to the political left of most Republican voters. The term "RINO" describes politicians who claim to be [[Republican Party|Republican]] but are in fact [[liberal]], and therefore generally debase the winning conservative coalition base of the Republican Party.

RINOs are often Republican only to the extent it serves their own interests, and will abandon conservative principles as soon as it is in their own interests to do so. RINOs often provide support for raising taxes, [[abortion]] as [[Pro-choice|a right]], [[gay rights]] and [[gun control]]. Some RINOs have connections with [[Planned Parenthood]] or corporations that support goals of [[population control]]; other RINOs pay lip service to [[pro-life]] values while in practice not advancing those values.

[[Double standard]]s by RINOs are common: a birther comment by [[Romney]] during his campaign was supposedly a "nothing", but [[Todd Akin]]'s [[pro-life]] comment would somehow "absolutely" could cost RINOs control of the [[U.S. Senate]]!<ref>http://content.usatoday.com/communities/onpolitics/post/2012/08/todd-akin-rape-missouri-senate-race-reince-priebus-/1#.UDpUhNZlQ7s</ref>

RINOs, like Democrats, typically come from states in [[New England]], the Mid-Atlantic; or states on the [[Left Coast]]. A less-used term is '''[[cafeteria conservative]]''', for a person who picks and chooses which [[conservative]] principles to believe, as a person might choose foods in a cafeteria instead of ordering the full-course ''menu'' selected by the chef at most restaurants.<ref>[http://www.manp.org/association-spotlight/archives/james-carville-mary-matalin-he-said-she-said James Carville & Mary Matalin: He Said, She Said]</ref> In contrast to RINO's and cafeteria conservatives, [[movement conservative]]s understand that since conservative philosophy is a coherent whole, it is untenable to discard part of it without discarding all of it.

The RINO targets of attack argue they follow [[middle of the road]] policies and are not liberals; they claim they get results, and insist that without them the [[United States Congress|Congress]] would be totally controlled by liberal [[Democratic Party|Democrats]] and Republicans would rarely have any success. Conservatives respond that in the heyday of "Rockefeller liberalism" in the GOP the Democrats always controlled Congress, and the GOP only took power when [[Newt Gingrich]] launched a national conservative "Contract with America" in 1994, ending 40 years of Democratic control of the [[United States House of Representatives|House]]. The notion that we need to elect Democrat-lite type of politicians is false. The election cycles of 2010 and 2012 proved that many RINO candidates are unelectable. RINO candidates wasted millions of dollars; Carly Fiorina, Meg Whitman, Scott Brown, Linda McMahon, and many others could not connect with the people in liberal blue states.

In recent Republican [[Primary election|primaries]], voters have been rejecting establishment RINOs in favor of those with stronger conservative principles. Their commitment to self and not party is evident in their refusal to endorse the candidate that beats them. In some instances, they refuse the will of the voters and their party by running for office on an [[Independent candidate|independent ticket]]. It is important to vote for someone who's more conservative on the issues rather than for a Republican because anyone can join a party and be they can be RINOs.

== RINOs currently holding political office==

*Defense Secretary [[Chuck Hagel]] of [[Nebraska]]

*Senator [[Susan Collins]] of [[Maine]]

*Senator [[Lindsey Graham]] of [[South Carolina]]

*Senator [[Lisa Murkowski]] of [[Alaska]]

*Senator [[Mark Kirk]] of [[Illinois]]

*Senator [[John McCain]] of [[Arizona]]

*Senator [[Saxby Chambliss]] of [[Georgia]]

*Senator [[Charles Grassley]] of [[Iowa]]

*Senator [[Mike Crapo]] of [[Idaho]]

*Senator [[Lamar Alexander]] of [[Tennessee]]

*Senator [[Bob Corker]] of [[Tennessee]]

*Senator [[Richard Shelby]] of [[Alabama]]

*Senator [[Johnny Isakson]] of [[Georgia]]

*Senator [[Rob Portman]] of [[Ohio]] for supporting gay marriage<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/03/15/ohio-sen-portman-now-supports-gay-marriage/</ref>

*Governor [[Chris Christie]] of [[New Jersey]]

*Governor [[Rick Scott]] of [[Florida]]

*Governor [[Bob McDonnell]] of [[Virginia]]

*Transportation Secretary [[Ray Lahood]]

*Rep. [[Don Young]] of [[Alaska]]

*Rep. [[David Dreier]] of [[California]]

*Rep. [[Scott Rigell]] of [[Virginia]]

*Rep. [[Joe Heck]] of [[Nevada]]

*Rep. [[Candice Miller]] of [[Michigan]]

*Rep. [[Peter King]] of [[New York]]

*Rep. [[Chris Gibson]] of [[New York]]

*Rep. [[Michael Simpson]] of [[Idaho]]

*Rep [[Ileana Ros-Lehtinen]] of [[Florida]], for her support of the homosexual agenda<ref>http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/23/ileana-roslehtinen-become_n_977464.html</ref>

*Supreme Court Chief Justice [[John Roberts]] after his support of gutting Arizona's immigration law and yet being the swing vote responsible for keeping [[Obamacare]] upheld. As Supreme Court Justices officially have no party, he is more of a "conservative in name only".

*State Senator Allan Kittleman of [[Maryland]], for promoting homosexual [[special rights]]<ref>[http://voices.washingtonpost.com/annapolis/2011/02/gop_senator_announces_support.html GOP senator announces support for Md. same-sex marriage bill]</ref>

==RINOs currently not holding political office==

*[[Jon Bruning]], who lost a double-digit lead in a stunning upset for the [[Republican]] nomination for [[U.S. Senate]] in [[Nebraska]] in 2012.

*Former President [[Theodore Roosevelt]], because he regulated the economy and used social justice.

*Former Senator [[Alan Simpson]] of [[Wyoming]]

*Former Senator [[Scott Brown]] of [[Massachusetts]]

*Former Senator [[George Voinovich]] of [[Ohio]]

*Former Senator [[Gordon Smith]] of [[Oregon]]

*Former Senator [[Charles Mathias]] of [[Maryland]]

*Former Senator [[Bob Bennett]] of [[Utah]]

*Former Senator [[Olympia J. Snowe]] of [[Maine]]

*Former Senator [[Kay Bailey Hutchison]] of [[Texas]]

*Former Senator [[Richard Lugar]] of [[Indiana]]

*Former Vice-President and Senator [[Nelson Rockefeller]] of [[New York]]

*Former Congressman Steve LaTourette of [[Ohio]]

*Former Congressman [[Christopher Shays]] of [[Connecticut]]

*Former Congressman [[Tom Campbell]] of [[California]]

*Former Congressman and Governor [[Michael Castle]] of [[Delaware]]

*Former Congressman [[Joseph Cao]] of [[Louisiana]]

*Former Congressman [[Joe Scarborough]] of [[Florida]]

*Former Congresswoman [[Jennifer Dunn]] of [[Washington]]

*Former Governor [[Jeb Bush]] of [[Florida]]

*Former Governor [[Jon Huntsman, Jr.]] of [[Utah]]

*Former Governor [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]] of [[California]]

*Former Governor [[Linda Lingle]] of [[Hawaii]]

*Former Governor [[Mitch Daniels]] of [[Indiana]]

*Former Governor [[George Pataki]] of [[New York]]

*Former Governor and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator [[Christine Todd Whitman]] of [[New Jersey]]

*Former Secretary of State [[Colin Powell]]

*Former Secretary of [[Homeland Security]] [[Tom Ridge]].

*Former Press Secretary [[Scott McClellan]]

*Former [[New York City]] Mayor [[Rudy Giuliani]]

*Former New York Congressional Candidate [[Dede Scozzafava]]

*[[Meghan McCain]]

*[[Fred Karger]], for supporting abortion and the homosexual agenda.

*[[Karl Rove]], for supporting the big government GOP establishment's agenda his whole career and attacking those who oppose it.

*[[Peggy Noonan]]

*[[David Frum]]

*Former political adviser [[Steve Schmidt]], for slandering [[Sarah Palin]] and for supporting [[same-sex "marriage"]].<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/26/us/politics/prominent-republicans-sign-brief-in-support-of-gay-marriage.html?_r=2&</ref>

==Former RINOs who have since left the Republican Party==

* Former [[New Mexico]] Governor [[Gary Johnson]] supports same-sex marriage and abortion (although he opposes abortion once the fetus becomes viable outside the mother's body). After switching to the [[Libertarian Party]] in 2012 to run for President, he openly admitted that he governed New Mexico for eight years as a RINO, even using the phrase "Republican in name only" on multiple occasions. The Libertarian Party is [[liberal]] on social issues (with the exception that they support [[gun rights]]) but are fiscally very conservative.

* Former Senator [[Arlen Specter]] of [[Pennsylvania]] supported ObamaCare and switched from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party to give the latter a 60-40 edge in the Senate and allow them to enact [[cloture]] on the Republican [[filibuster]].

*Former Senator [[Lincoln Chafee]] of [[Rhode Island]], who became an Independent in 2007.

*Former Senator [[Lowell Weicker]] of [[Connecticut]], who left the party and formed his own local one in 1990, then became an Independent in 1995.

*[[New York City]] Mayor [[Michael Bloomberg]], who became an Independent in 2007. As it is not possible to campaign as an Independent in New York State, Bloomberg runs on the line of the [[Independence Party of New York]].

*Former Senator [[Jim Jeffords]] of [[Vermont]], who left the Party and became a Democrat in 2001, giving control of the [[United States Senate|Senate]] to the Democrats.

*Former Governor [[Charlie Crist]] of [[Florida]], who became an independent in 2010 after it was clear he would lose his Senate bid. Crist joined the [[Democratic Party]] in 2012.

*Former Representative [[John Anderson]] of [[Illinois]], who became an Independent after losing his party's presidential primary in 1980.

*Former Governor [[Buddy Roemer]] of [[Louisiana]], who became an Independent after losing his party's presidential primary in 2012.

==RINO McCain==

A majority of conservatives distrust RINO [[John McCain]] even though many of his policies are that of a true conservative. Key RINO principles rejected by McCain include support for [[gay rights]], support for [[abortion]], and support for [[earmark]]s. He has positioned his career as a bipartisan moderate, reaching across the aisle whenever possible. This is also his downfall. The era of reaching across the aisle passed -- when [[statist]], [[socialist]] Democrats became Senators. His major political blunders mostly came during the 21st century political period. He was against both the Reagan and Bush [[tax cuts]], and employed [[class warfare]] rhetoric in trying to stop the tax cuts from taking effect. His support for amnesty was the complete opposite of what conservatives wanted. He has always complained about [[waterboarding|enhanced interrogation techniques]], calling them "[[torture]]". In non-election years, he likes to trash conservative positions and icons in order to get the [[Mainstream media|media]]'s and Democrats' approval. However, during the election he refused to go after [[Barack Hussein Obama]]'s associations with [[Jeremiah Wright]]. He believes in the junk science known as [[global warming]], and has supported cap-and-trade programs. Another [[Middle East]] war, without a goal, without full commitment to win, without Congressional approval- McCain supports the President. It didn't stop there and in July 2011, he called the [[Tea Party]], the people that care about fiscal sanity in Washington, they are "hobbits".

The sacrifices he has made serving this country cannot be overlooked. John McCain has earned war hero status but also the status as a D.C. zero.

==References==
<references/>

==External Links==
* [http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/05/05/1615233/in-senate-primary-california-republicans.html In Senate primary, California Republicans run away from RINO label]
* [http://www.commieblaster.com/RINO/index.html CommieBlaster RINO Index]

==See Also==
*[[RINO Backers]]
*[[PLINO]] - [[pro-life]] in name only
*[[XINO]] - [[Christian]] in name only
*[[Republican Party]]
*[[Moderate Republican]]
*[[Conservative Democrat]]
*[[Blue Dog Democrat]]
*[[Reagan Democrat]]
*[[Catholic in name only]]
*[[Liberal media conservative]]

{{Liberalism}}

[[Category:Conservative]]
[[Category:RINOs|*]]

RINO

2013-05-07T17:43:08Z

Thatteapartyguy: Toomey has a generally strong voting record, Toomey-Manchin is his only real major mishap. Boehner is probably an exaggeration too.

[[File:Kel-rino.jpg|thumb|250px|Sergeant [[Jesse Kelly]] runs for Congress in Arizona in 2009 and attacks the RINOs in the GOP]]
A '''RINO''' ('''R'''epublican '''i'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly) is an officeholder or candidate who is a member of the [[Republican Party]], but holds views to the political left of most Republican voters. The term "RINO" describes politicians who claim to be [[Republican Party|Republican]] but are in fact [[liberal]], and therefore generally debase the winning conservative coalition base of the Republican Party.

RINOs are often Republican only to the extent it serves their own interests, and will abandon conservative principles as soon as it is in their own interests to do so. RINOs often provide support for raising taxes, [[abortion]] as [[Pro-choice|a right]], [[gay rights]] and [[gun control]]. Some RINOs have connections with [[Planned Parenthood]] or corporations that support goals of [[population control]]; other RINOs pay lip service to [[pro-life]] values while in practice not advancing those values.

[[Double standard]]s by RINOs are common: a birther comment by [[Romney]] during his campaign was supposedly a "nothing", but [[Todd Akin]]'s [[pro-life]] comment would somehow "absolutely" could cost RINOs control of the [[U.S. Senate]]!<ref>http://content.usatoday.com/communities/onpolitics/post/2012/08/todd-akin-rape-missouri-senate-race-reince-priebus-/1#.UDpUhNZlQ7s</ref>

RINOs, like Democrats, typically come from states in [[New England]], the Mid-Atlantic; or states on the [[Left Coast]]. A less-used term is '''[[cafeteria conservative]]''', for a person who picks and chooses which [[conservative]] principles to believe, as a person might choose foods in a cafeteria instead of ordering the full-course ''menu'' selected by the chef at most restaurants.<ref>[http://www.manp.org/association-spotlight/archives/james-carville-mary-matalin-he-said-she-said James Carville & Mary Matalin: He Said, She Said]</ref> In contrast to RINO's and cafeteria conservatives, [[movement conservative]]s understand that since conservative philosophy is a coherent whole, it is untenable to discard part of it without discarding all of it.

The RINO targets of attack argue they follow [[middle of the road]] policies and are not liberals; they claim they get results, and insist that without them the [[United States Congress|Congress]] would be totally controlled by liberal [[Democratic Party|Democrats]] and Republicans would rarely have any success. Conservatives respond that in the heyday of "Rockefeller liberalism" in the GOP the Democrats always controlled Congress, and the GOP only took power when [[Newt Gingrich]] launched a national conservative "Contract with America" in 1994, ending 40 years of Democratic control of the [[United States House of Representatives|House]]. The notion that we need to elect Democrat-lite type of politicians is false. The election cycles of 2010 and 2012 proved that many RINO candidates are unelectable. RINO candidates wasted millions of dollars; Carly Fiorina, Meg Whitman, Scott Brown, Linda McMahon, and many others could not connect with the people in liberal blue states.

In recent Republican [[Primary election|primaries]], voters have been rejecting establishment RINOs in favor of those with stronger conservative principles. Their commitment to self and not party is evident in their refusal to endorse the candidate that beats them. In some instances, they refuse the will of the voters and their party by running for office on an [[Independent candidate|independent ticket]]. It is important to vote for someone who's more conservative on the issues rather than for a Republican because anyone can join a party and be they can be RINOs.

== RINOs currently holding political office==

*Defense Secretary [[Chuck Hagel]] of [[Nebraska]]

*Senator [[Susan Collins]] of [[Maine]]

*Senator [[Lindsey Graham]] of [[South Carolina]]

*Senator [[Lisa Murkowski]] of [[Alaska]]

*Senator [[Mark Kirk]] of [[Illinois]]

*Senator [[John McCain]] of [[Arizona]]

*Senator [[Saxby Chambliss]] of [[Georgia]]

*Senator [[Charles Grassley]] of [[Iowa]]

*Senator [[Mike Crapo]] of [[Idaho]]

*Senator [[Lamar Alexander]] of [[Tennessee]]

*Senator [[Bob Corker]] of [[Tennessee]]

*Senator [[Richard Shelby]] of [[Alabama]]

*Senator [[Johnny Isakson]] of [[Georgia]]

*Senator [[Rob Portman]] of [[Ohio]] for supporting gay marriage<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/03/15/ohio-sen-portman-now-supports-gay-marriage/</ref>

*Governor [[Chris Christie]] of [[New Jersey]]

*Governor [[Rick Scott]] of [[Florida]]

*Governor [[Bob McDonnell]] of [[Virginia]]

*Transportation Secretary [[Ray Lahood]]

*Rep. [[Don Young]] of [[Alaska]]

*Rep. [[David Dreier]] of [[California]]

*Rep. [[Scott Rigell]] of [[Virginia]]

*Rep. [[Joe Heck]] of [[Nevada]]

*Rep. [[Candice Miller]] of [[Michigan]]

*Rep. [[Peter King]] of [[New York]]

*Rep. [[Michael Simpson]] of [[Idaho]]

*Rep [[Ileana Ros-Lehtinen]] of [[Florida]], for her support of the homosexual agenda<ref>http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/23/ileana-roslehtinen-become_n_977464.html</ref>

*Supreme Court Chief Justice [[John Roberts]] after his support of gutting Arizona's immigration law and yet being the swing vote responsible for keeping [[Obamacare]] upheld. As Supreme Court Justices officially have no party, he is more of a "conservative in name only".

*State Senator Allan Kittleman of [[Maryland]], for promoting homosexual [[special rights]]<ref>[http://voices.washingtonpost.com/annapolis/2011/02/gop_senator_announces_support.html GOP senator announces support for Md. same-sex marriage bill]</ref>

==RINOs currently not holding political office==

*[[Jon Bruning]], who lost a double-digit lead in a stunning upset for the [[Republican]] nomination for [[U.S. Senate]] in [[Nebraska]] in 2012.

*Former President [[Theodore Roosevelt]], because he regulated the economy and used social justice.

*Former Senator [[Alan Simpson]] of [[Wyoming]]

*Former Senator [[Scott Brown]] of [[Massachusetts]]

*Former Senator [[George Voinovich]] of [[Ohio]]

*Former Senator [[Gordon Smith]] of [[Oregon]]

*Former Senator [[Charles Mathias]] of [[Maryland]]

*Former Senator [[Bob Bennett]] of [[Utah]]

*Former Senator [[Olympia J. Snowe]] of [[Maine]]

*Former Senator [[Kay Bailey Hutchison]] of [[Texas]]

*Former Senator [[Richard Lugar]] of [[Indiana]]

*Former Vice-President and Senator [[Nelson Rockefeller]] of [[New York]]

*Former Congressman Steve LaTourette of [[Ohio]]

*Former Congressman [[Christopher Shays]] of [[Connecticut]]

*Former Congressman [[Tom Campbell]] of [[California]]

*Former Congressman and Governor [[Michael Castle]] of [[Delaware]]

*Former Congressman [[Joseph Cao]] of [[Louisiana]]

*Former Congressman [[Joe Scarborough]] of [[Florida]]

*Former Congresswoman [[Jennifer Dunn]] of [[Washington]]

*Former Governor [[Jeb Bush]] of [[Florida]]

*Former Governor [[Jon Huntsman, Jr.]] of [[Utah]]

*Former Governor [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]] of [[California]]

*Former Governor [[Linda Lingle]] of [[Hawaii]]

*Former Governor [[Mitch Daniels]] of [[Indiana]]

*Former Governor [[George Pataki]] of [[New York]]

*Former Governor and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator [[Christine Todd Whitman]] of [[New Jersey]]

*Former Secretary of State [[Colin Powell]]

*Former Secretary of [[Homeland Security]] [[Tom Ridge]].

*Former Press Secretary [[Scott McClellan]]

*Former [[New York City]] Mayor [[Rudy Giuliani]]

*Former New York Congressional Candidate [[Dede Scozzafava]]

*[[Meghan McCain]]

*[[Fred Karger]], for supporting abortion and the homosexual agenda.

*[[Karl Rove]], for supporting the big government GOP establishment's agenda his whole career and attacking those who oppose it.

*[[Peggy Noonan]]

*[[David Frum]]

*Former political adviser [[Steve Schmidt]], for slandering [[Sarah Palin]] and for supporting [[same-sex "marriage"]].<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/26/us/politics/prominent-republicans-sign-brief-in-support-of-gay-marriage.html?_r=2&</ref>

==Former RINOs who have since left the Republican Party==

* Former [[New Mexico]] Governor [[Gary Johnson]] supports same-sex marriage and abortion (although he opposes abortion once the fetus becomes viable outside the mother's body). After switching to the [[Libertarian Party]] in 2012 to run for President, he openly admitted that he governed New Mexico for eight years as a RINO, even using the phrase "Republican in name only" on multiple occasions. The Libertarian Party is [[liberal]] on social issues (with the exception that they support [[gun rights]]) but are fiscally very conservative.

* Former Senator [[Arlen Specter]] of [[Pennsylvania]] supported ObamaCare and switched from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party to give the latter a 60-40 edge in the Senate and allow them to enact [[cloture]] on the Republican [[filibuster]].

*Former Senator [[Lincoln Chafee]] of [[Rhode Island]], who became an Independent in 2007.

*Former Senator [[Lowell Weicker]] of [[Connecticut]], who left the party and formed his own local one in 1990, then became an Independent in 1995.

*[[New York City]] Mayor [[Michael Bloomberg]], who became an Independent in 2007. As it is not possible to campaign as an Independent in New York State, Bloomberg runs on the line of the [[Independence Party of New York]].

*Former Senator [[Jim Jeffords]] of [[Vermont]], who left the Party and became a Democrat in 2001, giving control of the [[United States Senate|Senate]] to the Democrats.

*Former Governor [[Charlie Crist]] of [[Florida]], who became an independent in 2010 after it was clear he would lose his Senate bid. Crist joined the [[Democratic Party]] in 2012.

*Former Representative [[John Anderson]] of [[Illinois]], who became an Independent after losing his party's presidential primary in 1980.

*Former Governor [[Buddy Roemer]] of [[Louisiana]], who became an Independent after losing his party's presidential primary in 2012.

==RINO McCain==

A majority of conservatives distrust RINO [[John McCain]] even though many of his policies are that of a true conservative. Key RINO principles rejected by McCain include support for [[gay rights]], support for [[abortion]], and support for [[earmark]]s. He has positioned his career as a bipartisan moderate, reaching across the aisle whenever possible. This is also his downfall. The era of reaching across the aisle passed -- when [[statist]], [[socialist]] Democrats became Senators. His major political blunders mostly came during the 21st century political period. He was against both the Reagan and Bush [[tax cuts]], and employed [[class warfare]] rhetoric in trying to stop the tax cuts from taking effect. His support for amnesty was the complete opposite of what conservatives wanted. He has always complained about [[waterboarding|enhanced interrogation techniques]], calling them "[[torture]]". In non-election years, he likes to trash conservative positions and icons in order to get the [[Mainstream media|media]]'s and Democrats' approval. However, during the election he refused to go after [[Barack Hussein Obama]]'s associations with [[Jeremiah Wright]]. He believes in the junk science known as [[global warming]], and has supported cap-and-trade programs. Another [[Middle East]] war, without a goal, without full commitment to win, without Congressional approval- McCain supports the President. It didn't stop there and in July 2011, he called the [[Tea Party]], the people that care about fiscal sanity in Washington, they are "hobbits".

The sacrifices he has made serving this country cannot be overlooked. John McCain has earned war hero status but also the status as a D.C. zero.

==References==
<references/>

==External Links==
* [http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/05/05/1615233/in-senate-primary-california-republicans.html In Senate primary, California Republicans run away from RINO label]
* [http://www.commieblaster.com/RINO/index.html CommieBlaster RINO Index]

==See Also==
*[[RINO Backers]]
*[[PLINO]] - [[pro-life]] in name only
*[[XINO]] - [[Christian]] in name only
*[[Republican Party]]
*[[Moderate Republican]]
*[[Conservative Democrat]]
*[[Blue Dog Democrat]]
*[[Reagan Democrat]]
*[[Catholic in name only]]
*[[Liberal media conservative]]

{{Liberalism}}

[[Category:Conservative]]
[[Category:RINOs|*]]

Movement conservative

2013-05-07T17:40:04Z

Thatteapartyguy:

[[Category:Conservative]]A '''movement conservative''' is one who supports all or nearly all [[conservative]] principles with a coherent philosophy, and who advances broad [[conservative]] goals both individually and through teamwork. This is contrasted with [[Republican in name only|cafeteria]], or single-issue, or self-serving approaches. Movement conservatives, unlike cafeteria conservatives, understand that since conservative philosophy is a coherent whole, it is untenable to discard part of it without discarding all of it. '''Movement conservatives favor [[logic]] rather than self-centered behavior''' and therefore reject the teachings of [[Ayn Rand]], who considered [[selfishness]] to be logical.

Simply put, a movement conservative is a conservative who seeks to help others, and the nation, by explaining, advocating and defending the logical and beneficial conservative approach. A movement conservative is not primarily seeking political gain for him or herself, but advocates the insights and values of [[conservatism]] for the benefit of others.

Movement conservatives include:

*Author and Commentator [[William F. Buckley]]
*Political theorist [[Russell Kirk]]
*Activist [[Phyllis Schlafly]]
*Supreme Court Justice [[Clarence Thomas]]
*Commentator [[Pat Buchanan]]
*[[Ken Cuccinelli]], [[Attorney General]] of [[Virginia]]
*U.S. Representative for [[Iowa]]'s 4th District, [[Steve King]]
*U.S. Representative for [[Minnesota]]'s 6th District, [[Michele Bachmann]]
*U.S. Senator [[Rand Paul]] of [[Kentucky]]
*Heritage President (and former Senator) [[Jim DeMint]] of [[South Carolina]]
*[[Homeschooling]] leader [[Michael Farris]]
*Columnist and economist [[Thomas Sowell]]
*Radio and television personality<ref>The Blaze TV.</ref> [[Glenn Beck]]
*Author and talk-radio host [[Mark Levin]]

== Honorable Mention ==

*Former Governor of [[Alaska]] [[Sarah Palin]]
*Talk-radio host [[Rush Limbaugh]]
*Activist [[Alan Keyes]]
*Columnist [[Ann Coulter]]
*Supreme Court Justice [[Antonin Scalia]]
*Columnist and blogger [[Michelle Malkin]]

== Deceased ==

*[[Saint Paul|St. Paul]], author of the greatest number of letters in the [[New Testament]]
*Irish Statesman [[Edmund Burke]], who served in the British Parliament at the time of the [[American Revolution]]
*U.S. Senator [[Jesse Helms]] of [[North Carolina]]
*President [[Ronald Reagan]]
*Congressman [[John Ashbrook]]
*Congressman [[Larry McDonald]], M.D., who died on board of the [[KAL 007]] flight when it was shot down by Soviets.
*Journalist [[Robert Novak]]
*Author [[William F. Buckley]]
*U.S. Senator [[Barry Goldwater]] of [[Arizona]]
*Liberty University founder [[Jerry Falwell]]
*U.S. Senator [[Robert Taft]] of [[Ohio]]

==See also==
*[[Conservative Movement]]

== References ==

<references/>

{{Conservatism}}

Barry Goldwater

2013-01-01T18:16:45Z

Thatteapartyguy:

[[Image:BarryGoldwater.jpg|right]]

'''Barry Morris Goldwater''' (1909-1998) was a United States [[Senator]] (1953-65 and 1969-87) and the [[Republican]] nominee for [[President]] in 1964. He reinvented the Republican Party after the defeat of [[Richard M. Nixon]] in 1960, benefiting from a national grass roots conservative effort that overcame the Eastern liberal Republicans and [[Nelson Rockefeller]] in 1964. Goldwater was strongly anti-[[communist]] and called for a rollback of its influence around the world, asking, ''Why Not Victory.'' He called for an end to liberal domestic policies as supported by the [[New Deal Coalition]]. Goldwater was defeated in a sweeping landslide in 1964 by incumbent Democrat [[Lyndon B. Johnson]]. Goldwater lost the leadership of the conservative movment to [[Ronald Reagan]], but returned to the Senate where he continued to support a strong defense. He had a [[libertarian]] leaning, but his positions on foreign policy differed from modern [[libertarian]] views, such as those espoused by [[Ron Paul]].

==Early Life==
Goldwater was born into an Episcopalian family with Jewish heritage on his father's side. He was born in Phoenix, Arizona on January 2, 1909. He attended the Phoenix public schools, Staunton Military Academy, and University of Arizona for one year. He began his business career in 1929 at his family's department store. He served in the the Second World War and later in the National Guard.

==1964 Presidential campaign==
Barry Goldwater entered the United States Senate in 1953. During the 1960 Presidential election there was a campaign among [[conservative]]s to draft Goldwater for President, a race in which [[Richard Nixon]] ultimately won the Republican nomination and [[John F. Kennedy]] narrowly defeated him for President. The campaign to draft Goldwater to run for President continued in the next election cycle. In 1964 Goldwater seriously sought the nomination, not running for re-election to the Senate that year, and was successful, defeating New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller. He was defeated in the general election by incumbent [[Lyndon Johnson]]. After the election he ran successfully again for the Senate in 1968.

Lyndon Johnson was successful in part because of continued public sympathy over the [[John F. Kennedy assassination]], the use of [[negative advertising]] such as the notorious "daisy" TV ad which raised fears of [[nuclear war]] if Goldwater were elected, and negative media coverage of some of the conservative groups supporting Goldwater, such as the [[John Birch Society]]. Johnson ironically ran as a "peace candidate" but shortly after the election drastically escalated U.S. involvement in the [[Vietnam War]].

The 1964 Goldwater campaign helped usher in the modern conservative movement in the United States. The political careers of both [[Phyllis Schlafly]] and [[Ronald Reagan]] got a big boost during the campaign. Schlafly wrote a book, ''[[A Choice, Not An Echo]]'' during the campaign which was widely distributed and launched her career as a conservative political activist. ''A Choice, Not An Echo'' detailed the machinations of the [[moderate]] to [[liberal]] East Coast wing of the Republican Party to hand-pick Presidential candidates (Nixon, [[Wendell Willkie]], [[Dwight Eisenhower]], etc.) and called for conservatives in the party to organize to counter this wing of the party and their "kingmaker" approach to nominating candidates. The book was a rallying call for conservatives in the party and helped Goldwater win the nomination. Reagan gave a speech as part of a "TV for Goldwater-Miller" television ad campaign which made him an up and coming star among conservatives, eventually leading to his own series of Presidential campaigns in 1968, 1976. and 1980, the last of which successfully landed him in the [[White House]]. The 1964 Goldwater campaign was also followed by the rise of a growing conservative campus movement during the 1960s led by [[Young Americans for Freedom]], the rise of a small [[libertarian]] movement which also supported Goldwater but would later split with conservatism over the [[draft]] and [[drug]] policy, and modern conservative movement approaches such as [[direct mail]] organizing.

The 1964 Goldwater campaign also marked the first time since before the [[Civil War]] that the states of the Deep South, angered by the liberal Johnson's support for civil rights, broke from the [[Democratic Party]] and gave their electoral votes to the Republican nominee. Goldwater broke with most GOP senators when he opposed the Civil Rights Act of 1964.<ref>Taylor Branch, ''Pillar of Fire'' 356-357 </ref> In the Senate, he strongly supported both the 1957 and 1960 Civil Rights Acts.<ref>Barry Goldwater, Where I Stand (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1964)</ref>. He also helped desegregate the Arizona National Guard and was a member of Arizona's NAACP. Although he eventually regretted his vote, his opposition to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was based strictly on political ideological grounds. As a strong ''conservative'', he believed that two of its sections, Title II and Title VII, unlawfully overextended the role of the federal government.

==Quotes==
In his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention of 1964 Goldwater called out:
:I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue!<ref> Thomas Paine wrote in 1795, "Those words, 'temperate and moderate,' are words either of political cowardice, or of cunning, or seduction. A thing, moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper, is always a virtue; but moderation in principle, is a species of vice." Paine, "Letter to the addressers on the late proclamation against seditious writings." in ''The Writings of Thomas Paine,'' ed. Moncure D. Conway, (1895) vol. 3, pp. 94–95 </ref>

:"Those who seek absolute power, even though they seek it to do what they regard as good, are simply demanding the right to enforce their own version of heaven on earth. And let me remind you, they are the very ones who always create the most hellish tyrannies. Absolute power does corrupt, and those who seek it must be suspect and must be opposed. Their mistaken course stems from false notions of equality, ladies and gentlemen. Equality, rightly understood, as our founding fathers understood it, leads to liberty and to the emancipation of creative differences. Wrongly understood, as it has been so tragically in our time, it leads first to conformity and then to despotism." (Acceptance speech)

==Social Views==
Social issues were low in priority for both Goldwater and the conservative movement in the 1960s, and no one supported him for (or even knew) his stance on social issues. After 1980, with his first wife waning in health and long after Goldwater was a conservative leader, he began to express liberal opinions on some social issues. Bill Buckley said of Goldwater:
:''Conspicuous here was his defense of Supreme Court decisions involving abortion, gay rights, and the separation of church and state. Most followers of the senator were surprised, and abashed, especially at his defense of abortion.''[http://www.nationalreview.com/buckley/wfb200412101327.asp from ''National Review,'' Dec. 10, 2004]

After his wife of nearly 50 years died, and when Goldwater was nearly 80 years old, he became more vocal in his liberal social opinions. After his retirement in 1987, Goldwater described the conservative Arizona Governor [[Evan Mecham]] as "hardheaded" and called on him to resign, and two years later stated that the Republican party had been taken over by a "bunch of kooks". In a 1994 interview with the ''[[Washington Post]]'' the retired senator said, {{cquote|When you say "radical right" today, I think of these moneymaking ventures by fellows like [[Pat Robertson]] and others who are trying to take the Republican party and make a religious organization out of it. If that ever happens, kiss politics goodbye.}}

In response to [[Moral Majority]] founder [[Jerry Falwell]]'s opposition to the nomination of [[Sandra Day O'Connor]] to the Supreme Court, of which Falwell had said, "Every good Christian should be concerned", Goldwater retorted: "Every good Christian ought to kick Falwell right in the ass."<ref>Ed Magnuson, [[Time Magazine]], [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,954833-2,00.html ''The Brethren's First Sister''], July 20, 1981. Retrieved 1/1/07.</ref>

Goldwater was long an outspoken critic of presidents of both parties, harshly criticizing [[Richard Nixon]] at a pivotal time during [[Watergate]]. Goldwater criticized the arms to Iran that became public in 1986 as part of the [[Iran-Contra Affair]] as "the god-damned stupidest foreign policy blunder this country's ever made!'",<ref>[http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-374469737793037291&q=Robert+MacNeil "Archive of American Television Interview with Robert MacNeil Part 5 of 14" (video)]</ref>. Otherwise, Goldwater thought that Reagan was a good president.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLATQAU-Hw0&feature=related YouTube - Charlie Rose - Goldwater tribute/]</ref>

In 1992, Goldwater remarried a much younger divorcee. He then disagreed further with [[conservatives]] on social issues. He criticized the military's ban on [[homosexuality|homosexuals]]: "Everyone knows that gays have served honorably in the military since at least the time of [[Julius Caesar]]."<ref>"Ban On Gays Is Senseless Attempt To Stall The Inevitable", ''Los Angeles Times'', ''Washington Post''. Online at [http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs.cmu.edu/user/scotts/bulgarians/barry-goldwater.html ]</ref> He also said, "You don't have to ''be'' straight to be in the military; you just have to be able to ''shoot'' straight." A few years before his death he went so far as to address the right wing, "Do not associate my name with anything you do. You are extremists, and you've hurt the Republican party much more than the Democrats have."<ref>[[The Betrayal of America]] by [[Vincent Bugliosi]], 2001</ref>

In 1996, Goldwater told Republican presidential candidate [[Bob Dole]], whose own positions lacked real support from conservatives: "We're the new liberals of the Republican party. Can you imagine that?" In that same year, with Senator [[Dennis DeConcini]], Goldwater endorsed an Arizona initiative to legalize [[medical marijuana]].<ref> [http://www.reason.com/news/show/30148.html Prescription: Drugs] Reason Magazine</ref>

==Family==
Goldwater was married twice. He was married to [[Margaret Goldwater|Margaret Johnson]] from 1934 until her death in 1985. They had four children: Joanne, Barry, Michael, and Peggy. In 1992 Goldwater, age 83, married Susan Shaffer Lechers, age 51.<ref>http://www.azcentral.com/specials/special25/articles/0602GoldwaterFacts01-ON.html</ref> They remained married until his death in 1998.

==Bibliography==
*Mary C. Brennan, ''Turning Right in the Sixties: The Conservative Capture of the G.O.P.'' (1995)
*Edwards, Lee. ''Goldwater'' (1995). biography
*Goldberg, Robert Alan. ''Barry Goldwater'' (1995), the standard scholarly biography
*Hodgson, Godfrey. ''The World Turned Right Side Up: A History of the Conservative Ascendancy in America'' (1996).
*Matthews, Jeffrey J. "To Defeat a Maverick: The Goldwater Candidacy Revisited, 1963–1964." ''Presidential Studies Quarterly.'' 27#1 1997. pp 662+.
*Perlstein, Rick. ''Before the Storm: Barry Goldwater and the Unmaking of the American Consensus'' (2001) Very well researched and written narrative of the 1964 campaign.
*White, Theodore, ''The Making of the President: 1964'' (1965)
==Primary sources==
*Goldwater, Barry. ''Conscience of a Conservative'' (1963) highly influential manifesto ISBN 0-89526-540-0
*Goldwater, Barry. ''Why Not Victory? A fresh look at American policy'' (1963)
*Goldwater, Barry. ''Conscience of a Majority'' (1971) ISBN 0-671-78096-4
*Goldwater, Barry. ''Arizona'' (1977) ISBN 0-938379-04-6
*Goldwater, Barry. ''With No Apologies: The Outspoken Political Memoirs of America's Conservative Conscience'' (1979) ISBN 0-425-04663-X
*Goldwater, Barry. ''Goldwater'' (1988) ISBN 0-385-23947-5, autobiography
*Gallup, George H. ed. ''The Gallup Poll: Public Opinion, 1935–1971,'' vol. 3. (1972)
*Hess, Karl. ''In A Cause That Will Triumph: The Goldwater Campaign and the Future of Conservatism'' (1967), memoir by BG's speechwriter

==References==
<references/>
== Also See ==
*[[Conservative links]]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Goldwater, Barry}}

[[Category:Conservatives]]
[[Category:Former United States Senators]]
[[Category:Cold War]]
[[Category:United States History]]
[[Category:Republican Party]]
[[Category:1960s]]
[[Category:Fiscal Conservatives]]
[[Category:United States Veterans]]
[[Category:Arizona]]
[[Category:Reagan Era]]
[[Category:Failed Presidential Candidates]]
{{conservatism}}

Libertarianism

2012-12-24T13:37:16Z

Thatteapartyguy: /* External links */

'''Libertarianism''' is a [[Political Philosophy|political philosophy]] that believes in minimizing or entirely eliminating government interventionism in many aspects of life including economic, personal, and in foreign policy matters. Libertarians tend to oppose the rules established by traditional marriage and religious values. The [[French]] [[term]] of ''[[Laissez faire|Laissez-Faire]]'', or ''let us do'', is a term that describes some aspects of the libertarian belief. <ref>"Libertarians are neither. Unlike Liberals or Conservatives, Libertarians advocate a high degree of both personal and economic liberty. For example, Libertarians advocate freedom in economic matters, so we're in favor of lowering taxes, slashing bureaucratic regulation of business, and charitable -- rather than government -- welfare. But Libertarians are also socially tolerant. We won't demand laws or restrictions on other people who we may not agree because of personal actions or lifestyles.

Think of us as a group of people with a "live and let live" mentality and a balanced checkbook." [http://www.lp.org/article_85.shtml]</ref> Libertarianism tends to emphasize a form of individual ''liberty'', and tends to support rights of private property.

The first systematic libertarian was [[Herbert Spencer]] (1820-1903), an English political philosopher whose books such as ''The Man Versus the State'' (1884) had a major impact in Europe and America in the late 19th century.<ref>Chris Matthew Sciabarra, "The First Libertarian," ''Liberty'' (Aug 1999) [http://www.nyu.edu/projects/sciabarra/essays/spencer.htm online] </ref> The chief American representative was [[Yale]] professor [[William Graham Sumner]].

[[Ronald Reagan]] stated in 1975, "I believe the very heart and soul of conservatism is libertarianism....The basis of conservatism is a desire for less government interference or less centralized authority or more individual freedom and this is a pretty general description also of what libertarianism is....Now, I can’t say that I will agree with all the things that the present group who call themselves Libertarians in the sense of a party say, because I think that like in any political movement there are shades, and there are libertarians who are almost over at the point of wanting no government at all or anarchy. I believe there are legitimate government functions. There is a legitimate need in an orderly society for some government to maintain freedom or we will have tyranny by individuals."<ref> see [http://www.reason.com/news/show/29318.html "Inside Ronald Reagan: A Reason Interview" (July 1975)]</ref>

== Libertarian Philosophy ==

Libertarianism is best summed up in the Non-Aggression Principle, which states that government (or "private police agencies" in the anarcho-capitalist variant) should only exist to protect life, liberty, and property from force and fraud.

Libertarianism is closely related to liberalism, if this word is interpreted according to its original meaning of [[classical liberal|classical liberalism]]. Libertarians in America tend to be [[liberal]] on social issues but [[conservative]] on economic issues. Libertarians generally oppose government regulation of drugs, prostitution, and marriage (including bans of [[same-sex marriage]]. The Libertarian Party officially supports legalized [[abortion]], however, libertarians themselves are divided on the issue, since government protection from force depends on the personhood of the unborn baby (or fetus). However, libertarians are uniformly opposed to government funding for abortions (such as through [[Planned Parenthood]]). Furthermore, they oppose restrictions on [[pornography]]. However, they also oppose [[universal health care]], [[taxes]] and the [[welfare state]]. They are strong supporters of [[school choice]], and oppose continuing the [[public school]] system. Some libertarians support [[school vouchers]], while others are skeptical due to the issue of government influence over [[private education]].

Libertarians support an expansive view of liberty as the proper basis for organizing civil society. They tend to define liberty as the freedom to do whatever one wishes up to the point that one's behavior begins to interfere with another's person or property through coercive means. At the point of interference, each party would become subject to certain principled rules for adjudicating disputes, generally accepting that one who has demonstrated a proven lack of respect for the rights of others should be subject to sanctions, including possible constraints on their freedom. They believe that liberty is the right of every individual.

Libertarians generally defend the ideal of freedom from the perspective of how little one is constrained by authority, i.e., how much one is allowed to do (also referred to as negative liberty). This ideal is distinguished from a view of freedom focused on how much one is able to do (also called positive liberty).

== Libertarian Factions ==

Libertarians tend to use the word "libertarian" (small "l") to refer to the philosophy, and "Libertarian" (capital "L") to refer to the party. Thus, more libertarians exist than members of the [[Libertarian Party]]. Two general factions exist in the libertarian movement. The first are those libertarians who apply the principles of right to person and property to an absolute. They believe that no person, group, or government is above the right to violate these two things. They thus believe that government itself is illegitimate because it violates person and property. These libertarians subscribe to [[anarcho-capitalism]], as first named by [[Murray N. Rothbard]]. They believe that law and security can be handled by private means in the free market. The other faction believes in a very limited government. They are often referred to as [[Minarchism|minarchists]]. Libertarian minarchists want the state to only enforce law and order but generally nothing else. [[Ayn Rand]] was a minarchist.

Libertarians tend to view liberalism as a philosophy advocating less government interference in private morality and more government control of business, and view conservatism as a philosophy advocating more government interference in private morality and less government control of business, while they view libertarianism as advocating less government control in all areas. However, there have been fusionist attempts to mix libertarianism and with social conservatism. This is noted in particular by [[paleolibertarianism|paleolibertarians]]. They believe that social conservatism is a natural entity in a free society, but do not believe that it can be enforced by state interventionism. For instance, they may personally oppose [[homosexuality]], but advocate for [[marriage privatization]] rather than believing that government should sanction "marriage" exclusively between a man and a woman.

Outside the United States, the term "libertarian" refers to [[Anarchism|left-wing anarchism]].

== Libertarian Thought in America ==

While there are libertarian factions within the [[Democratic]] and [[Republican]] [[parties]], neither party is particularly well aligned with libertarian thought. While the Republican Party sometimes adopts libertarian-sounding rhetoric of small government in economic affairs, many libertarians see it as being a force that has increased government interventionism in these affairs. Libertarians generally, for example, are opposed to the [[USA PATRIOT Act]], which they believe increases government power and removes protections on the liberty and privacy of the public. Most conservatives, on the other hand, view it as a necessary government program and believe security to be more important than personal liberty and privacy. Libertarians point out that such a view contradicts those of the founding fathers, such as Benjamin Franklin, who summarized it most eloquently, "Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." Libertarians are also generally opposed to the [[Iraq War]], unlike the majority of conservatives.

While all libertarians agree in general on the principles of the desirability of maximizing individual liberty and avoiding excessive government interference with the operation of the free market, individual libertarians have opinions that differ wildly within these general principles.

The libertarian movement generally praises the [[United States Constitution]], regarding it as the proper scope of the national government. They believe that the Democratic and Republican parties have overstepped constitutional limits. Anarcho-capitalist libertarians, on the other hand, view the implementation of the constitution as the very reason the national government is the size it is today.

== Notable Libertarians ==
Libertarian-oriented writers include [[Frédéric Bastiat]], [[William Leggett]], [[John Stuart Mill]], [[Henry David Thoreau]], [[Lysander Spooner]], [[Herbert Spencer]], [[William Graham Sumner]], [[Carl Menger]], [[Ludwig von Mises]], Rose Wilder Lane, [[Albert Jay Nock]], [[Henry Hazlett]], and [[Isabel Paterson]].

The most influential libertarian of the 20th century was [[Milton Friedman]] (1912-2006), a leader of the [[Chicago School of Economics]].

*[[Ron Paul]], Republican congressman from Texas, 1988 Libertarian Party and 2008 & 2012 Republican Party presidential candidate. Ron Paul is considered to be of the Constitutionalist and [[paleolibertarianism|paleolibertarian]] schools of libertarian thought.
*[[Gary Johnson]], businessman, former Governor of New Mexico (as a Republican), and 2012 Libertarian Party nominee.
*The psychiatrist Thomas Szasz, opponent of the therapeutic state and compulsory mental institutionalization.
*Nobel Laureate economists [[Milton Friedman]], [[F.A. Hayek]], [[Ronald Coase]], Gary Becker, James Buchanan, [[George Stigler]], and Vernon Smith.
*The novelist [[Ayn Rand]] advocated a philosophy of ''Objectivism'', embodying some libertarian thought, although differing from libertarianism in many ways. Some of her novels, such as ''Atlas Shrugged'', have become icons of some people in the libertarian movement, while others find her materialism and atheism incompatible with moral ethics and natural rights and law.
*[[Robert LeFevre]], significant in promoting libertarian philosophy in the 1950s and 1960s before it was a well-defined movement, with his "Freedom School" seminars on political and economic philosophy.
*[[Karl Hess]], speechwriter for [[Barry Goldwater]] credited with penning Goldwater's famous 1964 statement "Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice". Hess later became a major figure in the Libertarian Party.
*[[Murray N. Rothbard]] was nicknamed "Mr. Libertarian." He brought to life the anarcho-capitalist movement. Rothbard was an economist of the [[Austrian School of Economics|Austrian School]].
*[[Samuel Edward Konkin III]], a significant figure in 1970s libertarianism, whose influence waned considerably after the rise of the Libertarian Party as he opposed political parties and voting as being against libertarian principles. He proposed instead a purely marketplace-based route to a free society, such as [[tax resistance]] and doing business "off the books".
*[[Robert A. Heinlein]], science fiction author, whose 1966 novel ''The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress'' was an influence on the movement.
*[[L. Neil Smith]], [[J. Neil Schulman]], and [[Brad Linaweaver]], science fiction writers.
*Several popular financial writers including [[Harry Browne]] and [[Howard J. Ruff]]. Browne would later run for President, twice, on the Libertarian Party ticket. Ruff declared his political philosophy as libertarian but as a socially conservative [[Mormon]] made an exception on issues like abortion and prostitution, where he disagreed with the libertarian view.
*[[Penn and Teller]], stage magicians turned libertarian evangelists preaching [[atheism]] and promoting libertarian philosophies, including controversial positions such as legalization of prostitution and drugs in their Showtime series, which sports a name that cannot for reasons of good taste be expressed here.
*The Canadian rock band [[Rush]], which has been together since 1968, often explores libertarian themes in their lyrics, like in "Free Will", "Tom Sawyer" and "Something for Nothing". Drummer and Lyricist [[Neil Peart]] claims to be a "left leaning libertarian." <ref>[http://www.theadvocates.org/celebrities/neil-peart.html]</ref>,
*Humorist Dave Barry, actor/comedian Drew Carey, actor Denis Leary, former MTV VJ Lisa "Kennedy" Montgomery, actor Kurt Russell, investigative reporter [[John Stossel]], and the late rocker Frank Zappa have all referred to themselves as being aligned with or openly supporting the Libertarian Party.
*Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of [[South Park]], proclaimed that they are libertarians. South Park is vulgar, supports evolution, and sometimes attacks social conservative positions like religion. However, they also make fun of liberals' positions such as political correctness, environmentalism and atheism. <ref>[http://www.reason.com/news/show/116787.html] Parker and Stone, Reason Magazine</ref>. The phrases "South Park Conservative" (the name of a book) and "South Park Republican" are used to describe the followers of these beliefs.
*[[Ed Clark]], the Libertarian Party's 1980 nominee for President. Clark obtained the highest popular vote percentage to date for a Libertarian candidate.
*Many Republican congressmen and senators hold libertarian positions, such as [[Walter B. Jones]], [[Rand Paul]] and [[Justin Amash]].
*[[Barry Goldwater]], Republican presidential nominee in 1964 often described himself as libertarian, although whether or not this was true has been disputed by conservatives.
*[[Glenn Beck]], political commentator, describes himself as a libertarian

== External links ==
* [http://www.faqs.org/faqs/libertarian/faq/ Libertarian FAQ]
* [http://dmoz.org/Society/Politics/Liberalism/Libertarianism/ Open Directory libertarian links ]
* [http://chelm.freeyellow.com/black_index.html Black Libertarians]
* [http://libertarianwiki.org/Main_Page Libertarian Wiki]
* [http://www.l4l.org/ Libertarians for Life]
* [http://www.independent.org/ The Independent Institute]
* [http://www.mises.org/ Ludwig von Mises Institute]
* [http://www.fee.org/ Foundation for Economic Education]
* [http://www.cato.org/ Cato Institute]
* [http://reason.org/ Reason Foundation]

== See also ==
* [[Herbert Spencer]]
* [[Democratic Freedom Caucus]]
* [[Republican Liberty Caucus]]
==Further reading==
* Boaz, David. '' The Libertarian Reader: Classic and Contemporary Writings from Lao Tzu to Milton Friedman'' (1998) [http://www.amazon.com/Libertarian-Reader-Contemporary-Writings-Friedman/dp/0684847671/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1223323253&sr=8-18 excerpt and text search]
* Doherty, Brian. ''Radicals for Capitalism: A Freewheeling History of the Modern American Libertarian Movement'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/Radicals-Capitalism-Freewheeling-American-Libertarian/dp/1586485725/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259466101&sr=1-2 excerpt and text search]
* Hamowy, Ronald, ed. ''The Encyclopedia of Libertarianism'' (Sage, 2008), 644pp, sponsored by the Cato Institute; [http://www.sage-ereference.com/PublicBrowse.html Online at some academic libraries] also [http://books.google.com/books?id=yxNgXs3TkJYC&dq=intitle:Encyclopedia+intitle:of+intitle:Libertarianism&lr=&as_drrb_is=q&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=&num=30&as_brr=0 excerpt and text search]
* Murray, Charles. ''What It Means to Be a Libertarian'' (1997) [http://www.amazon.com/What-Means-Libertarian-Charles-Murray/dp/0767900391/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1223322878&sr=8-16 excerpt and text search]
* Tilman, Rick. ''Ideology and Utopia in the Social Philosophy of the Libertarian Economists'' (2001) [http://www.amazon.com/Philosophy-Libertarian-Economists-Contributions-Economics/dp/0313315582/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1223322878&sr=8-5 excerpt and text search]

== References ==
<references/>
[[Category:Libertarianism]]
[[category:Tax Revolts]]

Movement conservative

2012-12-24T13:24:22Z

Thatteapartyguy:

[[Category:Conservative]]A '''movement conservative''' is one who supports all or nearly all [[conservative]] principles with a coherent philosophy, and who advances broad [[conservative]] goals both individually and through teamwork. This is contrasted with [[Republican in name only|cafeteria]], or single-issue, or self-serving approaches. Movement conservatives, unlike cafeteria conservatives, understand that since conservative philosophy is a coherent whole, it is untenable to discard part of it without discarding all of it. '''Movement conservatives favor [[logic]] rather than self-centered behavior''' and therefore reject the teachings of [[Ayn Rand]], who considered [[selfishness]] to be logical.

Simply put, a movement conservative is a conservative who seeks to help others, and the nation, by explaining, advocating and defending the logical and beneficial conservative approach. A movement conservative is not primarily seeking political gain for him or herself, but advocates the insights and values of [[conservatism]] for the benefit of others.

Examples of movement conservatives would include:

*[[Saint Paul|St. Paul]]
*The late Senator [[Jesse Helms]]
*The late President [[Ronald Reagan]]
*The late Congressman [[John Ashbrook]]
*The late Congressman [[Larry McDonald]] who died on board of the [[KAL 007]] flight when it was shot down by Soviets.
*The late Journalist [[Robert Novak]]
*Activist [[Phyllis Schlafly]]
*Supreme Court Justice [[Clarence Thomas]]
*The late University President [[Jerry Falwell]]
*[[United Nations]] Ambassador [[John Bolton]]
*Columnist [[Thomas Sowell]]
*Talk-radio host [[Rush Limbaugh]]
*U.S. Representative for [[Minnesota]]'s 6th District [[Michele Bachmann]]
*Author and talk-radio host [[Mark Levin]]
*Commentator [[Pat Buchanan]]
*Columnist [[Ann Coulter]]
*Columnist and blogger [[Michelle Malkin]]
*Radio and former television personality [[Glenn Beck]]
*Supreme Court Justice [[Antonin Scalia]]
*Former Senator [[Jim DeMint]]
*Activist [[Alan Keyes]]
*[[Homeschooling]] leader [[Michael Farris]]
*Former British Prime Minister [[Margaret Thatcher]]
*Former Governor [[Sarah Palin]]
*Author [[William F. Buckley]]
*Former Senator [[Barry Goldwater]]

==See also==
*[[Conservative Movement]]

{{Conservatism}}

Neoconservatism

2012-12-24T13:22:08Z

Thatteapartyguy: Neoconservatives tend not to be supportive of civil liberties

A '''neoconservative''' (also spelled "neo-conservative"; colloquially, ''neocon'') in American politics is someone presented as a [[conservative]] but who actually favors big government, interventionalism, and a hostility to religion in politics and government. The word means "newly conservative," and thus formerly [[liberal]]. A neocon is a type of [[RINO]], and like RINOs does not accept most of the important principles in the Republican Party platform.

Many older neocons had been liberals in their youth and admired President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]], while younger neocons are more economically conservative than Roosevelt but like to downplay the social issues. In 2010 the highest priority of the neoconservatives was to increase military action by the [[United States]] in the [[Middle East]] and [[Afghanistan]], and to expand it to an American confrontation against [[Iran]]; in 2011 their goals include supporting a military attack on [[Libya]], continuing the [[Afghanistan War]] indefinitely, and even suggesting military action against [[Syria]]. There is a revolving door between some neocons and highly paid positions in the defense industry, which may explain the constant neoconservative demands for more wars.

In the European nations of [[Britain]] and [[France]], neoconservatives dominate right-leaning politics, but in the United States neocons are less influential than the [[conservative movement]]. For example, neocons begrudgingly supported [[Mitt Romney]] as the Republican nominee for [[Presidential Election 2012|President in 2012]], even though he was not their first choice and Romney has never supported the neocon agenda.

Neoconservatives tend to oppose the appointment of social conservatives to high governmental positions, such as nomination to the [[U.S. Supreme Court]]. Neoconservatives support candidates who are liberal on social issues instead.

Neoconservatives favor expensive foreign interventionalism with massive federal spending, often to replace a dictator with a new system of government that may be worse. Sometimes this is expressed as a desire to install a democracy in a culture that may be incompatible with it. The neoconservative position was discredited in the failure of democracy in the Iranian elections of 2009.

The neoconservative movement emerged in the mid 1970s, played a limited role in the [[Ronald Reagan]] Administration, and then had a voice in the Defense Department under the [[George W. Bush]] Administration after [[9/11]]. Candidates favored by neoconservatives for [[presidential election 2012|president in 2012]] include [[Newt Gingrich]], [[Mike Huckabee]], [[Mike Pence]] and, to a lesser extent because she pulls support away from those candidates, [[Sarah Palin]].

Some prominent spokesmen include [[Bill Kristol]], [[Paul Wolfowitz]], [[Lewis Libby]], [[Norman Podhoretz]], [[Charles Krauthammer]], [[Richard Perle]], [[Robert Kagan]], [[Christopher Hitchens]], [[Bernard Lewis]], [[Stephen Schwartz]], Elliott Abrams, Ben Wattenberg and Carl Gershman.

In contrast to traditional conservatives, neoconservatives favor [[globalism]], downplay religious issues and differences, are unlikely to actively oppose [[abortion]] and [[homosexuality]]. Neocons disagree with [[conservatives]] on issues such as classroom prayer, the [[separation of powers]], cultural unity, and [[immigration]]. Neocons favor a strong active state in world affairs.

On foreign policy, neoconservatives believe that democracy can and should be installed by the [[United States]] around the world, even in Muslim countries such as [[Iraq]], [[Iran]], and [[Saudi Arabia]].

Neoconservatives were prominent in the [[George W. Bush]] administration by supporting an interventionist domestic policy they called 'compassionate conservatism' and a strong foreign policy, and especially favored the [[Iraq War]] and its efforts to spread democracy worldwide.
==Dual origins==

[[Image:Kris.gif|thumb|right|Irving Kristol was dubbed by many as "the Godfather" of Neo-conservatism]]
One major strand of Neoconservatism emerged from a group of New York intellectuals, many of whom attended City College of New York in the late 1930s, a group that includes [[Irving Kristol]], [[Daniel Bell]], [[Seymour Martin Lipset]] and [[Nathan Glazer]].<ref>[http://www.amazon.com/Neoconservative-Revolution-Jewish-Intellectuals-Shaping/dp/0521836565/ref=sr_1_3/102-2076504-6567320?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1175142752&sr=8-3 The Neoconservative Revolution: Jewish Intellectuals and the Shaping of Public Policy, Murray Friedman, 2005]</ref> Many of this group came to despise the counterculture of the 1960s and what they felt was a growing "[[anti-Americanism]]" among many baby boomers. During the [[Cold War]] era, most vigorously opposed the Stalinist regime.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/19/magazine/neo.html?pagewanted=1&ei=5090&en=4126fa38fefd80de&ex=1298005200 After Neoconservatism, February 19, 2006]</ref> Kristol described a neoconservative as a '''"liberal mugged by reality"'''.

Paleoconservatives, who dislike Neoconservatism intensely, have argued that it emerged from [[Trotskyite]] theories, especially the notion of permanent revolution. There are four fundamental flaws in the paleoconservatives' attack: most of the neoconservatives were never Trotskyites; none of them ever subscribed to the right-wing Socialism of Max Shachtman; the assertion that neoconservatives subscribe to "inverted Trotskyism" is misleading; and neoconservatives advocate democratic globalism, not permanent revolution.<ref>William F. King, "Neoconservatives and 'Trotskyism'" ''American Communist History'' 2004 3(2): 247-266 online at [[EBSCO]]</ref>

===Strauss===
A second main line of development of neoconservatism was strongly influenced by the work of German-American political philosopher [[Leo Strauss]]. Some of Strauss' students include Supreme Court nominee [[Robert Bork]], former Deputy Secretary of Defense [[Paul Wolfowitz]], former Assistant Secretary of State [[Alan Keyes]], former Secretary of Education [[William Bennett]], ''Weekly Standard'' editor [[William Kristol]], political philosopher [[Allan Bloom]], former New York Post editorials editor [[John Podhoretz]], former National Endowment for the Humanities Deputy Chairman [[John T. Agresto]]; politial scientist [[Harry V. Jaffa]]; and [[Nobel Prize]] winning novelist [[Saul Bellow]].

== Values ==
Neoconservatives also tend to minimize or overlook the significance of religious beliefs in conflicts and policies, as in advocating the installation of democracy in [[Muslim]] countries with little regard for Islamic beliefs and practices.

Neoconservatives hold an idealistic belief in social progress and the universality of [[human rights]], coupled with anti-Communism. They hold the view that there is a universal desire to live in a technologically advanced and prosperous society and liberal democracy is one of the byproducts of such modernization.

== Publications ==
The leading publications of neoconservatives since the 1970s have been [[Commentary]], [[The Public Interest]] (founded by Daniel Bell and Irving Kristol) and [[The Weekly Standard]]. Many Washington think tanks, such as the [[American Enterprise Institute]] (AEI), the [[Project For New American Century]] (PNAC), Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA) and Henry Jackson Society are now dominated by neoconservatives.

== Social Issues ==
[[Image:Wolfowitz.jpg|thumb|right|180px|As Deputy Secretary of Defense 2001-4, [[Paul Wolfowitz]] was a prominent advocate of neocon foreign policy ideas in the George W. Bush administration, especially the "[[Bush Doctrine]]."]]
Neoconservatives positions on social issues are mixed with some holding to [[liberal]] positions on social matters, and are unlikely to agree with religious conservatives on issues like abortion, prayer in school and same-sex marriage. Other neoconservatives of the Straussian type tend to have greater degrees of agreement with religious and cultural conservatives on social issues. Neoconservatives differ from libertarians in that neoconservatives tend to support [[Big government]] policies to further their objectives, and to support Bush's 2001 [[Patriot act]].

Neoconservatives often describe themselves as "conservative". [[William Kristol]], a leading neoconservative, described himself as the "token conservative" when he taught at [[Harvard University]]'s [[Kennedy School of Government]].<ref>http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/archives/2003/03/12/news/7602.shtml</ref>

In anticipation of vacancies on the [[U.S. Supreme Court]], the neoconservatives urged on Bush the selection of [[Michael McConnell]], a [[libertarian]]-leaning jurist, and [[J. Michael Luttig]], who declared ''[[Roe v. Wade]]'' to be "super-stare decisis"<ref>http://althouse.blogspot.com/2005/07/arlen-specter-makes-up-term.html</ref> and later left the judiciary to become general counsel of Boeing.<ref>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/10/AR2006051000929.html</ref> Both were passed over in filling the vacancies and both left the judiciary entirely after missing their best chance for being appointed to the Supreme Court passed.

The term was coined by Socialist party leader [[Michael Harrington]] to describe the rightward turn of onetime liberals, and it was proudly accepted first by Irving Kristol then by most of the others.

==See also==
* [[George W. Bush]]
* [[Dick Cheney]]
* [[Donald Rumsfeld]]
* [[John Bolton]]
* [[Bill Kristol]]
* [[Irving Kristol]]
* [[Permanent Revolution]], a Troyskite idea that Neocons do ''not'' accept
* [[Norman Podhoretz]]
* [[Leo Strauss]]
* [[Lionel Trilling]], a major literary critic who influenced many neocons
* [[Paul Wolfowitz]], a powerful #2 under [[Donald Rumsfeld]] in the Defense Department in 2001-4, advocated invasion of Iraq

==Further reading==
* Bloom, Allan. ''The Closing of the American Mind'' (1988)
* Dorrien, Gary. ''The Neoconservative Mind,'' (1993)
* Friedman, Murray. ''The Neoconservative Revolution: Jewish Intellectuals and the Shaping of Public Policy''. (2006) [http://www.amazon.com/Neoconservative-Revolution-Jewish-Intellectuals-Shaping/dp/0521545013/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1241491052&sr=8-5 excerpt and text search].
* Fu kuyama, Francis. ''America at the Crossroads: Democracy, Power, and the Neoconservative Legacy,'' (2006)
* Gerson, Mark. ''The Neoconservative Vision: From the Cold War to Culture Wars '' (1997)
* Halper, Stefan and Jonathan Clarke. ''America Alone: The Neo-Conservatives and the Global Order'' (2004) [http://www.amazon.com/America-Alone-Neo-Conservatives-Global-Order/dp/0521674603/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255319175&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]* Heilbrun, Jacob. ''They Knew They Were Right: The Rise of the Neocons'' (2009) [http://www.amazon.com/They-Knew-Were-Right-Neocons/dp/140007620X/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1241491052&sr=8-9 excerpt and text search]
* Murray, Douglas. ''Neoconservatism: Why We Need It'' (2006)
* Steinfels, Peter. ''The Neoconservatives: The Men Who Are Changing America's Politics.'' (1979)
*Stelzer, Irwin. ''Neo-conservatism'' (2004)
===Primary sources===
* Demuth, Christopher, and William Kristol, eds. ''The Neoconservative Imagination: Essays in Honor of Irving Kristol'' (1995) [http://www.amazon.com/Neoconservative-Imagination-Essays-Irving-Kristol/dp/0844738999/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1241491256&sr=1-18 excerpt and text search]
* Gerson, Mark ed., ''The Essential Neo-Conservative Reader'' (1997))
* Kristol, Irving. ''Neoconservatism: the Autobiography of an Idea'' (1999) [http://www.amazon.com/Neo-conservatism-Autobiography-Idea-Irving-Kristol/dp/1566632285/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1241491185&sr=1-10 excerpt and text search]
* Stelzer, Irwin, ed. ''The NeoCon Reader'' (2005) [http://www.amazon.com/Neocon-Reader-Irwin-Stelzer/dp/0802141935/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1241491185&sr=1-4 excerpt and text search]

==External links==
*[http://www.iasps.org/strat1.htm A Clean Break: A New Strategy for Securing the Realm] - a key neoconservative document.
*[http://www.opinionjournal.com/federation/feature/?id=110010684 Neoconservatism's Future: It's still the only game in town], Joshua Muravchik, OpinionJournal.com, October 3, 2007. From ''[[Commentary]]''.
*[http://www.henryjacksonsociety.org/ The Henry Jackson Society]
*[http://www.jinsa.org/home/home.html Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs]
*[http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/003/000tzmlw.asp The Neoconservative Persuasion by Irving Kristol]

==== References ====
<references/>

[[Category:Neoconservative]]
[[Category:Conservatives]]
[[Category:Reagan Era]]
[[Category:Afghanistan War]]

Movement conservative

2012-12-24T13:19:23Z

Thatteapartyguy:

[[Category:Conservative]]A '''movement conservative''' is one who supports all or nearly all [[conservative]] principles with a coherent philosophy, and who advances broad [[conservative]] goals both individually and through teamwork. This is contrasted with [[Republican in name only|cafeteria]], or single-issue, or self-serving approaches. Movement conservatives, unlike cafeteria conservatives, understand that since conservative philosophy is a coherent whole, it is untenable to discard part of it without discarding all of it. '''Movement conservatives favor [[logic]] rather than self-centered behavior''' and therefore reject the teachings of [[Ayn Rand]], who considered [[selfishness]] to be logical.

Simply put, a movement conservative is a conservative who seeks to help others, and the nation, by explaining, advocating and defending the logical and beneficial conservative approach. A movement conservative is not primarily seeking political gain for him or herself, but advocates the insights and values of [[conservatism]] for the benefit of others.

Examples of movement conservatives would include:

*[[Saint Paul|St. Paul]]
*The late Senator [[Jesse Helms]]
*The late President [[Ronald Reagan]]
*The late Congressman [[John Ashbrook]]
*The late Congressman [[Larry McDonald]] who died on board of the [[KAL 007]] flight when it was shot down by Soviets.
*The late Journalist [[Robert Novak]]
*Activist [[Phyllis Schlafly]]
*Supreme Court Justice [[Clarence Thomas]]
*The late University President [[Jerry Falwell]]
*[[United Nations]] Ambassador [[John Bolton]]
*Columnist [[Thomas Sowell]]
*Talk-radio host [[Rush Limbaugh]]
*U.S. Representative for [[Minnesota]]'s 6th District [[Michele Bachmann]]
*Author and talk-radio host [[Mark Levin]]
*Commentator [[Pat Buchanan]]
*Columnist [[Ann Coulter]]
*Columnist and blogger [[Michelle Malkin]]
*Radio and former television personality [[Glenn Beck]]
*Supreme Court Justice [[Antonin Scalia]]
*Former Senator [[Jim DeMint]]
*Activist [[Alan Keyes]]
*[[Homeschooling]] leader [[Michael Farris]]
*Former British Prime Minister [[Margaret Thatcher]]
*Former Governor [[Sarah Palin]]

==See also==
*[[Conservative Movement]]

{{Conservatism}}

Movement conservative

2012-12-24T13:18:51Z

Thatteapartyguy:

[[Category:Conservative]]A '''movement conservative''' is one who supports all or nearly all [[conservative]] principles with a coherent philosophy, and who advances broad [[conservative]] goals both individually and through teamwork. This is contrasted with [[Republican in name only|cafeteria]], or single-issue, or self-serving approaches. Movement conservatives, unlike cafeteria conservatives, understand that since conservative philosophy is a coherent whole, it is untenable to discard part of it without discarding all of it. '''Movement conservatives favor [[logic]] rather than self-centered behavior''' and therefore reject the teachings of [[Ayn Rand]], who considered [[selfishness]] to be logical.

Simply put, a movement conservative is a conservative who seeks to help others, and the nation, by explaining, advocating and defending the logical and beneficial conservative approach. A movement conservative is not primarily seeking political gain for him or herself, but advocates the insights and values of [[conservatism]] for the benefit of others.

Examples of movement conservatives would include:

*[[Saint Paul|St. Paul]]
*The late Senator [[Jesse Helms]]
*The late President [[Ronald Reagan]]
*The late Congressman [[John Ashbrook]]
*The late Congressman [[Larry McDonald]] who died on board of the [[KAL 007]] flight when it was shot down by Soviets.
*The late Journalist [[Robert Novak]]
*Activist [[Phyllis Schlafly]]
*Supreme Court Justice [[Clarence Thomas]]
*The late University President [[Jerry Falwell]]
*[[United Nations]] Ambassador [[John Bolton]]
*Columnist [[Thomas Sowell]]
*Talk-radio host [[Rush Limbaugh]]
*U.S. Representative for [[Minnesota]]'s 6th District [[Michele Bachmann]]
*Author and talk-radio host [[Mark Levin]]
*Commentator [[Pat Buchanan]]
*Columnist [[Ann Coulter]]
*Columnist and blogger [[Michelle Malkin]]
*Radio and former television personality [[Glenn Beck]]
*Supreme Court Justice [[Antonin Scalia]]
*Senator [[Jim DeMint]]
*Activist [[Alan Keyes]]
*[[Homeschooling]] leader [[Michael Farris]]
*Former British Prime Minister [[Margaret Thatcher]]
*Former Governor [[Sarah Palin]]

==See also==
*[[Conservative Movement]]

{{Conservatism}}

RINO

2012-12-24T13:14:02Z

Thatteapartyguy: /* Former or Defeated RINOs */

[[File:Kel-rino.jpg|thumb|250px|Sergeant [[Jesse Kelly]] runs for Congress in Arizona in 2009 and attacks the RINOs in the GOP]]
A '''RINO''' ('''R'''epublican '''i'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly) is an officeholder or candidate who is a member of the [[Republican Party]], but holds views to the political left of most Republican voters. The term "RINO" describes politicians who claim to be [[Republican Party|Republican]] but are in fact [[liberal]], and therefore generally debase the winning conservative coalition base of the Republican Party.

RINOs are often Republican only to the extent it serves their own interests, and will abandon conservative principles as soon as it is in their own interests to do so. RINOs often provide support for raising taxes, [[abortion]] as [[Pro-choice|a right]], [[gay rights]] and [[gun control]]. Some RINOs have connections with [[Planned Parenthood]] or corporations that support goals of [[population control]]; other RINOs pay lip service to [[pro-life]] values while in practice not advancing those values.

[[Double standard]]s by RINOs are common: a birther comment by [[Romney]] during his campaign was supposedly a "nothing", but [[Todd Akin]]'s [[pro-life]] comment would somehow "absolutely" could cost RINOs control of the [[U.S. Senate]]!<ref>http://content.usatoday.com/communities/onpolitics/post/2012/08/todd-akin-rape-missouri-senate-race-reince-priebus-/1#.UDpUhNZlQ7s</ref>

RINOs, like Democrats, typically come from states in [[New England]], the Mid-Atlantic; or states on the [[Left Coast]]. A less-used term is '''[[cafeteria conservative]]''', for a person who picks and chooses which [[conservative]] principles to believe, as a person might choose foods in a cafeteria instead of ordering the full-course ''menu'' selected by the chef at most restaurants.<ref>[http://www.manp.org/association-spotlight/archives/james-carville-mary-matalin-he-said-she-said James Carville & Mary Matalin: He Said, She Said]</ref> In contrast to RINO's and cafeteria conservatives, [[movement conservative]]s understand that since conservative philosophy is a coherent whole, it is untenable to discard part of it without discarding all of it.

The targets of attack argue they follow [[middle of the road]] policies and are not liberals; they claim they get results, and insist that without them the [[United States Congress|Congress]] would be totally controlled by liberal [[Democratic Party|Democrats]] and Republicans would rarely have any success. Conservatives respond that in the heyday of "Rockefeller liberalism" in the GOP the Democrats always controlled Congress, and the GOP only took power when [[Newt Gingrich]] launched a national conservative "Contract with America" in 1994, ending 40 years of Democratic control of the [[United States House of Representatives|House]].

In recent Republican [[Primary election|primaries]], voters have been rejecting establishment RINOs in favor of those with stronger conservative principles. Their commitment to self and not party is evident in their refusal to endorse the candidate that beats them. In some instances, they refuse the will of the voters and their party by running for office on an [[Independent candidate|independent ticket]]. It is important to vote for someone who's more conservative on the issues rather than for a Republican because anyone can join a party and be they can be RINOs.

== RINOs ==
*Senator [[Olympia J. Snowe]] of [[Maine]] (not seeking re-election in 2012)

*Senator [[Susan Collins]] of [[Maine]]

*Senator [[Lindsey Graham]] of [[South Carolina]]

*Senator [[Scott Brown]] of [[Massachusetts]] (defeated by liberal [[Elizabeth Warren]] in 2012)

*Senator [[Lisa Murkowski]] of [[Alaska]]

*Senator [[Mark Kirk]] of [[Illinois]]

*Senator [[Richard Lugar]] of [[Indiana]] (displaced by [[Richard Mourdock]] in the 2012 Indiana Senate Primary)

*Senator [[John McCain]] of [[Arizona]]

*Senator [[Kay Bailey Hutchison]] of [[Texas]] (not seeking re-election in 2012)

*Governor [[Chris Christie]] of [[New Jersey]]

*Governor [[Mitch Daniels]] of [[Indiana]]

*Transportation Secretary [[Ray Lahood]]

*Rep. Don Young of [[Alaska]]

*Rep. David Dreier of [[California]]

*Supreme Court Chief Justice [[John Roberts]] after his support of gutting Arizona's immigration law and yet being the swing vote responsible for keeping [[Obamacare]] upheld. As Supreme Court Justices officially have no party, he is more of a "conservative in name only".

*State Senator Allan Kittleman of [[Maryland]], for promoting homosexual [[special rights]]<ref>[http://voices.washingtonpost.com/annapolis/2011/02/gop_senator_announces_support.html GOP senator announces support for Md. same-sex marriage bill]</ref>

==Former or Defeated RINOs==

*[[Jon Bruning]], who lost a double-digit lead in a stunning upset for the [[Republican]] nomination for [[U.S. Senate]] in [[Nebraska]] in 2012.

*Former President [[Theodore Roosevelt]], because he regulated the economy and used social justice.

*Former Senator [[Alan Simpson]] of [[Wyoming]]

*Former Senator [[George Voinovich]] of [[Ohio]]

*Former Senator [[Gordon Smith]] of [[Oregon]]

*Former Senator [[Charles Mathias]] of [[Maryland]]

*Former Senator [[Bob Bennett]] of [[Utah]]

*Former Senator [[Chuck Hagel]] of [[Nebraska]]

*Former Vice-President and Senator [[Nelson Rockefeller]] of [[New York]]

*Former Congressman [[Christopher Shays]] of [[Connecticut]]

*Former Congressman [[Tom Campbell]] of [[California]]

*Former Congressman and Governor [[Michael Castle]] of [[Delaware]]

*Former Congressman [[Joseph Cao]] of [[Louisiana]]

*Former Congressman [[Joe Scarborough]] of [[Florida]]

*Former Governor [[Jeb Bush]] of [[Florida]]

*Former Governor [[Jon Huntsman, Jr.]] of [[Utah]]

*Former Governor [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]] of [[California]]

*Former Governor [[Linda Lingle]] of [[Hawaii]]

*Former Governor [[George Pataki]] of [[New York]]

*Former Governor and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator [[Christine Todd Whitman]] of [[New Jersey]]

*Former Secretary of State [[Colin Powell]]

*Former Secretary of [[Homeland Security]] [[Tom Ridge]].

*Former Press Secretary [[Scott McClellan]]

*Former [[New York City]] Mayor [[Rudy Giuliani]]

*Former New York Congressional Candidate [[Dede Scozzafava]]

==Former RINOs who have since left the Republican Party==

* Former [[New Mexico]] Governor [[Gary Johnson]] supports same-sex marriage and abortion (although he opposes abortion once the fetus becomes viable outside the mother's body). After switching to the [[Libertarian Party]] in 2012 to run for President, he openly admitted that he governed New Mexico for eight years as a RINO, even using the phrase "Republican in name only" on multiple occasions. The Libertarian Party is [[liberal]] on social issues (with the exception that they support [[gun rights]]) but are fiscally very conservative.

* Former Senator [[Arlen Specter]] of [[Pennsylvania]] supported ObamaCare and switched from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party to give the latter a 60-40 edge in the Senate and allow them to enact [[cloture]] on the Republican [[filibuster]]

*Former Senator [[Lincoln Chafee]] of [[Rhode Island]], who became an Independent in 2007.

*Former Senator [[Lowell Weicker]] of [[Connecticut]], who left the party and formed his own local one in 1990, then became an Independent in 1995.

*[[New York City]] Mayor [[Michael Bloomberg]], who became an Independent in 2007. As it is not possible to campaign as an Independent in New York State, Bloomberg runs on the line of the [[Independence Party of New York]].

*Former Senator [[Jim Jeffords]] of [[Vermont]], who left the Party and became a Democrat in 2001, giving control of the [[United States Senate|Senate]] to the Democrats.

*Former Governor [[Charlie Crist]] of [[Florida]], who became an independent in 2010 after it was clear he would lose his Senate bid. Crist joined the [[Democratic Party]] in 2012.

*Former Representative [[John Anderson]] of [[Illinois]], who became an Independent after losing his party's presidential primary in 1980.

*Former Governor [[Buddy Roemer]] of [[Louisiana]], who became an Independent after losing his party's presidential primary in 2012.

==RINO McCain==

A majority of conservatives distrust RINO [[John McCain]] even though many of his policies are that of a true conservative. Key RINO principles rejected by McCain include support for [[gay rights]], support for [[abortion]], and support for [[earmark]]s. He has positioned his career as a bipartisan moderate, reaching across the aisle whenever possible. This is also his downfall. The era of reaching across the aisle passed -- when [[statist]], [[socialist]] Democrats became Senators. His major political blunders mostly came during the 21st century political period. He was against both the Reagan and Bush [[tax cuts]], and employed [[class warfare]] rhetoric in trying to stop the tax cuts from taking effect. His support for amnesty was the complete opposite of what conservatives wanted. He has always complained about [[waterboarding|enhanced interrogation techniques]], calling them "[[torture]]". In non-election years, he likes to trash conservative positions and icons in order to get the [[Mainstream media|media]]'s and Democrats' approval. However, during the election he refused to go after [[Barack Hussein Obama]]'s associations with [[Jeremiah Wright]]. He believes in the junk science known as [[global warming]], and has supported cap-and-trade programs. Another [[Middle East]] war, without a goal, without full commitment to win, without Congressional approval- McCain supports the President. It didn't stop there and in July 2011, he called the [[Tea Party]], the people that care about fiscal sanity in Washington, they are "hobbits".

The sacrifices he has made serving this country cannot be overlooked. John McCain has earned war hero status but also the status as a D.C. zero.

==External Links==
* [http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/05/05/1615233/in-senate-primary-california-republicans.html In Senate primary, California Republicans run away from RINO label]
* [http://www.commieblaster.com/RINO/index.html CommieBlaster RINO Index]

==See Also==
*[[RINO Backers]]
*[[PLINO]] - [[pro-life]] in name only
*[[XINO]] - [[Christian]] in name only
*[[Republican Party]]
*[[Moderate Republican]]
*[[Conservative Democrat]]
*[[Blue Dog Democrat]]
*[[Reagan Democrat]]
*[[Catholic in name only]]
*[[Liberal media conservative]]

{{Liberalism}}

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Conservative]]
[[Category:Republican Party]]

RINO

2012-12-24T13:12:33Z

Thatteapartyguy: /* Former or Defeated RINOs */

[[File:Kel-rino.jpg|thumb|250px|Sergeant [[Jesse Kelly]] runs for Congress in Arizona in 2009 and attacks the RINOs in the GOP]]
A '''RINO''' ('''R'''epublican '''i'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly) is an officeholder or candidate who is a member of the [[Republican Party]], but holds views to the political left of most Republican voters. The term "RINO" describes politicians who claim to be [[Republican Party|Republican]] but are in fact [[liberal]], and therefore generally debase the winning conservative coalition base of the Republican Party.

RINOs are often Republican only to the extent it serves their own interests, and will abandon conservative principles as soon as it is in their own interests to do so. RINOs often provide support for raising taxes, [[abortion]] as [[Pro-choice|a right]], [[gay rights]] and [[gun control]]. Some RINOs have connections with [[Planned Parenthood]] or corporations that support goals of [[population control]]; other RINOs pay lip service to [[pro-life]] values while in practice not advancing those values.

[[Double standard]]s by RINOs are common: a birther comment by [[Romney]] during his campaign was supposedly a "nothing", but [[Todd Akin]]'s [[pro-life]] comment would somehow "absolutely" could cost RINOs control of the [[U.S. Senate]]!<ref>http://content.usatoday.com/communities/onpolitics/post/2012/08/todd-akin-rape-missouri-senate-race-reince-priebus-/1#.UDpUhNZlQ7s</ref>

RINOs, like Democrats, typically come from states in [[New England]], the Mid-Atlantic; or states on the [[Left Coast]]. A less-used term is '''[[cafeteria conservative]]''', for a person who picks and chooses which [[conservative]] principles to believe, as a person might choose foods in a cafeteria instead of ordering the full-course ''menu'' selected by the chef at most restaurants.<ref>[http://www.manp.org/association-spotlight/archives/james-carville-mary-matalin-he-said-she-said James Carville & Mary Matalin: He Said, She Said]</ref> In contrast to RINO's and cafeteria conservatives, [[movement conservative]]s understand that since conservative philosophy is a coherent whole, it is untenable to discard part of it without discarding all of it.

The targets of attack argue they follow [[middle of the road]] policies and are not liberals; they claim they get results, and insist that without them the [[United States Congress|Congress]] would be totally controlled by liberal [[Democratic Party|Democrats]] and Republicans would rarely have any success. Conservatives respond that in the heyday of "Rockefeller liberalism" in the GOP the Democrats always controlled Congress, and the GOP only took power when [[Newt Gingrich]] launched a national conservative "Contract with America" in 1994, ending 40 years of Democratic control of the [[United States House of Representatives|House]].

In recent Republican [[Primary election|primaries]], voters have been rejecting establishment RINOs in favor of those with stronger conservative principles. Their commitment to self and not party is evident in their refusal to endorse the candidate that beats them. In some instances, they refuse the will of the voters and their party by running for office on an [[Independent candidate|independent ticket]]. It is important to vote for someone who's more conservative on the issues rather than for a Republican because anyone can join a party and be they can be RINOs.

== RINOs ==
*Senator [[Olympia J. Snowe]] of [[Maine]] (not seeking re-election in 2012)

*Senator [[Susan Collins]] of [[Maine]]

*Senator [[Lindsey Graham]] of [[South Carolina]]

*Senator [[Scott Brown]] of [[Massachusetts]] (defeated by liberal [[Elizabeth Warren]] in 2012)

*Senator [[Lisa Murkowski]] of [[Alaska]]

*Senator [[Mark Kirk]] of [[Illinois]]

*Senator [[Richard Lugar]] of [[Indiana]] (displaced by [[Richard Mourdock]] in the 2012 Indiana Senate Primary)

*Senator [[John McCain]] of [[Arizona]]

*Senator [[Kay Bailey Hutchison]] of [[Texas]] (not seeking re-election in 2012)

*Governor [[Chris Christie]] of [[New Jersey]]

*Governor [[Mitch Daniels]] of [[Indiana]]

*Transportation Secretary [[Ray Lahood]]

*Rep. Don Young of [[Alaska]]

*Rep. David Dreier of [[California]]

*Supreme Court Chief Justice [[John Roberts]] after his support of gutting Arizona's immigration law and yet being the swing vote responsible for keeping [[Obamacare]] upheld. As Supreme Court Justices officially have no party, he is more of a "conservative in name only".

*State Senator Allan Kittleman of [[Maryland]], for promoting homosexual [[special rights]]<ref>[http://voices.washingtonpost.com/annapolis/2011/02/gop_senator_announces_support.html GOP senator announces support for Md. same-sex marriage bill]</ref>

==Former or Defeated RINOs==

*[[Jon Bruning]], who lost a double-digit lead in a stunning upset for the [[Republican]] nomination for [[U.S. Senate]] in [[Nebraska]] in 2012.

*Former President [[Theodore Roosevelt]], because he regulated the economy and used social justice.

*Former Senator [[Alan Simpson]] of [[Wyoming]]

*Former Senator [[George Voinovich]] of [[Ohio]]

*Former Senator [[Gordon Smith]] of [[Oregon]]

*Former Senator [[Charles Mathias]] of [[Maryland]]

*Former Senator [[Bob Bennett]] of [[Utah]]

*Former Senator [[Chuck Hagel]] of [[Nebraska]]

*Former Vice-President and Senator [[Nelson Rockefeller]] of [[New York]]

*Former Congressman [[Christopher Shays]] of [[Connecticut]]

*Former Congressman [[Tom Campbell]] of [[California]]

*Former Congressman [[Michael Castle]] of [[Delaware]]

*Former Congressman [[Joseph Cao]] of [[Louisiana]]

*Former Congressman [[Joe Scarborough]] of [[Florida]]

*Former Governor [[Jeb Bush]] of [[Florida]]

*Former Governor [[Jon Huntsman, Jr.]] of [[Utah]]

*Former Governor [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]] of [[California]]

*Former Governor [[Linda Lingle]] of [[Hawaii]]

*Former Governor [[Mike Castle]] of [[Delaware]]

*Former Governor [[George Pataki]] of [[New York]]

*Former Governor and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator [[Christine Todd Whitman]] of [[New Jersey]]

*Former Secretary of State [[Colin Powell]]

*Former Secretary of [[Homeland Security]] [[Tom Ridge]].

*Former Press Secretary [[Scott McClellan]]

*Former [[New York City]] Mayor [[Rudy Giuliani]]

*Former New York Congressional Candidate [[Dede Scozzafava]]

==Former RINOs who have since left the Republican Party==

* Former [[New Mexico]] Governor [[Gary Johnson]] supports same-sex marriage and abortion (although he opposes abortion once the fetus becomes viable outside the mother's body). After switching to the [[Libertarian Party]] in 2012 to run for President, he openly admitted that he governed New Mexico for eight years as a RINO, even using the phrase "Republican in name only" on multiple occasions. The Libertarian Party is [[liberal]] on social issues (with the exception that they support [[gun rights]]) but are fiscally very conservative.

* Former Senator [[Arlen Specter]] of [[Pennsylvania]] supported ObamaCare and switched from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party to give the latter a 60-40 edge in the Senate and allow them to enact [[cloture]] on the Republican [[filibuster]]

*Former Senator [[Lincoln Chafee]] of [[Rhode Island]], who became an Independent in 2007.

*Former Senator [[Lowell Weicker]] of [[Connecticut]], who left the party and formed his own local one in 1990, then became an Independent in 1995.

*[[New York City]] Mayor [[Michael Bloomberg]], who became an Independent in 2007. As it is not possible to campaign as an Independent in New York State, Bloomberg runs on the line of the [[Independence Party of New York]].

*Former Senator [[Jim Jeffords]] of [[Vermont]], who left the Party and became a Democrat in 2001, giving control of the [[United States Senate|Senate]] to the Democrats.

*Former Governor [[Charlie Crist]] of [[Florida]], who became an independent in 2010 after it was clear he would lose his Senate bid. Crist joined the [[Democratic Party]] in 2012.

*Former Representative [[John Anderson]] of [[Illinois]], who became an Independent after losing his party's presidential primary in 1980.

*Former Governor [[Buddy Roemer]] of [[Louisiana]], who became an Independent after losing his party's presidential primary in 2012.

==RINO McCain==

A majority of conservatives distrust RINO [[John McCain]] even though many of his policies are that of a true conservative. Key RINO principles rejected by McCain include support for [[gay rights]], support for [[abortion]], and support for [[earmark]]s. He has positioned his career as a bipartisan moderate, reaching across the aisle whenever possible. This is also his downfall. The era of reaching across the aisle passed -- when [[statist]], [[socialist]] Democrats became Senators. His major political blunders mostly came during the 21st century political period. He was against both the Reagan and Bush [[tax cuts]], and employed [[class warfare]] rhetoric in trying to stop the tax cuts from taking effect. His support for amnesty was the complete opposite of what conservatives wanted. He has always complained about [[waterboarding|enhanced interrogation techniques]], calling them "[[torture]]". In non-election years, he likes to trash conservative positions and icons in order to get the [[Mainstream media|media]]'s and Democrats' approval. However, during the election he refused to go after [[Barack Hussein Obama]]'s associations with [[Jeremiah Wright]]. He believes in the junk science known as [[global warming]], and has supported cap-and-trade programs. Another [[Middle East]] war, without a goal, without full commitment to win, without Congressional approval- McCain supports the President. It didn't stop there and in July 2011, he called the [[Tea Party]], the people that care about fiscal sanity in Washington, they are "hobbits".

The sacrifices he has made serving this country cannot be overlooked. John McCain has earned war hero status but also the status as a D.C. zero.

==External Links==
* [http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/05/05/1615233/in-senate-primary-california-republicans.html In Senate primary, California Republicans run away from RINO label]
* [http://www.commieblaster.com/RINO/index.html CommieBlaster RINO Index]

==See Also==
*[[RINO Backers]]
*[[PLINO]] - [[pro-life]] in name only
*[[XINO]] - [[Christian]] in name only
*[[Republican Party]]
*[[Moderate Republican]]
*[[Conservative Democrat]]
*[[Blue Dog Democrat]]
*[[Reagan Democrat]]
*[[Catholic in name only]]
*[[Liberal media conservative]]

{{Liberalism}}

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Conservative]]
[[Category:Republican Party]]

RINO

2012-12-24T13:10:12Z

Thatteapartyguy: /* RINOs */

[[File:Kel-rino.jpg|thumb|250px|Sergeant [[Jesse Kelly]] runs for Congress in Arizona in 2009 and attacks the RINOs in the GOP]]
A '''RINO''' ('''R'''epublican '''i'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly) is an officeholder or candidate who is a member of the [[Republican Party]], but holds views to the political left of most Republican voters. The term "RINO" describes politicians who claim to be [[Republican Party|Republican]] but are in fact [[liberal]], and therefore generally debase the winning conservative coalition base of the Republican Party.

RINOs are often Republican only to the extent it serves their own interests, and will abandon conservative principles as soon as it is in their own interests to do so. RINOs often provide support for raising taxes, [[abortion]] as [[Pro-choice|a right]], [[gay rights]] and [[gun control]]. Some RINOs have connections with [[Planned Parenthood]] or corporations that support goals of [[population control]]; other RINOs pay lip service to [[pro-life]] values while in practice not advancing those values.

[[Double standard]]s by RINOs are common: a birther comment by [[Romney]] during his campaign was supposedly a "nothing", but [[Todd Akin]]'s [[pro-life]] comment would somehow "absolutely" could cost RINOs control of the [[U.S. Senate]]!<ref>http://content.usatoday.com/communities/onpolitics/post/2012/08/todd-akin-rape-missouri-senate-race-reince-priebus-/1#.UDpUhNZlQ7s</ref>

RINOs, like Democrats, typically come from states in [[New England]], the Mid-Atlantic; or states on the [[Left Coast]]. A less-used term is '''[[cafeteria conservative]]''', for a person who picks and chooses which [[conservative]] principles to believe, as a person might choose foods in a cafeteria instead of ordering the full-course ''menu'' selected by the chef at most restaurants.<ref>[http://www.manp.org/association-spotlight/archives/james-carville-mary-matalin-he-said-she-said James Carville & Mary Matalin: He Said, She Said]</ref> In contrast to RINO's and cafeteria conservatives, [[movement conservative]]s understand that since conservative philosophy is a coherent whole, it is untenable to discard part of it without discarding all of it.

The targets of attack argue they follow [[middle of the road]] policies and are not liberals; they claim they get results, and insist that without them the [[United States Congress|Congress]] would be totally controlled by liberal [[Democratic Party|Democrats]] and Republicans would rarely have any success. Conservatives respond that in the heyday of "Rockefeller liberalism" in the GOP the Democrats always controlled Congress, and the GOP only took power when [[Newt Gingrich]] launched a national conservative "Contract with America" in 1994, ending 40 years of Democratic control of the [[United States House of Representatives|House]].

In recent Republican [[Primary election|primaries]], voters have been rejecting establishment RINOs in favor of those with stronger conservative principles. Their commitment to self and not party is evident in their refusal to endorse the candidate that beats them. In some instances, they refuse the will of the voters and their party by running for office on an [[Independent candidate|independent ticket]]. It is important to vote for someone who's more conservative on the issues rather than for a Republican because anyone can join a party and be they can be RINOs.

== RINOs ==
*Senator [[Olympia J. Snowe]] of [[Maine]] (not seeking re-election in 2012)

*Senator [[Susan Collins]] of [[Maine]]

*Senator [[Lindsey Graham]] of [[South Carolina]]

*Senator [[Scott Brown]] of [[Massachusetts]] (defeated by liberal [[Elizabeth Warren]] in 2012)

*Senator [[Lisa Murkowski]] of [[Alaska]]

*Senator [[Mark Kirk]] of [[Illinois]]

*Senator [[Richard Lugar]] of [[Indiana]] (displaced by [[Richard Mourdock]] in the 2012 Indiana Senate Primary)

*Senator [[John McCain]] of [[Arizona]]

*Senator [[Kay Bailey Hutchison]] of [[Texas]] (not seeking re-election in 2012)

*Governor [[Chris Christie]] of [[New Jersey]]

*Governor [[Mitch Daniels]] of [[Indiana]]

*Transportation Secretary [[Ray Lahood]]

*Rep. Don Young of [[Alaska]]

*Rep. David Dreier of [[California]]

*Supreme Court Chief Justice [[John Roberts]] after his support of gutting Arizona's immigration law and yet being the swing vote responsible for keeping [[Obamacare]] upheld. As Supreme Court Justices officially have no party, he is more of a "conservative in name only".

*State Senator Allan Kittleman of [[Maryland]], for promoting homosexual [[special rights]]<ref>[http://voices.washingtonpost.com/annapolis/2011/02/gop_senator_announces_support.html GOP senator announces support for Md. same-sex marriage bill]</ref>

==Former or Defeated RINOs==

*[[Jon Bruning]], who lost a double-digit lead in a stunning upset for the [[Republican]] nomination for [[U.S. Senate]] in [[Nebraska]] in 2012.

*Former President [[Theodore Roosevelt]], because he regulated the economy and used social justice.

*Former Senator [[Alan Simpson]] of [[Wyoming]]

*Former Senator [[George Voinovich]] of [[Ohio]]

*Former Senator [[Gordon Smith]] of [[Oregon]]

*Former Senator [[Charles Mathias]] of [[Maryland]]

*Former Senator [[Bob Bennett]] of [[Utah]]

*Former Senator [[Chuck Hagel]] of [[Nebraska]]

*Former Vice-President and Senator [[Nelson Rockefeller]] of [[New York]]

*Former Congressman [[Christopher Shays]] of [[Connecticut]]

*Former Congressman [[Tom Campbell]] of [[California]]

*Former Congressman [[Michael Castle]] of [[Delaware]]

*Former Congressman [[Joseph Cao]] of [[Louisiana]]

*Former Congressman [[Joe Scarborough]] of [[Florida]]

*Former Governor [[Jeb Bush]] of [[Florida]]

*Former Governor [[Jon Huntsman, Jr.]] of [[Utah]]

*Former Governor [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]] of [[California]]

*Former Governor [[Linda Lingle]] of [[Hawaii]]

*Former Governor [[George Pataki]] of [[New York]]

*Former Governor and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator [[Christine Todd Whitman]] of [[New Jersey]]

*Former Secretary of State [[Colin Powell]]

*Former Secretary of [[Homeland Security]] [[Tom Ridge]].

*Former Press Secretary [[Scott McClellan]]

*Former [[New York City]] Mayor [[Rudy Giuliani]]

*Former New York Congressional Candidate [[Dede Scozzafava]]

==Former RINOs who have since left the Republican Party==

* Former [[New Mexico]] Governor [[Gary Johnson]] supports same-sex marriage and abortion (although he opposes abortion once the fetus becomes viable outside the mother's body). After switching to the [[Libertarian Party]] in 2012 to run for President, he openly admitted that he governed New Mexico for eight years as a RINO, even using the phrase "Republican in name only" on multiple occasions. The Libertarian Party is [[liberal]] on social issues (with the exception that they support [[gun rights]]) but are fiscally very conservative.

* Former Senator [[Arlen Specter]] of [[Pennsylvania]] supported ObamaCare and switched from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party to give the latter a 60-40 edge in the Senate and allow them to enact [[cloture]] on the Republican [[filibuster]]

*Former Senator [[Lincoln Chafee]] of [[Rhode Island]], who became an Independent in 2007.

*Former Senator [[Lowell Weicker]] of [[Connecticut]], who left the party and formed his own local one in 1990, then became an Independent in 1995.

*[[New York City]] Mayor [[Michael Bloomberg]], who became an Independent in 2007. As it is not possible to campaign as an Independent in New York State, Bloomberg runs on the line of the [[Independence Party of New York]].

*Former Senator [[Jim Jeffords]] of [[Vermont]], who left the Party and became a Democrat in 2001, giving control of the [[United States Senate|Senate]] to the Democrats.

*Former Governor [[Charlie Crist]] of [[Florida]], who became an independent in 2010 after it was clear he would lose his Senate bid. Crist joined the [[Democratic Party]] in 2012.

*Former Representative [[John Anderson]] of [[Illinois]], who became an Independent after losing his party's presidential primary in 1980.

*Former Governor [[Buddy Roemer]] of [[Louisiana]], who became an Independent after losing his party's presidential primary in 2012.

==RINO McCain==

A majority of conservatives distrust RINO [[John McCain]] even though many of his policies are that of a true conservative. Key RINO principles rejected by McCain include support for [[gay rights]], support for [[abortion]], and support for [[earmark]]s. He has positioned his career as a bipartisan moderate, reaching across the aisle whenever possible. This is also his downfall. The era of reaching across the aisle passed -- when [[statist]], [[socialist]] Democrats became Senators. His major political blunders mostly came during the 21st century political period. He was against both the Reagan and Bush [[tax cuts]], and employed [[class warfare]] rhetoric in trying to stop the tax cuts from taking effect. His support for amnesty was the complete opposite of what conservatives wanted. He has always complained about [[waterboarding|enhanced interrogation techniques]], calling them "[[torture]]". In non-election years, he likes to trash conservative positions and icons in order to get the [[Mainstream media|media]]'s and Democrats' approval. However, during the election he refused to go after [[Barack Hussein Obama]]'s associations with [[Jeremiah Wright]]. He believes in the junk science known as [[global warming]], and has supported cap-and-trade programs. Another [[Middle East]] war, without a goal, without full commitment to win, without Congressional approval- McCain supports the President. It didn't stop there and in July 2011, he called the [[Tea Party]], the people that care about fiscal sanity in Washington, they are "hobbits".

The sacrifices he has made serving this country cannot be overlooked. John McCain has earned war hero status but also the status as a D.C. zero.

==External Links==
* [http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/05/05/1615233/in-senate-primary-california-republicans.html In Senate primary, California Republicans run away from RINO label]
* [http://www.commieblaster.com/RINO/index.html CommieBlaster RINO Index]

==See Also==
*[[RINO Backers]]
*[[PLINO]] - [[pro-life]] in name only
*[[XINO]] - [[Christian]] in name only
*[[Republican Party]]
*[[Moderate Republican]]
*[[Conservative Democrat]]
*[[Blue Dog Democrat]]
*[[Reagan Democrat]]
*[[Catholic in name only]]
*[[Liberal media conservative]]

{{Liberalism}}

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Conservative]]
[[Category:Republican Party]]

RINO

2012-12-24T13:07:52Z

Thatteapartyguy: /* Former RINOs who have since left the Republican Party */

[[File:Kel-rino.jpg|thumb|250px|Sergeant [[Jesse Kelly]] runs for Congress in Arizona in 2009 and attacks the RINOs in the GOP]]
A '''RINO''' ('''R'''epublican '''i'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly) is an officeholder or candidate who is a member of the [[Republican Party]], but holds views to the political left of most Republican voters. The term "RINO" describes politicians who claim to be [[Republican Party|Republican]] but are in fact [[liberal]], and therefore generally debase the winning conservative coalition base of the Republican Party.

RINOs are often Republican only to the extent it serves their own interests, and will abandon conservative principles as soon as it is in their own interests to do so. RINOs often provide support for raising taxes, [[abortion]] as [[Pro-choice|a right]], [[gay rights]] and [[gun control]]. Some RINOs have connections with [[Planned Parenthood]] or corporations that support goals of [[population control]]; other RINOs pay lip service to [[pro-life]] values while in practice not advancing those values.

[[Double standard]]s by RINOs are common: a birther comment by [[Romney]] during his campaign was supposedly a "nothing", but [[Todd Akin]]'s [[pro-life]] comment would somehow "absolutely" could cost RINOs control of the [[U.S. Senate]]!<ref>http://content.usatoday.com/communities/onpolitics/post/2012/08/todd-akin-rape-missouri-senate-race-reince-priebus-/1#.UDpUhNZlQ7s</ref>

RINOs, like Democrats, typically come from states in [[New England]], the Mid-Atlantic; or states on the [[Left Coast]]. A less-used term is '''[[cafeteria conservative]]''', for a person who picks and chooses which [[conservative]] principles to believe, as a person might choose foods in a cafeteria instead of ordering the full-course ''menu'' selected by the chef at most restaurants.<ref>[http://www.manp.org/association-spotlight/archives/james-carville-mary-matalin-he-said-she-said James Carville & Mary Matalin: He Said, She Said]</ref> In contrast to RINO's and cafeteria conservatives, [[movement conservative]]s understand that since conservative philosophy is a coherent whole, it is untenable to discard part of it without discarding all of it.

The targets of attack argue they follow [[middle of the road]] policies and are not liberals; they claim they get results, and insist that without them the [[United States Congress|Congress]] would be totally controlled by liberal [[Democratic Party|Democrats]] and Republicans would rarely have any success. Conservatives respond that in the heyday of "Rockefeller liberalism" in the GOP the Democrats always controlled Congress, and the GOP only took power when [[Newt Gingrich]] launched a national conservative "Contract with America" in 1994, ending 40 years of Democratic control of the [[United States House of Representatives|House]].

In recent Republican [[Primary election|primaries]], voters have been rejecting establishment RINOs in favor of those with stronger conservative principles. Their commitment to self and not party is evident in their refusal to endorse the candidate that beats them. In some instances, they refuse the will of the voters and their party by running for office on an [[Independent candidate|independent ticket]]. It is important to vote for someone who's more conservative on the issues rather than for a Republican because anyone can join a party and be they can be RINOs.

== RINOs ==
*Senator [[Olympia J. Snowe]] of [[Maine]] (not seeking re-election in 2012)

*Senator [[Susan Collins]] of [[Maine]]

*Senator [[Lindsey Graham]] of [[South Carolina]]

*Senator [[Scott Brown]] of [[Massachusetts]] (defeated by liberal [[Elizabeth Warren]] in 2012)

*Senator [[Lisa Murkowski]] of [[Alaska]]

*Senator [[Mark Kirk]] of [[Illinois]]

*Senator [[Richard Lugar]] of [[Indiana]] (displaced by [[Richard Mourdock]] in the 2012 Indiana Senate Primary)

*Senator [[John McCain]] of [[Arizona]]

*Senator [[Kay Bailey Hutchison]] of [[Texas]]

*Governor [[Chris Christie]] of [[New Jersey]]

*Governor [[Mitch Daniels]] of [[Indiana]]

*Transportation Secretary [[Ray Lahood]]

*Rep. Don Young of [[Alaska]]

*Rep. David Dreier of [[California]]

*Supreme Court Chief Justice [[John Roberts]] after his support of gutting Arizona's immigration law and yet being the swing vote responsible for keeping [[Obamacare]] upheld. As Supreme Court Justices officially have no party, he is more of a "conservative in name only".

*State Senator Allan Kittleman of [[Maryland]], for promoting homosexual [[special rights]]<ref>[http://voices.washingtonpost.com/annapolis/2011/02/gop_senator_announces_support.html GOP senator announces support for Md. same-sex marriage bill]</ref>

==Former or Defeated RINOs==

*[[Jon Bruning]], who lost a double-digit lead in a stunning upset for the [[Republican]] nomination for [[U.S. Senate]] in [[Nebraska]] in 2012.

*Former President [[Theodore Roosevelt]], because he regulated the economy and used social justice.

*Former Senator [[Alan Simpson]] of [[Wyoming]]

*Former Senator [[George Voinovich]] of [[Ohio]]

*Former Senator [[Gordon Smith]] of [[Oregon]]

*Former Senator [[Charles Mathias]] of [[Maryland]]

*Former Senator [[Bob Bennett]] of [[Utah]]

*Former Senator [[Chuck Hagel]] of [[Nebraska]]

*Former Vice-President and Senator [[Nelson Rockefeller]] of [[New York]]

*Former Congressman [[Christopher Shays]] of [[Connecticut]]

*Former Congressman [[Tom Campbell]] of [[California]]

*Former Congressman [[Michael Castle]] of [[Delaware]]

*Former Congressman [[Joseph Cao]] of [[Louisiana]]

*Former Congressman [[Joe Scarborough]] of [[Florida]]

*Former Governor [[Jeb Bush]] of [[Florida]]

*Former Governor [[Jon Huntsman, Jr.]] of [[Utah]]

*Former Governor [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]] of [[California]]

*Former Governor [[Linda Lingle]] of [[Hawaii]]

*Former Governor [[George Pataki]] of [[New York]]

*Former Governor and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator [[Christine Todd Whitman]] of [[New Jersey]]

*Former Secretary of State [[Colin Powell]]

*Former Secretary of [[Homeland Security]] [[Tom Ridge]].

*Former Press Secretary [[Scott McClellan]]

*Former [[New York City]] Mayor [[Rudy Giuliani]]

*Former New York Congressional Candidate [[Dede Scozzafava]]

==Former RINOs who have since left the Republican Party==

* Former [[New Mexico]] Governor [[Gary Johnson]] supports same-sex marriage and abortion (although he opposes abortion once the fetus becomes viable outside the mother's body). After switching to the [[Libertarian Party]] in 2012 to run for President, he openly admitted that he governed New Mexico for eight years as a RINO, even using the phrase "Republican in name only" on multiple occasions. The Libertarian Party is [[liberal]] on social issues (with the exception that they support [[gun rights]]) but are fiscally very conservative.

* Former Senator [[Arlen Specter]] of [[Pennsylvania]] supported ObamaCare and switched from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party to give the latter a 60-40 edge in the Senate and allow them to enact [[cloture]] on the Republican [[filibuster]]

*Former Senator [[Lincoln Chafee]] of [[Rhode Island]], who became an Independent in 2007.

*Former Senator [[Lowell Weicker]] of [[Connecticut]], who left the party and formed his own local one in 1990, then became an Independent in 1995.

*[[New York City]] Mayor [[Michael Bloomberg]], who became an Independent in 2007. As it is not possible to campaign as an Independent in New York State, Bloomberg runs on the line of the [[Independence Party of New York]].

*Former Senator [[Jim Jeffords]] of [[Vermont]], who left the Party and became a Democrat in 2001, giving control of the [[United States Senate|Senate]] to the Democrats.

*Former Governor [[Charlie Crist]] of [[Florida]], who became an independent in 2010 after it was clear he would lose his Senate bid. Crist joined the [[Democratic Party]] in 2012.

*Former Representative [[John Anderson]] of [[Illinois]], who became an Independent after losing his party's presidential primary in 1980.

*Former Governor [[Buddy Roemer]] of [[Louisiana]], who became an Independent after losing his party's presidential primary in 2012.

==RINO McCain==

A majority of conservatives distrust RINO [[John McCain]] even though many of his policies are that of a true conservative. Key RINO principles rejected by McCain include support for [[gay rights]], support for [[abortion]], and support for [[earmark]]s. He has positioned his career as a bipartisan moderate, reaching across the aisle whenever possible. This is also his downfall. The era of reaching across the aisle passed -- when [[statist]], [[socialist]] Democrats became Senators. His major political blunders mostly came during the 21st century political period. He was against both the Reagan and Bush [[tax cuts]], and employed [[class warfare]] rhetoric in trying to stop the tax cuts from taking effect. His support for amnesty was the complete opposite of what conservatives wanted. He has always complained about [[waterboarding|enhanced interrogation techniques]], calling them "[[torture]]". In non-election years, he likes to trash conservative positions and icons in order to get the [[Mainstream media|media]]'s and Democrats' approval. However, during the election he refused to go after [[Barack Hussein Obama]]'s associations with [[Jeremiah Wright]]. He believes in the junk science known as [[global warming]], and has supported cap-and-trade programs. Another [[Middle East]] war, without a goal, without full commitment to win, without Congressional approval- McCain supports the President. It didn't stop there and in July 2011, he called the [[Tea Party]], the people that care about fiscal sanity in Washington, they are "hobbits".

The sacrifices he has made serving this country cannot be overlooked. John McCain has earned war hero status but also the status as a D.C. zero.

==External Links==
* [http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/05/05/1615233/in-senate-primary-california-republicans.html In Senate primary, California Republicans run away from RINO label]
* [http://www.commieblaster.com/RINO/index.html CommieBlaster RINO Index]

==See Also==
*[[RINO Backers]]
*[[PLINO]] - [[pro-life]] in name only
*[[XINO]] - [[Christian]] in name only
*[[Republican Party]]
*[[Moderate Republican]]
*[[Conservative Democrat]]
*[[Blue Dog Democrat]]
*[[Reagan Democrat]]
*[[Catholic in name only]]
*[[Liberal media conservative]]

{{Liberalism}}

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Conservative]]
[[Category:Republican Party]]

RINO

2012-12-24T13:07:03Z

Thatteapartyguy: /* Former or Defeated RINOs */

[[File:Kel-rino.jpg|thumb|250px|Sergeant [[Jesse Kelly]] runs for Congress in Arizona in 2009 and attacks the RINOs in the GOP]]
A '''RINO''' ('''R'''epublican '''i'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly) is an officeholder or candidate who is a member of the [[Republican Party]], but holds views to the political left of most Republican voters. The term "RINO" describes politicians who claim to be [[Republican Party|Republican]] but are in fact [[liberal]], and therefore generally debase the winning conservative coalition base of the Republican Party.

RINOs are often Republican only to the extent it serves their own interests, and will abandon conservative principles as soon as it is in their own interests to do so. RINOs often provide support for raising taxes, [[abortion]] as [[Pro-choice|a right]], [[gay rights]] and [[gun control]]. Some RINOs have connections with [[Planned Parenthood]] or corporations that support goals of [[population control]]; other RINOs pay lip service to [[pro-life]] values while in practice not advancing those values.

[[Double standard]]s by RINOs are common: a birther comment by [[Romney]] during his campaign was supposedly a "nothing", but [[Todd Akin]]'s [[pro-life]] comment would somehow "absolutely" could cost RINOs control of the [[U.S. Senate]]!<ref>http://content.usatoday.com/communities/onpolitics/post/2012/08/todd-akin-rape-missouri-senate-race-reince-priebus-/1#.UDpUhNZlQ7s</ref>

RINOs, like Democrats, typically come from states in [[New England]], the Mid-Atlantic; or states on the [[Left Coast]]. A less-used term is '''[[cafeteria conservative]]''', for a person who picks and chooses which [[conservative]] principles to believe, as a person might choose foods in a cafeteria instead of ordering the full-course ''menu'' selected by the chef at most restaurants.<ref>[http://www.manp.org/association-spotlight/archives/james-carville-mary-matalin-he-said-she-said James Carville & Mary Matalin: He Said, She Said]</ref> In contrast to RINO's and cafeteria conservatives, [[movement conservative]]s understand that since conservative philosophy is a coherent whole, it is untenable to discard part of it without discarding all of it.

The targets of attack argue they follow [[middle of the road]] policies and are not liberals; they claim they get results, and insist that without them the [[United States Congress|Congress]] would be totally controlled by liberal [[Democratic Party|Democrats]] and Republicans would rarely have any success. Conservatives respond that in the heyday of "Rockefeller liberalism" in the GOP the Democrats always controlled Congress, and the GOP only took power when [[Newt Gingrich]] launched a national conservative "Contract with America" in 1994, ending 40 years of Democratic control of the [[United States House of Representatives|House]].

In recent Republican [[Primary election|primaries]], voters have been rejecting establishment RINOs in favor of those with stronger conservative principles. Their commitment to self and not party is evident in their refusal to endorse the candidate that beats them. In some instances, they refuse the will of the voters and their party by running for office on an [[Independent candidate|independent ticket]]. It is important to vote for someone who's more conservative on the issues rather than for a Republican because anyone can join a party and be they can be RINOs.

== RINOs ==
*Senator [[Olympia J. Snowe]] of [[Maine]] (not seeking re-election in 2012)

*Senator [[Susan Collins]] of [[Maine]]

*Senator [[Lindsey Graham]] of [[South Carolina]]

*Senator [[Scott Brown]] of [[Massachusetts]] (defeated by liberal [[Elizabeth Warren]] in 2012)

*Senator [[Lisa Murkowski]] of [[Alaska]]

*Senator [[Mark Kirk]] of [[Illinois]]

*Senator [[Richard Lugar]] of [[Indiana]] (displaced by [[Richard Mourdock]] in the 2012 Indiana Senate Primary)

*Senator [[John McCain]] of [[Arizona]]

*Senator [[Kay Bailey Hutchison]] of [[Texas]]

*Governor [[Chris Christie]] of [[New Jersey]]

*Governor [[Mitch Daniels]] of [[Indiana]]

*Transportation Secretary [[Ray Lahood]]

*Rep. Don Young of [[Alaska]]

*Rep. David Dreier of [[California]]

*Supreme Court Chief Justice [[John Roberts]] after his support of gutting Arizona's immigration law and yet being the swing vote responsible for keeping [[Obamacare]] upheld. As Supreme Court Justices officially have no party, he is more of a "conservative in name only".

*State Senator Allan Kittleman of [[Maryland]], for promoting homosexual [[special rights]]<ref>[http://voices.washingtonpost.com/annapolis/2011/02/gop_senator_announces_support.html GOP senator announces support for Md. same-sex marriage bill]</ref>

==Former or Defeated RINOs==

*[[Jon Bruning]], who lost a double-digit lead in a stunning upset for the [[Republican]] nomination for [[U.S. Senate]] in [[Nebraska]] in 2012.

*Former President [[Theodore Roosevelt]], because he regulated the economy and used social justice.

*Former Senator [[Alan Simpson]] of [[Wyoming]]

*Former Senator [[George Voinovich]] of [[Ohio]]

*Former Senator [[Gordon Smith]] of [[Oregon]]

*Former Senator [[Charles Mathias]] of [[Maryland]]

*Former Senator [[Bob Bennett]] of [[Utah]]

*Former Senator [[Chuck Hagel]] of [[Nebraska]]

*Former Vice-President and Senator [[Nelson Rockefeller]] of [[New York]]

*Former Congressman [[Christopher Shays]] of [[Connecticut]]

*Former Congressman [[Tom Campbell]] of [[California]]

*Former Congressman [[Michael Castle]] of [[Delaware]]

*Former Congressman [[Joseph Cao]] of [[Louisiana]]

*Former Congressman [[Joe Scarborough]] of [[Florida]]

*Former Governor [[Jeb Bush]] of [[Florida]]

*Former Governor [[Jon Huntsman, Jr.]] of [[Utah]]

*Former Governor [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]] of [[California]]

*Former Governor [[Linda Lingle]] of [[Hawaii]]

*Former Governor [[George Pataki]] of [[New York]]

*Former Governor and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator [[Christine Todd Whitman]] of [[New Jersey]]

*Former Secretary of State [[Colin Powell]]

*Former Secretary of [[Homeland Security]] [[Tom Ridge]].

*Former Press Secretary [[Scott McClellan]]

*Former [[New York City]] Mayor [[Rudy Giuliani]]

*Former New York Congressional Candidate [[Dede Scozzafava]]

==Former RINOs who have since left the Republican Party==

* Former [[New Mexico]] Governor [[Gary Johnson]] supports same-sex marriage and abortion (although he opposes abortion once the fetus becomes viable outside the mother's body). After switching to the [[Libertarian Party]] in 2012 to run for President, he openly admitted that he governed New Mexico for eight years as a RINO, even using the phrase "Republican in name only" on multiple occasions. The Libertarian Party is [[liberal]] on social issues (with the exception that they support [[gun rights]]) but are fiscally very conservative.

* Former Senator [[Arlen Specter]] of [[Pennsylvania]] supported ObamaCare and switched from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party to give the latter a 60-40 edge in the Senate and allow them to enact [[cloture]] on the Republican [[filibuster]]

*Former Senator [[Lincoln Chafee]] of [[Rhode Island]], who became an Independent in 2007.

*Former Senator [[Lowell Weicker]] of [[Connecticut]], who left the party and formed his own local one in 1990, then became an Independent in 1995.

*[[New York City]] Mayor [[Michael Bloomberg]], who became an Independent in 2007. As it is not possible to campaign as an Independent in New York State, Bloomberg runs on the line of the [[Independence Party of New York]].

*Former Senator [[Jim Jeffords]] of [[Vermont]], who left the Party and became a Democrat in 2001, giving control of the [[United States Senate|Senate]] to the Democrats.

*Former Governor [[Charlie Crist]] of [[Florida]], who became an independent in 2010 after it was clear he would lose his Senate bid. Crist joined the [[Democratic Party]] in 2012.

*Former Representative [[John Anderson]] of [[Illinois]], who became an Independent after losing his party's presidential primary in 1980.

==RINO McCain==

A majority of conservatives distrust RINO [[John McCain]] even though many of his policies are that of a true conservative. Key RINO principles rejected by McCain include support for [[gay rights]], support for [[abortion]], and support for [[earmark]]s. He has positioned his career as a bipartisan moderate, reaching across the aisle whenever possible. This is also his downfall. The era of reaching across the aisle passed -- when [[statist]], [[socialist]] Democrats became Senators. His major political blunders mostly came during the 21st century political period. He was against both the Reagan and Bush [[tax cuts]], and employed [[class warfare]] rhetoric in trying to stop the tax cuts from taking effect. His support for amnesty was the complete opposite of what conservatives wanted. He has always complained about [[waterboarding|enhanced interrogation techniques]], calling them "[[torture]]". In non-election years, he likes to trash conservative positions and icons in order to get the [[Mainstream media|media]]'s and Democrats' approval. However, during the election he refused to go after [[Barack Hussein Obama]]'s associations with [[Jeremiah Wright]]. He believes in the junk science known as [[global warming]], and has supported cap-and-trade programs. Another [[Middle East]] war, without a goal, without full commitment to win, without Congressional approval- McCain supports the President. It didn't stop there and in July 2011, he called the [[Tea Party]], the people that care about fiscal sanity in Washington, they are "hobbits".

The sacrifices he has made serving this country cannot be overlooked. John McCain has earned war hero status but also the status as a D.C. zero.

==External Links==
* [http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/05/05/1615233/in-senate-primary-california-republicans.html In Senate primary, California Republicans run away from RINO label]
* [http://www.commieblaster.com/RINO/index.html CommieBlaster RINO Index]

==See Also==
*[[RINO Backers]]
*[[PLINO]] - [[pro-life]] in name only
*[[XINO]] - [[Christian]] in name only
*[[Republican Party]]
*[[Moderate Republican]]
*[[Conservative Democrat]]
*[[Blue Dog Democrat]]
*[[Reagan Democrat]]
*[[Catholic in name only]]
*[[Liberal media conservative]]

{{Liberalism}}

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Conservative]]
[[Category:Republican Party]]

RINO

2012-12-24T13:05:10Z

Thatteapartyguy: /* Former or Defeated RINOs */

[[File:Kel-rino.jpg|thumb|250px|Sergeant [[Jesse Kelly]] runs for Congress in Arizona in 2009 and attacks the RINOs in the GOP]]
A '''RINO''' ('''R'''epublican '''i'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly) is an officeholder or candidate who is a member of the [[Republican Party]], but holds views to the political left of most Republican voters. The term "RINO" describes politicians who claim to be [[Republican Party|Republican]] but are in fact [[liberal]], and therefore generally debase the winning conservative coalition base of the Republican Party.

RINOs are often Republican only to the extent it serves their own interests, and will abandon conservative principles as soon as it is in their own interests to do so. RINOs often provide support for raising taxes, [[abortion]] as [[Pro-choice|a right]], [[gay rights]] and [[gun control]]. Some RINOs have connections with [[Planned Parenthood]] or corporations that support goals of [[population control]]; other RINOs pay lip service to [[pro-life]] values while in practice not advancing those values.

[[Double standard]]s by RINOs are common: a birther comment by [[Romney]] during his campaign was supposedly a "nothing", but [[Todd Akin]]'s [[pro-life]] comment would somehow "absolutely" could cost RINOs control of the [[U.S. Senate]]!<ref>http://content.usatoday.com/communities/onpolitics/post/2012/08/todd-akin-rape-missouri-senate-race-reince-priebus-/1#.UDpUhNZlQ7s</ref>

RINOs, like Democrats, typically come from states in [[New England]], the Mid-Atlantic; or states on the [[Left Coast]]. A less-used term is '''[[cafeteria conservative]]''', for a person who picks and chooses which [[conservative]] principles to believe, as a person might choose foods in a cafeteria instead of ordering the full-course ''menu'' selected by the chef at most restaurants.<ref>[http://www.manp.org/association-spotlight/archives/james-carville-mary-matalin-he-said-she-said James Carville & Mary Matalin: He Said, She Said]</ref> In contrast to RINO's and cafeteria conservatives, [[movement conservative]]s understand that since conservative philosophy is a coherent whole, it is untenable to discard part of it without discarding all of it.

The targets of attack argue they follow [[middle of the road]] policies and are not liberals; they claim they get results, and insist that without them the [[United States Congress|Congress]] would be totally controlled by liberal [[Democratic Party|Democrats]] and Republicans would rarely have any success. Conservatives respond that in the heyday of "Rockefeller liberalism" in the GOP the Democrats always controlled Congress, and the GOP only took power when [[Newt Gingrich]] launched a national conservative "Contract with America" in 1994, ending 40 years of Democratic control of the [[United States House of Representatives|House]].

In recent Republican [[Primary election|primaries]], voters have been rejecting establishment RINOs in favor of those with stronger conservative principles. Their commitment to self and not party is evident in their refusal to endorse the candidate that beats them. In some instances, they refuse the will of the voters and their party by running for office on an [[Independent candidate|independent ticket]]. It is important to vote for someone who's more conservative on the issues rather than for a Republican because anyone can join a party and be they can be RINOs.

== RINOs ==
*Senator [[Olympia J. Snowe]] of [[Maine]] (not seeking re-election in 2012)

*Senator [[Susan Collins]] of [[Maine]]

*Senator [[Lindsey Graham]] of [[South Carolina]]

*Senator [[Scott Brown]] of [[Massachusetts]] (defeated by liberal [[Elizabeth Warren]] in 2012)

*Senator [[Lisa Murkowski]] of [[Alaska]]

*Senator [[Mark Kirk]] of [[Illinois]]

*Senator [[Richard Lugar]] of [[Indiana]] (displaced by [[Richard Mourdock]] in the 2012 Indiana Senate Primary)

*Senator [[John McCain]] of [[Arizona]]

*Senator [[Kay Bailey Hutchison]] of [[Texas]]

*Governor [[Chris Christie]] of [[New Jersey]]

*Governor [[Mitch Daniels]] of [[Indiana]]

*Transportation Secretary [[Ray Lahood]]

*Rep. Don Young of [[Alaska]]

*Rep. David Dreier of [[California]]

*Supreme Court Chief Justice [[John Roberts]] after his support of gutting Arizona's immigration law and yet being the swing vote responsible for keeping [[Obamacare]] upheld. As Supreme Court Justices officially have no party, he is more of a "conservative in name only".

*State Senator Allan Kittleman of [[Maryland]], for promoting homosexual [[special rights]]<ref>[http://voices.washingtonpost.com/annapolis/2011/02/gop_senator_announces_support.html GOP senator announces support for Md. same-sex marriage bill]</ref>

==Former or Defeated RINOs==

*[[Jon Bruning]], who lost a double-digit lead in a stunning upset for the [[Republican]] nomination for [[U.S. Senate]] in [[Nebraska]] in 2012.

*Former President [[Theodore Roosevelt]], because he regulated the economy and used social justice.

*Former Senator [[Alan Simpson]] of [[Wyoming]]

*Former Senator [[George Voinovich]] of [[Ohio]]

*Former Senator [[Gordon Smith]] of [[Oregon]]

*Former Senator [[Charles Mathias]] of [[Maryland]]

*Former Senator [[Bob Bennett]] of [[Utah]]

*Former Senator [[Chuck Hagel]] of [[Nebraska]]

*Former Vice-President and Senator [[Nelson Rockefeller]] of [[New York]]

*Former Congressman [[Christopher Shays]] of [[Connecticut]]

*Former Congressman [[Tom Campbell]] of [[California]]

*Former Congressman [[Michael Castle]] of [[Delaware]]

*Former Congressman [[Joseph Cao]] of [[Louisiana]]

*Former Congressman [[Joe Scarborough]] of [[Florida]]

*Former Governor [[Jeb Bush]] of [[Florida]]

*Former Governor [[Jon Huntsman, Jr.]] of [[Utah]]

*Former Governor [[Buddy Roemer]] of [[Louisiana]]

*Former Governor [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]] of [[California]]

*Former Governor [[Linda Lingle]] of [[Hawaii]]

*Former Governor [[George Pataki]] of [[New York]]

*Former Governor and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator [[Christine Todd Whitman]] of [[New Jersey]]

*Former Secretary of State [[Colin Powell]]

*Former Secretary of [[Homeland Security]] [[Tom Ridge]].

*Former Press Secretary [[Scott McClellan]]

*Former [[New York City]] Mayor [[Rudy Giuliani]]

*Former New York Congressional Candidate [[Dede Scozzafava]]

==Former RINOs who have since left the Republican Party==

* Former [[New Mexico]] Governor [[Gary Johnson]] supports same-sex marriage and abortion (although he opposes abortion once the fetus becomes viable outside the mother's body). After switching to the [[Libertarian Party]] in 2012 to run for President, he openly admitted that he governed New Mexico for eight years as a RINO, even using the phrase "Republican in name only" on multiple occasions. The Libertarian Party is [[liberal]] on social issues (with the exception that they support [[gun rights]]) but are fiscally very conservative.

* Former Senator [[Arlen Specter]] of [[Pennsylvania]] supported ObamaCare and switched from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party to give the latter a 60-40 edge in the Senate and allow them to enact [[cloture]] on the Republican [[filibuster]]

*Former Senator [[Lincoln Chafee]] of [[Rhode Island]], who became an Independent in 2007.

*Former Senator [[Lowell Weicker]] of [[Connecticut]], who left the party and formed his own local one in 1990, then became an Independent in 1995.

*[[New York City]] Mayor [[Michael Bloomberg]], who became an Independent in 2007. As it is not possible to campaign as an Independent in New York State, Bloomberg runs on the line of the [[Independence Party of New York]].

*Former Senator [[Jim Jeffords]] of [[Vermont]], who left the Party and became a Democrat in 2001, giving control of the [[United States Senate|Senate]] to the Democrats.

*Former Governor [[Charlie Crist]] of [[Florida]], who became an independent in 2010 after it was clear he would lose his Senate bid. Crist joined the [[Democratic Party]] in 2012.

*Former Representative [[John Anderson]] of [[Illinois]], who became an Independent after losing his party's presidential primary in 1980.

==RINO McCain==

A majority of conservatives distrust RINO [[John McCain]] even though many of his policies are that of a true conservative. Key RINO principles rejected by McCain include support for [[gay rights]], support for [[abortion]], and support for [[earmark]]s. He has positioned his career as a bipartisan moderate, reaching across the aisle whenever possible. This is also his downfall. The era of reaching across the aisle passed -- when [[statist]], [[socialist]] Democrats became Senators. His major political blunders mostly came during the 21st century political period. He was against both the Reagan and Bush [[tax cuts]], and employed [[class warfare]] rhetoric in trying to stop the tax cuts from taking effect. His support for amnesty was the complete opposite of what conservatives wanted. He has always complained about [[waterboarding|enhanced interrogation techniques]], calling them "[[torture]]". In non-election years, he likes to trash conservative positions and icons in order to get the [[Mainstream media|media]]'s and Democrats' approval. However, during the election he refused to go after [[Barack Hussein Obama]]'s associations with [[Jeremiah Wright]]. He believes in the junk science known as [[global warming]], and has supported cap-and-trade programs. Another [[Middle East]] war, without a goal, without full commitment to win, without Congressional approval- McCain supports the President. It didn't stop there and in July 2011, he called the [[Tea Party]], the people that care about fiscal sanity in Washington, they are "hobbits".

The sacrifices he has made serving this country cannot be overlooked. John McCain has earned war hero status but also the status as a D.C. zero.

==External Links==
* [http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/05/05/1615233/in-senate-primary-california-republicans.html In Senate primary, California Republicans run away from RINO label]
* [http://www.commieblaster.com/RINO/index.html CommieBlaster RINO Index]

==See Also==
*[[RINO Backers]]
*[[PLINO]] - [[pro-life]] in name only
*[[XINO]] - [[Christian]] in name only
*[[Republican Party]]
*[[Moderate Republican]]
*[[Conservative Democrat]]
*[[Blue Dog Democrat]]
*[[Reagan Democrat]]
*[[Catholic in name only]]
*[[Liberal media conservative]]

{{Liberalism}}

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Conservative]]
[[Category:Republican Party]]

NATO war in Libya

2012-12-14T14:40:25Z

Thatteapartyguy: /* 10 Reasons to Oppose the War in Libya */

[[File:Gaddafi and Mandela 1.JPG|thumb|right|250px|[[Nobel Peace Prize]] winner [[Nelson Mandela]] greets an old friend and ally, Muammar Gaddafi, who supported the [[ANC]] during their struggle against [[apartheid]]. ''[[Reuters]]'' reports President Obama secretly ordered support for [[al Qaeda]] terrorists seeking Gaddafi's ouster.<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umgMDJIpkn0</ref>.]]
The '''Libyan War''' started as the '''Benghazi rebellion''', a series of protests in extremist dominated eastern [[Libya]] on February 16, 2011 after the toppling of secular regimes in [[Tunisia]] and [[Egypt]]. The scale of violence contrasted markedly with the more peaceful and generally popular uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt. The [[Islamist]] terror group Ansar al-Shariah, affiliated with the Islamic Maghreb (known as AQIM or [[al-Qaeda]] in North Africa) vowed to do everything in the uprising against Libyan strongman [[Muammar Gaddafi]].<ref> [http://www.dawn.com/2011/02/24/al-qaeda-in-n-africa-backs-libya-uprising-site.html Al Qaeda in N. Africa backs Libya uprising: SITE] </ref><ref> [http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/blog/2011/mar/07/libya-uprising-live-updates Libya uprising.] </ref> [[President Obama]] granted active support to this group which later murdered the U.S. Ambassador and burnt down the American consulate building.<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/19/extremists-among-libya-rebels_n_837894.html Anti-American Extremists Among Libyan Rebels U.S. Has Vowed To Protect], David Wood, ''Huffington Post'', 3/19/11.</ref>

Journalist David Wood reported,
{{Cquote|Eastern Libya has been described by U.S. diplomats as a breeding ground for Islamist [[extremism]]. In diplomatic cables released by [[Wikileaks]], the region’s young men were said to have "nothing to lose" by resorting to violence. Sermons in the local [[mosque]]s are "laced with phraseology urging worshippers to support [[jihad]]," one diplomat reported.<ref>http://91.214.23.156/cablegate/wire.php?id=08TRIPOLI120&search=</ref>}}
Wood added,
{{Cquote|extremist elements make up only a portion of the resistance to Gaddafi and have been present in every popular uprising in the region stretching from the [[Iran]]ian revolution to the [[Egypt]]ian people’s overthrow of [[Hosni Mubarak]].<ref>http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/19/extremists-among-libya-rebels_n_837894.html</ref>}}

Abdel-Hakim al-Hasidi, the Libyan rebel leader, has said [[jihad]]ists who fought against American troops in [[Iraq]] served on the front lines. <ref> [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8407047/Libyan-rebel-commander-admits-his-fighters-have-al-Qaeda-links.html Libyan rebel commander admits his fighters have al-Qaeda links.] </ref> <ref> [http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/25/world/guantanamo-files-libyan-detainee-now-us-ally-of-sorts.html Libyan, Once a Detainee, Is Now a U.S. Ally of Sorts.]</ref>

An international coalition intervened in what many described as an "illegal war"<ref>http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/06/01/obamas_illegal_war</ref> led by the [[North Atlantic Treaty Organization]] (NATO), whose own leaders have openly questioned what the value, purpose, and reason for existence of NATO is. <ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/14/world/europe/14iht-letter14.html</ref><ref>http://www.stltoday.com/news/national/article_58ebd6cf-0558-5ee2-bd8d-cf27c1af7630.html</ref><ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/jun/12/nato-usa</ref>

__TOC__
It was reported on February 24, 2011, that an emergency meeting of the [[United Nations Human Rights Council]] (UNHRC) on Libya would take no action, or make no recommendation to the [[UN General Assembly]], to remove Libya from its seat on the UN Human Rights Council, despite alleged [[human rights]] abuses.<ref>http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/no-threat-seen-libya-s-seat-top-un-human</ref> The [[United Nations Security Council]] (UNSC) then voted on March 17, 2011, to pass Security Council resolution 1973 proposed by [[France]], along with its British and Lebanese partners, initiating the use of military force in Libya. [[China]], [[Russia]], [[India]] and [[Brazil]] (the so-called BRIC nations) all abstained from the vote. The [[Obama administration]] called for Gaddafi to step aside, and has provided assistance to the insurgent tribes. US Congressional leaders were not consulted, <ref>http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/262921/boehner-obama-libya-many-other-members-house-representatives-are-troubled-robert-costa</ref> nor did the United States Congress ever authorize any use of force in Libya.

Military and intelligence experts in France, [[Britain]], and the United States warned about uncertainties, but were overruled by political leaders. The result was a set of decisions focusing on short term considerations and gambling on the outcome. French, British, and US leaders did not fully coordinate, but according to Anthony Cordesman, it became clear,
{{Cquote|they sought and got international cover from the UN by claiming a no fly zone could protect civilians when their real objective was to use force as a catalyst to drive Gaddafi out of power.}}
[[Sarkozy]], [[David Cameron|Cameron]], and [[Obama]] seem to have assumed that a largely unknown, divided, and fractured group of insurgents could win through sheer political momentum, and could then be turned into a successful government. Within the first month it was obvious a "weak, divided, poorly led, and badly equipped and supplied set of rebel tribes can only hang on with the present level of air support" that was provided.

The assault on Libya set off a frenzy of speculations about the real motive behind the war in the oil-rich country, with many analysts saying that under the guise of protecting civilians, as enshrined in the UNSC Resolution 1973, Washington and its Western allies are basically after the North African country’s vast oil reserves. <ref>[http://2012indyinfo.wordpress.com/2011/06/19/presstv-germany-slams-nato-mission-in-libya/ Germany slams NATO mission in Libya.]</ref>

[[Stephen Lendman]]: Libya assault planned months ahead; See interview: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlSlXO_X_fE&feature=related in Youtube.]

== Libya before the 2011 uprising ==
[[File:Libya Irrigation project.jpg|thumb|330px|Satellite view is showing irrigated farming projects at Al Khufrah Oasis in south-east Libya. Part of the "Great Man Made River Project" ($33 billion), where water is drawn from vast underground aquifers. This water is transported about 800 km (500 mi) to the coastal cities of Libya by means of the world's largest underground network of pipes.]]
In 1951 Libya was officially the poorest country in the world, <ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,864742,00.html]</ref> but by the time of the 2011 uprising, Libyans' living standards were considered the highest in Africa. The GDP per Capita was more than double that of Egypt, and above that of Russia. All people have access to doctors, hospitals, clinics and medicines, completely free of charge; but more than the advances in housing, agricultural, industry, health care, education, is the advance in direct popular democracy. <ref>[http://www.geocities.com/Athens/8744/libfacts.htm]</ref> [[Condoleezza Rice]] praised Libya for its "excellent co-operation" in the US-led [[war on terror]]. <ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4773617.stm] (BBC News)</ref>.
<blockquote>
The living standards of Libyans have improved significantly since the 1970s, ranking the country among the highest in Africa. Urbanization, developmental projects, and high oil revenues have enabled the Libyan government to elevate its people's living standards. The social and economic status of women and children has particularly improved. Various subsidized or free services (health, education, housing, and basic foodstuffs) have ensured basic necessities. The low percentage of people without access to safe water (3 percent), health services (0 percent) and sanitation (2 percent), and a relatively high life expectancy (70.2 years) in 1998 indicate the improved living standards. Adequate health care and subsidized foodstuffs have sharply reduced infant mortality, from 105 per 1,000 live births in 1970 to 20 per 1,000 live births in 1998. The government also subsidizes education, which is compulsory and free between the ages of 6 and 15. The expansion of educational facilities has elevated the literacy rate (78.1 in 1998). There are universities in [[Tripoli]], Benghazi, Marsa el-Brega, Misurata, Sebha, and Tobruk. <ref>[http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Africa/Libya-POVERTY-AND-WEALTH.html] (SOURCE: Handbook of the Nations; CIA World Factbook.)</ref>
</blockquote>

[[Nobel Peace Prize]] recipient [[Nelson Mandela]] warned of the machinations of outside influences in a speech noting Gaddafi and leadership in Africa:
{{Cquote|In a world where the strong may seek to impose upon the more vulnerable; and where particular nations or groups of nations may still seek to decide the fate of the planet - in such a world respect for multilateralism, moderation of public discourse and a patient search for compromise become even more imperative to save the world from debilitating conflict and enduring inequality. When we dismissed criticism of our friendship with yourself, My Brother Leader, and of the relationship between [[South Africa]] and Libya, it was precisely in defence of those values.<ref>http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/politicsweb/en/page71656?oid=222537&sn=Detail</ref>}}
[[File:Benghazi shopping center Libya.JPG|thumb|Benghazi shopping center.]]
At present Gaddafi is not well seen in the EU and USA but the Libyan people seem to be thriving with him as leader. A delegation of medical professionals from [[Russia]], [[Ukraine]] and [[Belarus]] wrote in an appeal to "Russian President [[Medvedev]] and Prime Minister [[Putin]] that after becoming acquainted with Libyan life, it was their view that in few nations did people live in such comfort". Libya today is not a highly polarized society divided between extremes of wealth and poverty.

On February 24, 2011, no threat was seen to Libya’s Seat on top U.N. Human Rights Body. A European Union-proposed draft resolution for a subsequent session “strongly condemns” human rights violations committed in Libya amid turmoil sparked by protesters, rather than condemning Gaddafi or the regime for committing them. [http://www.cnsnews.com/public/news/article/no-threat-seen-libya-s-seat-top-un-human]
<blockquote>
The "United Nations Development Program (UNDP) confirms that the country had excellent prospects for achieving United Nations development goals by 2015. NATO's war will have already dashed those hopes. A collapse like the one in Iraq now threatens the country. [http://www.newsfrommiddleeast.com/?new=77210]
</blockquote>
<center>
[[File:View to Tripoli Libya.jpg|380px|thumb|center|Tripoli, 2009.]]
</center>

==Libya under Gaddafi ==
===Petrodollars and oil===
According to a Russian article titled ''Bombing of Libya - Punishment for Qaddafi for His Attempt to Refuse US Dollar,'' Gaddafi initiated a movement to refuse the dollar and the [[Euro]] as payment for Libya's oil, and called on [[Arab]] and African nations to use a new currency, the gold dinar. Gaddafi proposed establishing a united African continent, with its 200 million people using this single currency. The initiative was viewed negatively in the United States and the [[European Union]], with French president Nicolas Sarkozy calling Libya a threat to the financial security of mankind. But Gaddafi continued his push for the creation of a united Africa. As early September 9, 1999, the first steps towards the formation of the [[African Union]] were taken by the Heads of State of the Organisation of African Unity.<ref>[http://www.africa-union.org/root/au/aboutau/au_in_a_nutshell_en.htm The AU in a nutshell]</ref>

In the wake of the global [[financial crisis of 2008]] forcing the United States into [[recession]], both China and Russia called for the dollar’s role in the global financial system to be diluted. Both China and the USSR abstained from UNSCR 1973.

''Bloomberg News'' reported in September 2010 that China and Russia planned to start trading in each other’s currency as the world’s second-biggest energy consumer and the largest energy supplier seek to diminish the dollar’s role in global trade. Bhanu Baweja commented {{Cquote|Given the risk to the dollar and U.S. assets from their fiscal position they want to reduce their dependence on the dollar as an invoicing currency....It makes sense for two large economies to exclude a third, overly dominant economy from their trading equation.<ref>http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-08/china-russia-push-yuan-ruble-trading-to-diminish-dominance-of-u-s-dollar.html</ref>}}

===African Satellite Control Center===
An observer spelled out one of Gaddafi’s motivations for proposing an African Union:
{{Cquote|It began in 1992, when 45 African nations established RASCOM (Regional African Satellite Communication Organization) so that Africa would have its own satellite and slash communication costs in the continent. This was a time when phone calls to and from Africa were the most expensive in the world because of the annual US$500 million fee pocketed by Europe for the use of its satellites like Intelsat for phone conversations, including those within the same country.

An African satellite only cost a one-time payment of $400 million and the continent no longer had to pay a $500 million annual lease. Which banker wouldn't finance such a project? But the problem remained – how can [[slave]]s, seeking to free themselves from their master’s exploitation ask the master’s help to achieve that freedom? Not surprisingly, the [[World Bank]], the [[International Monetary Fund]], the USA, Europe only made vague promises for 14 years. Gaddafi put an end to these futile pleas to the western ‘benefactors’ with their exorbitant interest rates. The Libyan guide put $300 million on the table; the African Development Bank added $50 million more and the West African Development Bank a further $27 million – and that’s how Africa got its first communications satellite on 26 December 2007.<ref>http://www.vtcommons.org/blog/2011/04/21/ethan-allen-qaddafi</ref>}}

===Libyan Central Bank===
In an article posted on the Market Oracle, Eric Encina observed:
{{Cquote|One seldom mentioned fact by western politicians and media pundits: the Central Bank of Libya is 100% State Owned.... Currently, the Libyan government creates its own money, the Libyan Dinar, through the facilities of its own central bank. Few can argue that Libya is a [[sovereign]] nation with its own great resources, able to sustain its own economic destiny. One major problem for globalist banking cartels is that in order to do business with Libya, they must go through the Libyan Central Bank and its national currency, a place where they have absolutely zero dominion or power-broking ability. Hence, taking down the Central Bank of Libya (CBL) may not appear in the speeches of Obama, Cameron and Sarkozy but this is certainly at the top of the globalist agenda for absorbing Libya into its hive of compliant nations.<ref>Eric Encina,''[http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article27208.html Globalists Target 100% State Owned Central Bank of Libya,]'' Market Oracle.</ref>}}
Ellen Brown adds,
{{Cquote|Libya not only has oil. According to the IMF, its central bank has nearly 144 tons of gold in its vaults. With that sort of asset base, who needs the BIS (Bank of International Settlements), the IMF and their rules.<ref>Ellen Brown, ''[http://readersupportednews.org/opinion2/289-134/5625-libya-all-about-oil-or-all-about-banking Libya: All About Oil, or All About Banking,]'' Reader Supported News, April 15, 2011.</ref>}}
Gaddafi’s proposal to introduce a gold dinar for Africa contravenes IMF rules and is designed to bypass them.

=== Italian Friendship treaty ===
"We signed a friendship treaty with Libya, that includes a non-aggression clause, but when the counterpart '''no longer exists''' — in this case the Libyan state — the treaty cannot be applied”, said [[Italy]]’s foreign minister, Franco Frattini on February 26, 2011, ten days after the uprising began.
{{Cquote|Italy’s treaty with Libya, signed by Prime Minister [[Silvio Berlusconi]] in August 2008, calls on Italy to pay Libya $5 billion over 20 years in reparations for its colonial past there. In return, Libya pledged to help block the flow of illegal immigrants to Italy and grant favorable treatment for Italian companies seeking to do business in Libya. <ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/28/world/europe/28military.html]</ref>}}

==French intervention==

A report from Congressman [[Dennis Kucinich]] corroborated the claim of Franco Bechis<ref>''[http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:RkUoFsgEwm8J:www.voltairenet.org/article169069.html+French+plans+to+topple+Gaddafi+on+track+since+last+November&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&source=www.google.com French plans to topple Gaddafi on track since last November]'', by Franco Bechis, VoltaireNet, March 26, 2011.</ref> in Italy that "plans to spark the Benghazi rebellion were initiated by French intelligence services in November 2010."<ref>http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=24347</ref>

On March 10, 2011, France became the first and only country to recognize the Libyan Transitional National Council “as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people.”<ref> “Sarkozy’s Libyan Surprise,” ''The Economist'', March 14, 2011.</ref> "France recognizes states, not parties", said a senior official on March 9th. After a meeting arranged by [[Bernard Henri Levy|Bernard-Henri Lévy]] the next morning, on March 10th, two representatives of the Libyan opposition emerged from President Sarkozys office at the Elysée Palace to announce that "France recognizes the Libyan Transitional National Council as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people". <ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/02/world/africa/02levy.html?_r=2</ref><ref>http://www.economist.com/blogs/newsbook/2011/03/france_and_libya</ref>

On March 19, two days after passage of UN Security Council Resolution 1973,<ref>http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=278685</ref> French President [[Nicolas Sarkozy]] convened an emergency meeting of allied and Arab leaders in [[Paris]] which endorsed the immediate deployment of military aircraft to attack Gaddafi forces defending Benghazi and establish a no-fly zone. Before the end of the meeting, French fighter planes were attacking armored vehicles and tanks outside Benghazi. Some participants at the Paris meeting were critical of the French government, both for insisting on convening the meeting before agreeing to endorse air strikes, and then for launching air strikes before the meeting was over.<ref>Allies Open Air Assault on Qaddafi’s Forces in Libya, ''New York Times'', March 19, 2011.</ref> French officials claim that meeting participants were informed of the operation beforehand. The strikes had clearly been planned and coordinated with the [[United States]] and some other NATO forces.<ref>Operation Odyssey Dawn (Libya): Background and Issues for Congress, ''Congressional Research Service'', March 30, 2011, p. 19 pd.</ref>

[[National Public Radio]] (NPR) reported Sarkozy enjoyed a "burst of public support"<ref>http://wap.npr.org/story/134855539</ref> while the ''[[London Guardian]]'' wrote Sarkozy's actions may save him from "electoral humiliation."<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/20/libya-crisis-nicolas-sarkozy-electoral</ref> Several analysts speculate Sarkozy used the crisis to propel France into a Superpower role, usurping the global leadership of the United States abrogated by [[President Obama]].<ref>http://www.businessandpolitics.org/?p=4651</ref> Columnist Jim Hoagland of the ''[[Washington Post]]'' observes,
{{Cquote|France is a country that has a past being involved in world affairs, wanting to count in world affairs, and being willing to pay its way for defense forces and to use those forces abroad. So, France plays a natural role in that. At a time when governments are slashing defense spending and reducing troops, France still wants to occupy an important role in world affairs....the reason you're seeing France taking on such a much larger role is that other countries, including the United States, are not willing to do it anymore. And Sarkozy is trying to fill that vacuum.<ref>http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/world/jan-june11/france2_04-07.html</ref>}}

Sarkozy's approval rating stood at 30% prior to the intervention.

===Legality of French actions===
On May 29 two French lawyers, Roland Dumas and Jacques Vergès, announced plans to initiate legal proceedings against President [[Nicolas Sarkozy]] for crimes against humanity over the [[NATO]] led campaign in [[Libya]]. Dumas (who also served as a foreign minister under President [[François Mitterrand]]) said that the NATO mission, which was meant to protect civilians, is in fact killing them.<ref>http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=46395</ref> On July 4 a French lawyer, Marcel Ceccaldi, called for investigation of the International Criminal Court on NATO "war crimes". [http://www.lemonde.fr/libye/article/2011/07/04/libye-un-avocat-demande-une-enquete-de-la-cpi-sur-les-crimes-de-guerre-de-l-otan_1544755_1496980.html]

== National Transitional Council ==
The National Transitional Council of the Libyan Republic announced its official establishment in early March 2011 in the city of Benghazi. The stated goal was to the overthrow of Mu’ammar Gaddafi.<ref>http://ntclibya.org/english/</ref> It has been recognized by France, [[Qatar]], Italy, [[Kuwait]], [[Maldives]] and [[Gambia]]. They have proceeded to form a transitional government for the post-Gaddafi era. Before forming a government, they robbed about $505 million from the Central Bank of Libya in Benghazi.
[[File:Libya Rebels Gaining Momentum.jpg|thumb|Anti-Gaddafi tribal insurgents in March, 2011 (Photo:Reuters).]]
{{Cquote|The top leaders of the “revolutionary” masses in Benghazi are two recent defectors of what the Left dubs Gaddafi’s “murderous regime”, Mustafa Abdul Jalil a former Justice minister (who prosecuted dissenters up to the day before the armed uprising), Mahmoud Jebril a top Gaddafite neo-liberal prominent in inviting multi-nationals to take over the oil fields (FT, March 23, 2011, p. 7) and Ali Aziz al-Eisawa, Gaddafi’s former ambassador to India who jumped ship when it looked like the uprising would succeed. These self-appointed leaders of the “rebels” are staunch backers of Euro-US military intervention just as they previously were long-term backers of Gaddafi’s dictatorship and promoters of MNC takeovers of oil and gas fields. The heads of the “rebels” military council is Omar Hariri and General Abdul Fattah Younis former head of the Ministry of Interior, both with long histories (since 1969) of repressing any democratic movements.<ref>http://alethonews.wordpress.com/2011/03/28/euro-us-war-on-libya-official-lies-and-misconceptions-of-critics/</ref>}}
The root base of the armed uprising is Benghazi, a hotbed of tribal backers and clients of the deposed King Idris.

===Misuse of humanitarian assistance===

In May, 2011, NATO and Arab countries agreed in Rome to set up a fund to manage donations to help areas controlled by the jihadi rebels; they announced a financial mechanism to assist the opposition in Libya. This would include a partial unfreezing of Libyan assets in banks that would go into a temporary fund managed by the U.N. Sanctions Committee. And it would be intended to help the jihadi rebels with their immediate needs to cover food, medicine and hospital costs;<ref>http://www.npr.org/2011/05/05/136011941/diplomats-discuss-aid-to-libyan-rebels</ref> The insurgents would gain access to a special $3 billion (£1.8 billion) trust fund established by its Western backers to finance the breakaway regions fighting against Gaddafi on the outskirts of Benghazi. Modern urbanization and equipments may be clearly seen there.]]

===Insurgent Death Squads===

Insurgent tribal leaders created a wanted list and placed suspects under round-the-clock surveillance. Secret militia units raid houses without court warrants and often interrogate suspects for hours. Those released have to sign a document stating their loyalty to the revolution. As many as 30 civilians are being held at various jihadi rebel military bases around Benghazi without due process of law, said human rights activists, judges and prosecutors. In recent weeks, at least seven former members of the internal security police have turned up dead, their bodies riddled with bullets. Although it is not known who killed them, many suspect that they died at the hands of jihadi rebel-affiliated death squads. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle-east/libyan-rebels-accused-of-reprisal-attacks/2011/05/20/AFaeAh8G_story.html?hpid=z4]

On May, 26, the deputy leader of Libya's rebel administration said it could take up to two years to organize elections, backtracking on promises of a six-month transition to democracy. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110526/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_libya]

Libyan rebels have also been reported of committing violence against African migrant workers.<ref>http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/rebels-settle-scores-in-libyan-capital-2344671.html</ref><ref>http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2011/08/31/robertson.libya.african.jails.cnn?&hpt=hp_c2</ref> Similar reports have also emerged of violence against black Libyan.<ref>http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/17/us-libya-displaced-idUSTRE79G2CY20111017</ref>

==Security Council Res. 1973 and NATO==
UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1973 of March 17, 2011 followed on the heels of Gaddafi’s public announcement on March 2 he may throw western oil companies out of Libya, and his invitation on March 14 to Chinese, Russian, and Indian firms to produce Libyan oil in their place.<ref>''[http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/3/12/7661/Business/Economy/Gaddafi-offers-Libyan-oil-production-to-India,-Rus.aspx Gaddafi offers Libyan oil production to India, Russia, China,] Agence France-Presse, March 14, 2011.</ref> China, Russia, India and Brazil all abstained on UNSC Resolution 1973.

Despite France taking the lead role in the intervention, the Congressional Research Service reports, "Only the United States and NATO possess the command and control capabilities necessary for coalition operations enforcing the no-fly zone over Libya." France only recently rejoined the NATO alliance, in 2008, after a 40 year absence. The Congressional Research Service, which analyzes information and prepares reports for members of Congress, also states,
{{Cquote|In spite of statements underscoring NATO unity on steps announced to date, the initial planning and operational phases were also marked by significant levels of discord within Europe and [[NATO]] on the aims and future direction of the mission. A key point of contention was reportedly the amount of flexibility that NATO forces would be granted to protect civilians and civilian areas, as called for in paragraph 4 of UNSCR 1973. Reports indicate that French officials insisted on maintaining the ability to strike ground forces that threatened civilian areas, while their [[Turkish]] counterparts vocally opposed any targeting of ground forces. Adding to the strain within NATO, NATO ally [[Germany]] abstained from UNSCR 1973 and, opposed to any potential [[combat]] operation, on March 23, withdrew its naval assets in the [[Mediterranean]] from NATO command. Throughout the first week of operations, other European allies contributing to the mission, including Italy and Norway, expressed increasing frustration with the lack of agreement within NATO, with Norway refusing to deploy its fighter jets unless under they were under NATO command and control.<ref>Operation Odyssey Dawn (Libya):
Background and Issues for Congress, ''Congressional Research Service,'' March 30, 2011, p. 20 pdf.</ref>}}

Of NATO's 28 members, 14 are said to be "actively participating," but only 6 provided military support. By June Norway announced its intention to quit the coalition<ref>http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/norway-quit-libya-operation-august</ref> and French and British leaders expressed concerns over being able to meet the costs of a war they dragged the United States into.<ref>http://hosted2.ap.org/COGRA/2e515285f07040df999bd6b670db791c/Article_2011-06-14-EU-NATO-Libya/id-f6d2287c00ba4816924c082ed9cc12fa</ref> Of the 22-country [[Arab League]], whose appeal prompted the United Nations to vote on intervention, only [[Qatar]] and the [[United Arab Emirates]] are involved. Of the 192 members of the [[UN General Assembly]], who all have a legal "responsibility to protect" civilians attacked by their own governments, only [[Sweden]] has responded.<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/apr/19/libya-mission-military-advisory-team</ref> After the authorization and commitment of NATO and U.S. forces, Secretary Gates announced,
{{Cquote|The mightiest military alliance in history is only 11 weeks into an operation against a poorly armed regime in a sparsely populated country, yet many allies are beginning to run short of munitions, requiring the U.S., once more, to make up the difference.}}
and warned
{{Cquote|The blunt reality is that there will be dwindling appetite and patience in the U.S. Congress—and in the American body politic writ large—to expend increasingly precious funds on behalf of nations that are apparently unwilling to devote the necessary resources or make the necessary changes to be serious and capable partners in their own defense.<ref>http://slatest.slate.com/posts/2011/06/10/robert_gates_nato_defense_secretary_questions_future_of_the_alli.html</ref>}}

===Exceeding UN mandate===
Resolution 1973 authorized strict limitations, according to international law, on NATO as the organization with responsibility for the implementation of the resolution. Particularly, it provides only for a naval blockade enforcing the arms embargo, and enforcement of a no-fly zone. On March 29, 2011, Russian envoy Dmitry Rogozin commented after a meeting with NATO officials in [[Brussels, Belgium]], that Russia expressed deep concern over the interpretation of the Security Council’s resolution, as some countries have effectively turned it into an approval for ground operations.
{{Cquote|[[Moscow]] has many questions about how the UN Security Council’s resolution is being carried out...First of all, there are reports that civilians have been killed in the air strikes. This is odd if you consider the message of the resolution, which says that the foreign forces’ actions should protect civilians. So it’s hard to comprehend how you can protect civilians by killing them....we demanded that the UN Security Council be fully informed about the actions of the alliance in Libya at all times... We have reports of air strikes against convoys far from the front line. This is a far cry from the UN Security Council resolution.<ref>http://rt.com/news/coalition-libya-nato-russian-envoy/</ref>}}
[[File:Bombing Tripoli Libya.jpg|right|Bombing Tripoli, Libya.]]
NATO planes and ships have been striking cities and military installations in Libya since mid-March, 2011. Allied military officials have spoken in recent weeks of the need for escalation to help protect Libyan civilians and have called for Gaddafi to step down. Libyan officials have said that NATO is picking sides in a civil war and complained that strikes on Gaddafi’s Tripoli compound are attempts to assassinate the leader of a sovereign country. NATO launched its largest airstrike against Moammar Gaddafi’s regime on May, 24, 2011, with at least 15 massive explosions rocking the Libyan capital. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/french-officials-france-and-britain-to-use-attack-helicopters-in-libya/2011/05/23/AFTF909G_story.html?hpid=z2]
<blockquote>
On May 15, two months into the NATO bombing campaign against loyal Gaddafi’s forces, Britain’s top military commander said that the Libyan leader could remain “clinging to power” unless NATO broadened its bombing targets to include the country’s infrastructure. <ref>http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/libya/index.html</ref>
</blockquote>

The French and the British described plans for a wargames exercise for an attack on Libya last November, in the end they used those military assets that had been mobilized for the real thing 3 months ago. We know that NATO doesn’t just go and bomb a country over night, these things are planned far in advance, and in this case there is conclusive evidence that there have been plans for this for many many years. <ref> [https://lizziesliberation.wordpress.com/2011/06/04/letter-from-libya-to-a-close-friend/ Letter from Libya to a close friend] June 4, 2011. </ref>
<blockquote>
On Jun 18, Prime minister of Libya Al-Baghdadi al-Mahmoudi accused [[NATO]] of a "new level of aggression" over the past 72 hours in which he said the military alliance intentionally targeted civilian buildings, including a hotel and a university. "It has become clear to us that NATO has moved on to deliberately hitting civilian buildings. ... This is a crime against humanity," he told reporters in the capital. Libya's Health Ministry released new casualty figures that put the number of civilians killed in NATO air strikes through to June 7 at 856. <ref> [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/gaddafi-rages-at-nato-after-bombing-2299509.html Gaddafi rages at NATO after bombing.] </ref>
</blockquote>
[[File:Women with Gaddafi Libya.jpg|thumb|280px|Lizzie Cocker with mum and two daughters from Sudan who have been living in Libya for 17 years. They had to flee from Misrata to Tripoli following atrocities committed by the rebels against black skinned peoples. They are firmly standing behind their leader Moammar Gadaffi. The sisters have written on the poster, on the left: "King of Kings of Africa" and on the right: "Our souls are for you".]]
==== Italy - Berlusconi ====
[[Italy]] called for a suspension of hostilities in [[Libya]] on June 22 in the latest sign of dissent within [[NATO]] as the civilian death toll mounts and [[Muammar Gaddafi]] shows no signs of quitting power. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110622/ts_afp/libyaconflictnatoitalydiplomacy]

===African response to UN & NATO intervention===
NATO's Libyan intervention has proven fractious in black Africa; in March [[Nigeria]]'s Foreign Minister Odein Ajumogobia commented, "The contradictions between principle and national interest ... have enabled the international community to impose a no-fly zone over Libya ostensibly to protect innocent civilians from slaughter, but to watch seemingly helplessly (in [[Ivory Coast]]) as ...men, women and children are slaughtered in equally, even if less egregious, violence."<ref>http://www.cbsnews.com/8300-503543_162-503543.html?keyword=ivory+coast</ref>
<blockquote>
Amr Moussa, the outgoing head of the Arab League and a front runner to become president of a democratic Egypt, has voiced reservations about NATO's bombing campaign in Libya, calling for a ceasefire and talks on a political settlement while Muammar Gaddafi remains in power. [http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jun/21/arab-league-chief-libya-air-strikes]
</blockquote>
The Arab League, which in March asked the United Nations Security Council to impose a no-fly zone over Libya to protect civilians, condemned the loss of life in bombing incidents.
<blockquote>
"When the Arab League agreed on the idea of having a no-fly zone over Libya it was to protect civilians but when civilians get killed this has to be condemned with the harshest of statements," said Deputy Secretary-General Ahmed Ben Helli.
</blockquote>
The Libyan leader says the Western-led military campaign is an act of colonial aggression designed to steal Libya's oil. [http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110620/wl_nm/us_libya]

==United States intervention==
[[File:Treaty of Tripoli PD LC.jpg|thumb|Treaty of Tripoli, Libya was one of the first nations to recognize the US in 1796.]]
===Frozen assets===
President Obama moved swiftly to support French plans to frustrate Gaddafi’s proposal for an African Union with his unilateral declaration of a national emergency in order to freeze all of the Bank of Libya’s $30 billion of funds to which America had access. This was reported in the U.S. press as a freeze of the funds of "Colonel Qaddafi, his children and family, and senior members of the Libyan government.<ref>''New York Times'', February 27, 2011.</ref> The second section of Obama’s decree explicitly targeted "All property and interests… of the Government of Libya, its agencies, instrumentalities, and controlled entities, and the Central Bank of Libya.<ref>Executive Order of February 25, 2011, citing International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (NEA), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, seizes all Libyan Govt assets, February 25, 2011, link. The authority granted to the President by the International Emergency Economic Powers Act "may only be exercised to deal with an unusual and extraordinary threat with respect to which a national emergency has been declared for purposes of this chapter and may not be exercised for any other purpose" (50 U.S.C. 1701).</ref> The consequences of the $30-billion freeze for [[Africa]], as well as for Libya, have been spelled out by an African observer:
{{Cquote|The US$30 billion frozen by Mr Obama belong to the Libyan Central Bank and had been earmarked as the Libyan contribution to three key projects which would add the finishing touches to the African federation – the African Investment Bank in Syrte, Libya, the establishment in 2011 of the African Monetary Fund to be based in Yaounde with a US$42 billion capital fund and the Abuja-based African Central Bank in Nigeria which when it starts printing African money will ring the death knell for the CFA franc through which Paris has been able to maintain its hold on some African countries for the last fifty years. It is easy to understand the French wrath against Gaddafi.}}

===War Powers Act===

Under the [[War Powers Act]] of 1973 the U.S President has limited authority to use military force without Congressional authorization when there is an imminent [[national security]] threat, however President Obama made clear that he ordered the use of force for other reasons. Members of Congress of both parties have expressed concern the President may have violated the law in doing so.<ref>http://rooney.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3190:rooney-resolution-president-should-obtain-congressional-authorization-or-end-military-campaign-in-libya-&catid=48:2011-press-releases</ref> The War Powers Act specifically states that the President’s power to introduce forces into hostilities or imminent hostilities can only be exercised pursuant to (1) a declaration of war; (2) specific statutory authorization; or (3) a national emergency created by an attack on the United States or its forces. The War Powers Act requires the President in every possible instance to consult with Congress before introducing American Armed Forces into hostilities or imminent hostilities unless there has been a declaration of war or other specific Congressional authorization. None of these prerequisites have been met.

On March 21, 2011, President Obama publicly announced U.S. military forces commenced no fly-zone operations in Libya two days earlier, on March 19, "to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe" and cited UN Resolutions as giving him the authority to do so. Secretary of Defense [[Robert Gates]] warned establishment of a no-fly zone meant attacking Libaya.<ref>http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20038391-503544.html</ref> Officials as National Security Advisor Tom Donilon and Deputy National Security Advisor Denis McDonough also opposed to attacking Libya; but "[[Hillary Clinton]] won the bureaucratic battle to use DOD resources to achieve what's essentially the State Department's objective... and Obama let it happen". <ref>[http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/03/18/how_obama_turned_on_a_dime_toward_war How Obama turned on a dime toward war.] </ref> The Charter of the [[United Nations]], in Article 2(4), prohibits the “threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence” of a member state, and many observers have wondered whether the establishment of a no-fly zone would constitute a violation of this prohibition. The Congressional Research Services advised that a no-fly zone imposed against a state that has not carried out an attack on its neighbors may consider the imposition of a no-fly zone an “armed attack.” CRS warned that even if no-fly zone operations in a given state do not constitute an “armed attack",
{{Cquote|that state, and other members of the international community, might consider them a violation of the prohibition of the “threat or use of force,” as well as of the customary duty of non-intervention in the affairs of other sovereign states.}}

NATO's Supreme Allied Commander James Stavridis told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee days before President Obama publicly admitted to intervention that U.S. intelligence knew of [[al Qaeda]] and [[Hezbollah]] elements among the Libyan insurgents.<ref>http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8414583/Libya-al-Qaeda-among-Libya-rebels-Nato-chief-fears.html</ref>

'''The Libyan Islamic Fighters Group'''

A document published by the U.S. [[West Point]] Military Academy's Combating Terrorism Center reveals that jihadi rebels, unhappy with the Gaddafi regime, exited Libya to join the [[Operation_Iraqi_Freedom#InsurgencyIraq|Islamic insurgency]] in Iraq in numbers greater than any other country. The captured Sinjar documents<ref>[http://www.ctc.usma.edu/harmony/pdf/CTCForeignFighter.19.Dec07.pdf A First Look at the Sinjar Documents]</ref> include background information on foreign jihadists who migrated to Iraq to kill American soldiers,<ref> The Sinjar Documents are a collection of al Qaeda computer data captured by Americans in 2007 in a predawn raid near Sinjar, Iraq, six miles from the Syrian border.</ref> many of those jihadi rebels coming from among the very people Obama pledged to protect in the name of "humanitarianism". David Wood wrote: "Almost one in five foreign fighters arriving in Iraq came from eastern Libya, from the towns of Surt, Misurata and Darnah. On a per capita basis, that’s more than twice as many than came from any other Arabic-speaking country, amounting to what the counter terrorism center called a Libyan 'surge' of young men eager to kill Americans." The report notes 82% of Libyan jihadi rebels volunteered as suicide bombers, well above the 56% of all foreign insurgents in Iraq.

The report reminded that Benghazi has long been associated with Islamic militancy in Libya, in particular for an uprising by Islamist organizations in the mid‐1990s. One group—the Libyan Fighting Group (''jamaʹah al‐libiyah al‐muqatilah'')—claimed to have [[War on Terror|Afghan]] veterans in its ranks. The Libyan uprisings became extraordinarily violent. The West Point study noted Gaddafi had taken measures to mitigate the threat from rebel jihadi groups, and amnestied some Muslim Brotherhood activists in the hope that they would moderate the views of more violent Islamist activists.

The Combating Terrorism Center document concludes,
{{Cquote|The [[Syria]]n [ [[Bashar al-Assad|Assad]] regime] and Libyan [Gaddafi] governments share the United States’ concerns about violent salafi‐jihadi ideology and the violence perpetrated by its adherents. These governments [Syria, Gaddafi, and the US] like others in the Middle East, fear violence inside their borders and would much rather radical elements go to Iraq rather than cause unrest at home. U.S. and Coalition efforts to stem the flow of fighters into Iraq will be enhanced if they address the entire logistical chain that supports the movement of these individuals—beginning in their home countries – rather than just their Syrian entry points.}}

This set off a fierce debate in the [[Obama administration]] over the wisdom of arming terrorists.<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/30/world/africa/30diplo.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss</ref> It is now known sometime prior to March 31, 2011,<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/31/world/africa/31intel.html?_r=2&hp</ref> Obama signed a Presidential Finding authorizing support for the rebel jihadis.<ref>http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/30/us-libya-usa-order-idUSTRE72T6H220110330</ref> Direct arms support would violate the arms embargo imposed by UN Security Council Resolution 1970 on February 26, 2011.<ref>http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/30/us-libya-usa-order-idUSTRE72T6H220110330</ref>

Public opinion initially was divided on support for President Obama's actions, within 30 days however, opposition rose 15%<ref>http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/04/americans-rapidly-turn-against-obama-over-handling-of-libyan-intervention.php</ref> as the reality of the intervention set in.

===Legality of U.S. military actions===
The ''[[Washington Post]]'' reported on May 20, 2011 President Obama missed the legal deadline set in the 1973 law that required him to obtain Congressional approval for U.S. military operations in Libya. Under the [[Nixon]]-era War Powers Resolution, the president must obtain Congressional authorization of military action within 60 days, or else begin withdrawing forces.<ref>http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-likely-to-miss-deadline-for-congressional-approval-of-libya-operations/2011/05/19/AFFLKn7G_story.html</ref> Sen. [[Richard Lugar]] of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations warned President Obama,
[[File:NATO strike Libya.jpg|right|220px|NATO strike, Libya.]]
{{Cquote|U.S. military operations in Libya have assumed a different character than you suggested when you announced the decision to initiate them. In your March 21 letter to the Congress, you indicated that these operations would be limited in their nature, duration, and scope, and focused on protecting civilians and civilian populated areas from attack. Two months into these operations, your Administration is unable to specify what limits will apply to the duration of the operations, and the coalition in which we are participating appears to have expanded its objectives to weakening the Gaddafi regime’s hold on power through strikes on leadership targets and, potentially, infrastructure targets.<ref>http://lugar.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=332967&</ref><ref>http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/is-obama-above-the-law/2011/05/26/AGL5zyCH_story.html</ref>}}

The evidence is President Obama’s war in Libya is illegal and unconstitutional. Columnist George Will laid out the case in, “Is Obama Above the Law?” The war is a violation of the War Powers Act, which says the president can go to war without Congressional approval only if there is an imminent threat to the U.S. and there is a 60-day deadline for the withdrawal of forces. [http://www.conservativetruth.org/article.php?id=2467]

The law states that “The constitutional powers of the President as Commander-in-Chief to introduce United States Armed Forces into hostilities, or into situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances, are exercised only pursuant to

(1) a declaration of war,

(2) specific statutory authorization, or

(3) a national emergency created by attack upon the United States , its territories or possessions, or its armed forces.”

Since there was no declaration of war or statutory authorization for the Libya action, there has to be a national emergency created by an attack on the U.S. There was none in the Libya case.<ref>http://www.conservativetruth.org/article.php?id=2458 Conservative Truth.</ref> A [[bipartisan]] group of legislators have begun action against what they percieve to be President Obama's unconstitutional misuse of power.<ref>http://thehill.com/homenews/house/166577-kucinich-jones-sue-white-house-over-libya-war</ref>

=== 10 Reasons to Oppose the War in Libya ===

According to Rep. [[Dennis Kucinich]]:

* '''It is unconstitutional''', violating Article 1, Section 8 of the US Constitution which gives the power of declaring war to the Congress.
* '''It is illegal''', as the War Powers Resolution was exploited out of context in order to declare war.
* '''American public opinion is against it''', as 6 Americans out of 10 oppose the war.
* It '''distracts''' the President from more immediate concerns, such as the dire state of the economy.
* It '''costs''' funds that should be used for other purposes.
* Although the war was declared by Britain and France, '''America is paying more than other NATO allies'''.
* '''Civilians are being killed''' by the same powers that are supposed to protect them.
* '''The U.N. Resolution that authorized limited military action did not allow for regime change'''
* '''Public support of the war is eroding even in other allied countries.'''
* '''The situation is a stalemate''' that ought to be solved by political, not military means.

See more at: [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rep-dennis-kucinich/10-reasons-to-oppose-the_b_881554.html 10 Reasons to Oppose the War in Libya.]

Kucinich's bill to oppose intervention in Libya was supported by 87 conservative House Republicans.

=== Opposition of [[Ron Paul]] ===

<blockquote>
''"Why did the US intervene in a civil war in a country that has neither attacked us nor poses a threat? We are told this was another humanitarian intervention, like Clinton’s 1999 war against [[Serbia]]. But as civilian victims of the US-led coalition bombing continue to add up, it is getting difficult to determine whether the problem we are creating on the ground is worse than the one we were trying to solve."'' [http://www.ronpaul.com/2011-03-28/ron-paul-end-the-libyan-war/]
</blockquote>

<blockquote>
''"Michael Scheuer, former head of the CIA’s Bin Laden unit, explained in a recent article that there is plausible reason to believe the rebels are current or former Islamist mujahedin, eager to engage in jihad. Indeed, Gaddafi has fought against Libyan Islamists for years and is seen by them as a bitter enemy. Astoundingly, it may well be that we are assisting al Qaeda in this new war! [[Ibidem]]"''
</blockquote>

== Barack Hussein Obama's Mission Accomplished moment in Libya ==

Obama launched the war in Libya giving the reason for the need to protect the civilian population from [[Qaddafi]]. Not that he's gone, lawlessness and brutality has increased. "Thousands of people, including women and [[children]], are being illegally detained by rebel [[militia]]s in Libya," and "up to 7,000 new "enemies of the state", "disappeared" in a dysfunctional system, with no recourse to the [[law]]." [http://spectator.org/blog/2011/11/24/about-barack-obamas-grand-adve]

==Role of China==
In the first decade of the Twenty-first century China quietly has overtaken the United States to become Africa's largest trading partner, particularly in oil, which accounts for 73 percent of all African exports. According to the Chinese government's first white paper on its economic and trade cooperation with Africa, China's trade with Africa has soared to $114.81 billion in the first 11 months of 2010. China uses about 8 million barrels per day (bpd), a demand that is projected to rise to 11.3 million bpd by 2015 and now receives 28 percent of its oil imports from Africa. China's top oil suppliers are [[Saudi Arabia]], [[Iran]], [[Angola]], Russia, [[Oman]] and [[Sudan]]. Saudi Arabia is China's top oil supplier (1.1 million bpd.) China is also buying oil from [[Chad]], [[Gabon]] and [[Nigeria]] as well. China's top African oil suppliers are [[Angola]], [[Sudan]] and [[Nigeria]]. The [[International Monetary Fund]] reports, oil now accounts for 99 percent of Sudanese exports, with China absorbing for 65 percent of them. Energy is Angola's sole export hard currency earner, with China now accounting for 35 percent of Angolan exports.<ref>http://mammutcapital.blogspot.com/2011/06/upcoming-us-china-struggle-for-african.html</ref>

===Competition for resources===
After hostilities began China evacuated over 36,000 of its energy and construction workers and shut down operations of Chinese companies with over $18.8 billion of Chinese investments in Libya.<ref>http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/eastasia/view/1119924/1/.html</ref> China alone is expected to invest on a scale of $50 billion a year in Libya and Africa by 2015, a figure - funded by America’s [[trade deficit]] with China - which the Western powers and NATO cannot match.<ref>Leslie Hook, ''China’s future in Africa, after Libya,'' March 4, 2011. The U.S trade deficit with China in 2010 was $273 billion.</ref> China, Libya's largest Asian oil customer, called for an immediate ceasefire.

Dr. [[Paul Craig Roberts]], former Assistant Secretary of US Treasury in the [[Reagan administration]] observed the joint French, British, and US coalition's objective is
{{Cquote|to eliminate China from the [[Mediterranean]]. China has extensive energy investments and construction investments in Libya. They are looking to Africa as a future energy source. The US is countering this by organizing the United States African Command (USAC), which Qaddafi refused to join. So that's the second reason for the Americans to want Qaddafi out.}}
Roberts observes
{{Cquote| the protests in Libya are different from the ones in Egypt or [[Yemen]] or [[Bahrain]] or [[Tunisia]] and the difference is that this is an armed rebellion...these protests originated in the eastern part of Libya where the oil is - they did not originate in the capital city. And we have heard from the beginning credible reports that the CIA is involved in the protests, and there have been a large number of press reports that the CIA has sent back to Libya its Libyan asset<ref>http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/03/26/111109/new-rebel-leader-spent-much-of.html</ref> to head up the Libyan rebellion... China has 50 major investment projects in eastern Libya.<ref>http://www.presstv.ir/detail/175076.html</ref>}}

Whatever Washington’s ulterior motives, there is no doubt that NATO’s military operations in Libya are harming China’s fiscal interests. According to information from China’s Ministry of Trade, by March, when the military operation began, there were 75 major Chinese companies operating in Libya, and they had concluded $18 billion in contracts. Because of the NATO operations in Libya, the Chinese companies are expecting gigantic losses. <ref> [http://rickrozoff.wordpress.com/ Washington Using NATO For Proxy Conflict With China In Libya.] </ref>

==Mission creep==
UN Security Council Resolution 1973, passed in March 2011, does not authorise participating members to support the anti-Gaddafi tribes, to defend armed groups, or to oust Gaddafi. Nor does it authorise a ground invasion or military occupation. Strategic analyst Anthony Cordesman notes the similarities between Libya and Iraq and the loose uncoordinated coalitions "failure to plan for the decisive and lasting use of force, failure to plan for the civil side of military operations and to support stability operations, and focus on short term goals without a realistic plan for a successful strategic and post-conflict outcome." Cordesman notes,
{{Cquote|the lives and futures of some 6.6 million Libyans are at stake. The Franco-Anglo-American gamble now seems far too likely to fail at their expense. Moreover, it seems likely to drag the other nations that support the operation into their failure -- along with part of the reputation of NATO and credibility of the UN.... gambling on Qaddafi caving in has created a far more serious humanitarian crisis for the Libyan people than would ever have occurred if the Coalition had acted decisively from the start ...The humanitarian cost of humanitarian restraint is all too clear: Hundreds of Libyan and foreign workers have been killed...hundreds of thousands lack jobs, security, and safe conditions of life....an enduring war of attrition will turn a minor humanitarian crisis into a major one ...This kind of operation cannot be “surgical’ – if “surgical” now means minimizing bloodshed regardless of whether the patient dies. Hard, and sometimes brutal, choices need to be made between limited civilian casualties and collateral damage during the decisive use of force and an open-ended war of attrition that will produce far higher cumulative civilian casualties and collateral damage.<ref>http://csis.org/publication/libya-will-farce-stay-us-and-france-and-britain</ref>}}
Cordesman notes mission creep and boots on the ground ultimately lead to [[nation building]]:
{{Cquote|France, Britain, and the US now have a special obligation to both finish what they started in military terms, and deal with the aftermath. A post-conflict Libya will need extensive help in building a workable political system, in rebuilding the capability to govern, in both rebuilding the existing economy and correcting for decades of Qaddafi’s reckless and constantly shifting eccentricities.}}
On April 19, 2011, one month after Sarkozy, Cameron, and Obama asked the UN Security Council for authorization for a limited use of force, the UK ''[[Guardian (UK)|Guardian]]'' reported,
{{Cquote|Britain is now publicly doing what it expressly said it would not do when the no-fly intervention began: putting boots on the ground in Libya. France is taking similar action. Given that the rebel tribes have convincingly demonstrated their inability to win on their own, given the sizable negatives for David Cameron and Nicolas Sarkozy of an open-ended, inconclusive conflict, and given Barack Obama's flat refusal to do any more, the question now is: how many more British and French boots will follow, sooner or later, in the advisers' fateful footsteps?....By encouraging and assisting rebel resistance, as [[George H. W. Bush|George Bush Snr]] did with the [[Shia]]s of southern [[Iraq]] in 1991, Britain and France risk worsening the plight of the Libyan civilians they are primarily pledged to defend. The UN and concerned aid agencies all agree the humanitarian situation is growing steadily worse, the longer the conflict continues. ..<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/apr/19/libya-mission-military-advisory-team</ref>}}

<blockquote>
Prime Minister Vladimir V. Putin, in particular, has been scathing about Western intervention in Libya, comparing the Resolution 1973 to “a medieval call to the crusades” and saying “the so-called civilized community, with all its might, pounces on a small country, and ruins infrastructure that has been built over generations.” Mr. Putin returned to the subject of Libya repeatedly, despite acknowledging that foreign policy decisions were not within his portfolio as prime minister. [http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/28/world/europe/28russia.html?hp]
</blockquote>

===Manufacturing Consent===

"On how the western media makes the case for war. Our consent has been manufactured by the criminalization of Gaddafi and his government, and the Libyan people cannot believe it when I tell them what is said about him in the west. And if only you could see how they live, they are far more free than us in England in many ways, this does not fit in with the oppressive image of Gaddafi portrayed in the west.

So for example, I have had Libyans coming up to me asking me about a report in the popular French newspaper Le Figaro that came out about 3 days ago saying 10,000 people have been killed in Tripoli over the past 3 months by government forces. They are astonished, because this is complete and utter lies. " [https://lizziesliberation.wordpress.com/2011/06/04/letter-from-libya-to-a-close-friend/ Letter from Libya to a close friend.]

=== Libya post-Gaddafi ===
Libyan rebel fighting groups with support from NATO airstrikes, overtook the capital of Tripoli and toppled the government of Libya causing Gaddafi to flee into hiding. This victory finally peaked the interests of the liberal media, who remained silent, even as the President violated the War Powers Act.

October 2011, the last enclave of government/tribal resistance fell in Gaddafi's hometown of Sirte. Ghaddafi was captured and died from his wounds. The fighters have been recognized by the U.S. and the U.N. as the legitimate government. It remains to be seen how much of the billions of dollars held in foreign banks by the former regime will be released to the new government. It will be a year or longer before Libya can resume exporting oil at its pre-war capacity.

The situation in a post-Gaddafi Libya is uncertain. Fears that the nation will be end up an Islamic state were proven true when Mustafa Abdul-Jalil, chairman of the National Transitional Council, announced in late October that [[Sharia]] will be the source for all legislation in Libya and that all laws conflicting with Sharia are null and void.<ref name="Sharia">[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8861608/Libya-Al-Qaeda-flag-flown-above-Benghazi-courthouse.html Libya: Al Qaeda flag flown above Benghazi courthouse - Daily Telegraph]</ref> Abdel Rahim al-Kib, the country's interim prime minister, echoed Jalil's words a couple of days later.<ref>[http://www.presstv.ir/detail/207953.html New Libyan PM backs Islamic sharia law]</ref> Around the same time these statements were made an Al Qaeda flag was flown above the Benghazi courthouse, and reports were surfacing that the Libyan jihadists imposed Sharia law in some parts of the country even earlier.<ref name="Sharia" />

U.S. intelligence says as many as 20,000 advanced Russian surface-to-air missiles are missing and could end up in terror groups' arsenals. <ref>[http://weaselzippers.us/2011/09/27/u-s-intelligence-now-says-up-to-20000-advanced-surface-to-air-missiles-mussing-from-libya/ U.S. Intelligence Now Says Up To 20,000 Advanced Surface-To-Air Missiles Missing From Lib, Weasel Zippers, September 27, 2011]</ref> Already some of those missiles reached the hands of [[Hamas]] in the Gaza Strip.<ref>[http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/hamas-boosting-anti-aircraft-arsenal-with-looted-libyan-missiles-1.392186 Hamas boosting anti-aircraft arsenal with looted Libyan missiles - Haaretz]</ref> [[Al Qaeda]] is very active in the region and the conflict. No one is sure how to rid the country of this terrorist element.

===Benghazi becomes an al-Qaeda stronghold===
A March 29, 2011 article in the ''Washington Post'' included these paragraphs:
{{Cquote|"It’s almost a certitude that at least part” of the Libyan opposition includes members of al-Qaeda, said Bruce Riedel, a former senior CIA analyst and adviser to President Obama. Riedel said that anti-Gaddafi elements in the rebel stronghold of Benghazi have had “very close associations with al-Qaeda” dating back years....I would hope that we now have a good sense of the opposition in Libya and can say that this is 2 percent, not 20 percent,” Riedel said. “If we don’t, then we are running the risk of helping to bring to power a regime that could be very dangerous.<ref>http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/libyan-opposition-includes-a-small-number-of-al-qaeda-fighters-us-officials-say/2011/03/29/AFRlXWyB_story.html</ref>}}
With images of besieged U.S. missions in the Middle East leading the evening news after the eleventh anniversary of the [[September 11 attacks]], White House Press Secretary [[Jay Carney]] told reporters authorities had no reason to think that the attack on the sovereign territory of the United States consulate in Benghazi resulting in the deaths of Americans was a terrorist attack.
{{Cquote|The unrest that we’ve seen around the region has been in reaction to a video that Muslims, many Muslims, find offensive,}}
the White House said. When pressed by reporters who pointed out evidence that the violence in Benghazi was a terrorist attack, Carney noted again that “the unrest around the region has been in response to this video.”

By September 16, 2012 the evolution of the Obama administration story was complete when Susan Rice, the U.N. ambassador, showed up on all five major Sunday morning talk shows to make the most direct public connection yet between the Benghazi assault and the incendiary video. Couching her remarks in caveats – “based on the information we have at present,” for example – Rice clearly intended to make the link before a large American audience. Rice told longtime Democratic partisan [[George Stephanopoulos]] on ABC’s ''This Week,'' the attack was “a spontaneous – not a premeditated – response to what had transpired in Cairo” – a reference to a demonstration triggered by a satirical youtube video in which a mob breached the U.S. Embassy compound and tore down the American flag. Rice repeated the false claim throughout her talk-show appearances and later blamed U.S intelligence services for giving her incorrect information.<ref>http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2012/10/18/171933/obama-administration-officials.html</ref>

U.S intelligence officials said the leading suspected jihadis in the murders and terrorist attack are a local Benghazi militia, Ansar al-Shariah, known to have ties to a leading African terror group, al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).<ref>http://blogs.ajc.com/political-insider-jim-galloway/2012/10/19/when-an-obama-adviser-called-benghazi-an-al-qaeda-hotbed/?cxntfid=blogs_political_insider_jim_galloway</ref>

===FBI investigation===
Around a week after the attack President Obama ordered an investigation and portions of the the Ansar al-Sharia militia were driven out of Benghazi by 'hundreds' of unarmed protesters. Eleven protesters were killed while storming one of the Obama-backed jihadi's base.<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/22/unarmed-people-power-libya</ref> As of October 2012 it was reported the militia is operating from the mountainous Jebel Akhdar area,<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/oct/09/libyan-army-militia-us-ambassador</ref> however a commander of the terrorist group boasted jovially with the ''[[New York Times]]'' in Benghazi<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/16/world/africa/election-year-stakes-overshadow-nuances-of-benghazi-investigation.html?pagewanted=2&ref=world</ref> while President Obama's investigators did not interview him.<ref>http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/10/frappe-libya-attack/</ref>

==External links==
*[http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2011/03/in-arming-libyan-rebels-the-us-would-follow-an-old-dark-path/73019/ In Arming Libyan Rebels, the U.S. Would Follow an Old, Dark Path.]
[[File:Tripoli NATO bombing Libya.jpg|thumb|280px|Tripoli, NATO bombing.]]
*[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/americas-secret-plan-to-arm-libyas-rebels-2234227.html America's secret plan to arm Libya's rebels.] ''The Independent'', UK.
*[http://www.sott.net/articles/show/225613-Operation-Libya-The-US-NATO-Attempted-Coup-d-Etat-in-Libya-and-the-Battle-for-Oil "Operation Libya": The US-NATO Attempted Coup d'Etat in Libya and the Battle for Oil.]
*[http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2055251,00.html Why Libya's Uprising Is Bad for the World Economy.]
*[http://articles.boston.com/2011-04-14/bostonglobe/29418371_1_rebel-stronghold-civilians-rebel-positions False pretense for war in Libya?]
*[http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/apr/19/libya-nato-civil-war-cameron These humanitarians come to Libya with missiles, and an agenda.] by [[Simon Jenkins]].
*[http://www.globalresearch.ca/PrintArticle.php?articleId=24188 The West's War Against Gaddafi. Yet another long-lasting, tragic crime against humanity.]
*[http://www.aim.org/aim-column/obama%E2%80%99s-war-in-libya-is-illegal-and-unconstitutional/ Obama’s War in Libya is Illegal and Unconstitutional.] by Cliff Kincaid.
*[http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/30/us-libya-school-idUSTRE73T24620110430 Libya disabled children school hit in NATO strike.] Reuters.
*[http://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2011/06/08/natos-alternate-universe-in-libya.html NATO's "Alternate Universe" in Libya.]
*[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/reese-schonfeld/are-the-lessons-of-kosovo_b_868281.html Are The Lessons of Kosovo Spreading to Libya?]
*[http://www.lemonde.fr/libye/article/2011/06/22/le-patron-de-la-ligue-arabe-fait-part-de-scrupules-sur-la-libye_1539111_1496980.html#ens_id=1481986 The head of the Arab League expressed "qualms" about Libya.] In French.
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cx3UAWau9T8&%20NR=1 George Galloway talks about Libya war.] Youtube
*[http://www.realzionistnews.com/?p=666 The murder of Muammar Gaddafi by Zionist-owned Libyan insurgents.]

==Notes==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:Libya]]
[[category:Africa]]
[[Category:Obama Administration]]
[[Category:Obama Presidency]]
[[Category:War]]
[[Category:Featured articles]]

Ludwig von Mises Institute

2012-12-14T14:37:31Z

Thatteapartyguy:

The '''Ludwig von Mises Institute''' advocates the [[Austrian School of Economics]] and [[paleolibertarian]] political and social theory. The institute is an [[Auburn, Alabama]]-based organization. Its leader is [[Lew Rockwell]].

== See also ==

*[[Ludwig von Mises]]

== External links ==

*[http://mises.org Ludwig Von Mises Institute]

[[Category: Libertarianism]]
[[Category:Organizations]]

British politics

2012-12-14T14:31:51Z

Thatteapartyguy: /* Minor parties */

'''British politics''' take place within the context of a democratic [[parliamentary]] system dominated by three major parties. Currently, there is a coalition government between the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats

The political culture of the UK tends to be more liberal than that of the United States, but less so than that of many other European nations. [[File:Brit-history.jpg|thumb|250px]]

==Institutions==
===Parliament===

''See also [[Parliament]]''

The cornerstone of the uncodified British [[constitution]] is ''Parliamentary supremacy'', or ''Parliamentary sovereignty''.

Britain is one of a small number of nations without a codified constitution, and the British legislature, ''Parliament'', is free to legislate however it pleases. In British law, the only authority higher than parliamentary legislation is the law of the [[European Union]], and Britain is subject to EU law only by virtue of the fact that Parliament has chosen to accept it.

Parliament consists of the Queen, the [[House of Lords]] and the [[House of Commons (UK)|House of Commons]]. The Queen today takes no part in active politics (the last time that a monarch refused to ratify a law passed by the Lords and Commons was in 1714). While the House of Lords is considered to be the more prestigious chamber, the Commons is dominant by virtue of the fact that its members are elected rather than appointed. The Lords can only delay rather than veto legislation, though the Commons rarely chooses to push through laws against the Lords' wishes (it has done so only five times since the Lords' absolute veto was removed in 1911).

Reform of the House of Lords is a current political issue in the UK. The House of Commons has resolved to make it more democratic, so that 80% or 100% of its members are elected rather than appointed.

===The Executive===

The British Government operates in the name of the Queen (or the "Crown"), but power lies in practice with the '''Prime Minister''' and his '''Cabinet'''. The British Prime Minister has one of the most powerful roles of any democratic head of government or head of state (though some, like the French President, have similar or more extensive powers).

Contrary to popular opinion, the British Prime Minister can be of any religion - for example, Iain Duncan-Smith, a Catholic, was made leader of the Conservative Party while in opposition which would have made him Prime Minister had the party won a general election at that time. In addition, [[Margaret Thatcher]] was a Methodist rather than an Anglican. Not many British political commentators make any mention of religion, and religion is not considered a major deciding factor in elections. The faith or denominations of party leaders is not well known.

The only relevant legislation that exists demands that the Monarch not be Catholic, and the Anglican coronation and automatic incumbency to the position of Supreme Governor of the Church of England ensure that the Sovereign is Anglican; however, the now defunct position of advising the monarch on ecclesiastical affairs could have fallen to any member of the cabinet. No legislation exists which regulates the religion of the Prime Minister or any other member of parliament.

== Devolution ==

{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor=cccccc
! Nation/Region || Legislature || Executive || Leader(s)
|-
| '''[[Scotland]]''' || [[Scottish Parliament]] || Scottish Government || First Minister
|-
| '''[[Wales]]''' || National Assembly for Wales || Welsh Assembly Government || First Minister
|-
| '''[[Northern Ireland]]''' || Northern Ireland Assembly || Northern Ireland Executive || First Minister and Deputy First Minister1
|-
| '''[[London|Greater London]]''' || London Assembly|| Mayor of London || Mayor of London
|}


1 Northern Ireland is a dyarchy in which both leaders are regarded as equal.


==Local government==

Each locality in the UK has its own '''local authority''': there are '''councils''' of various sorts, as well as a number of elected '''mayors''' (most notably in London, whose current mayor is the sometimes controversial Conservative politician [[Boris Johnson]]). The powers of local authorities have been seen as declining for many years, however one of the main aims of the new coalition government is to reverse this. Local authorities can pass 'bylaws', secondary delegated legislation that can regulate planning and other local areas.

It should be noted that most mayors in Britain are relatively powerless officials who serve as mere figureheads, in a similar way to the Monarch, as the power is with the local council, of which the mayor is the leader. However, a number of cities, such as London, have powerful mayors with a full executive role.

==Parties==

The British political spectrum has historically been dominated by the '''[[Labour Party]]''' on the left, the '''[[Conservative Party]]''' on the right, and the '''Liberal Party''' (now the [[Liberal Democrats]]) in the centre between them ("liberal" in British political terminology is often used to mean "centrist" or "moderate", rather than "left-wing"). In theory, these parties represent the three main political ideologies; liberal, conservative and socialist, but recently, there has been a perception that the main parties are crowding together on the centre ground. In the 1990s, Labour moved decisively away from the traditional left (angering many of its more traditionally-minded supporters), to the point where it was perceived by many as being less left-wing than the Liberal Democrats. Since the advent of [[David Cameron]] as its leader in 2005, the Conservative Party has moved away from the territory of the traditional right (in this case too, angering many of its more strongly conservative or [[Thatcherism|Thatcherite]] supporters).

===Labour===
see also [[Labour Party]]

The [[Labour Party]] is currently the main opposition party in the UK and is led by [[Ed Miliband]]. It is also the largest party in the Welsh legislature and the second-largest party in the Scottish Parliament.

Following its defeat by Margaret Thatcher's Conservatives in 1979, the Labour Party adopted a strongly left-wing, communistic program. Following a catastrophic defeat in the 1983 general election, more moderate politicians took charge of Labour and slowly moved it closer to the centre ground of British politics, a process started by [[Neil Kinnock]] in the mid-1980s and carried forward enthusiastically by [[Tony Blair]] after his election as leader in 1994. Many more traditional, left-wing Labour supporters see Tony Blair as an usurper whose policies are too right-wing for comfort. This has been the case in particular following the Iraq War.

Blair's policies were arguably a mixture of left (e.g. higher taxes, higher government spending, greater integration with the European Union, equal rights for gay people) and right (e.g. pro-market reforms in the public services, retention of Lady Thatcher's labour laws, support for the [[War on Terror]] and [[George W. Bush]]'s foreign policies). His successor [[Gordon Brown]], once a close ally of Blair, has spoken out against the idea of the party shifting back to the left. Gordon Brown and Tony Blair were both seen as modernists within the Labour Party before they were elected to power in 1997.

===Conservatives===
* Also See: [[Conservative Party]]
British conservatism has traditionally been a moderate, non-ideological creed: its heroes include such pragmatic figures as [[Edmund Burke]] in the eighteenth century and Sir [[Robert Peel]] and [[Benjamin Disraeli]] in the nineteenth century. These figures contrasted with contemporary conservatives from other European countries such as the French thinker [[Joseph de Maistre]], who were often strong, ideologically-minded supporters of absolute monarchy and Roman Catholicism.

The Conservative Party became more ideologically conservative during the leadership of [[Margaret Thatcher]] (1975-1990). Since Lady Thatcher resigned in 1990, the strongly conservative element within the party has been more or less eclipsed. It had some influence in the 1990s during the leadership of Sir John Major (1990-1997), but the current Conservative leader, [[David Cameron]], has moved decisively away from "Thatcherism". This has caused dismay to many Conservative activists. It is often argued that this move has greatly increased the popularity and [[electability]] of the Conservative Party; however Margaret Thatcher achieved three solid general election victories while Cameron has been forced to form a coalition with the leftist Liberal Democrats after failing to win an absolute majority.

===Liberal Democrats===

The Liberal Democrats (or "Lib Dems") were formed in 1988 by the merger of the old centrist Liberal Party with the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SDP). They have long advocated disestablishing the [[Church of England]], and their current leader is [[Nick Clegg]], who has publicly said he is "not an active believer" in God, but claims to be "open-minded" about religion, has married a Catholic and is bringing his children up as Catholics.<ref>''Nick Clegg is a believer in families, not God'' [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article3076044.ece Times Online]</ref>

The Liberal Democrats are divided between a relatively left-wing faction (to which the former leaders Sir Menzies Campbell and Charles Kennedy belong), which has taken positions to the left of the Labour Party on a number of issues, and a more centrist, pro-[[free market]] faction to which the present leader belongs (several of whose members contributed to a controversial collection of essays published in 2004 called ''The Orange Book''). Despite the range of view on economic issues, the party is consistently culturally liberal, on social issues. The Liberal Democrats are strong advocates of anti-discrimination laws.

=== Scotland ===
The largest party in the [[Scottish Parliament]] is the '''[[Scottish National Party]]'''. Among other policies it advocates a greater level of independence for Scotland.

=== Wales ===
There is also a Welsh nationalist party, called '''Plaid Cymru''', or simply '''Plaid''', which currently in coalition with Labour has control of the [[Welsh Assembly]].

=== Northern Ireland ===
Northern Ireland has a number of political parties:
* '''[[Democratic Unionist Party]]''' - strongly Unionist
* '''[[Sinn Fein]]''' - strongly Irish-Nationalist ("Republican")
* '''[[Ulster Unionist Party]]''' - moderately Unionist
* '''[[Social Democratic and Labour Party]]''' - moderately Irish-Nationalist

===Minor parties===
There are several other minor British parties worthy of mention:
* The '''[[UK Independence Party]]''' advocates the withdrawal of Britain from the [[European Union]] and other more strongly conservative policies than those supported by the official Conservative Party.
* The '''[[Green Party (UK)|Green Party]]''' is a left-wing party that advocates major constraints on economic activity in order to prevent alleged anthropogenic global warming.
* '''[[RESPECT Party|Respect]]''' is a strongly far-left, socialist party led by the maverick ex-Labour politician [[George Galloway]], who has been endorsed by revolutionary Communist and Islamic parties within the UK.
* The '''[[British National Party]]''' is generally seen as an extreme [[national socialist]] or fascist party. It advocates the repatriation of non-white people from the UK to the countries of their or their families' origin.
*The [[Monster raving loony party|Monster Raving Loony Party]] is a 'joke' party, which however often receives significant numbers of [[protest vote]]s especially in high-profile [[by-election]]s (which may attract a large number, sometimes dozens, of other not entirely serious candidates).

==References==
<references/>
[[Category:British Politics]]
[[Category:British History]]

British politics

2012-12-14T14:30:27Z

Thatteapartyguy: /* Liberal Democrats */

'''British politics''' take place within the context of a democratic [[parliamentary]] system dominated by three major parties. Currently, there is a coalition government between the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats

The political culture of the UK tends to be more liberal than that of the United States, but less so than that of many other European nations. [[File:Brit-history.jpg|thumb|250px]]

==Institutions==
===Parliament===

''See also [[Parliament]]''

The cornerstone of the uncodified British [[constitution]] is ''Parliamentary supremacy'', or ''Parliamentary sovereignty''.

Britain is one of a small number of nations without a codified constitution, and the British legislature, ''Parliament'', is free to legislate however it pleases. In British law, the only authority higher than parliamentary legislation is the law of the [[European Union]], and Britain is subject to EU law only by virtue of the fact that Parliament has chosen to accept it.

Parliament consists of the Queen, the [[House of Lords]] and the [[House of Commons (UK)|House of Commons]]. The Queen today takes no part in active politics (the last time that a monarch refused to ratify a law passed by the Lords and Commons was in 1714). While the House of Lords is considered to be the more prestigious chamber, the Commons is dominant by virtue of the fact that its members are elected rather than appointed. The Lords can only delay rather than veto legislation, though the Commons rarely chooses to push through laws against the Lords' wishes (it has done so only five times since the Lords' absolute veto was removed in 1911).

Reform of the House of Lords is a current political issue in the UK. The House of Commons has resolved to make it more democratic, so that 80% or 100% of its members are elected rather than appointed.

===The Executive===

The British Government operates in the name of the Queen (or the "Crown"), but power lies in practice with the '''Prime Minister''' and his '''Cabinet'''. The British Prime Minister has one of the most powerful roles of any democratic head of government or head of state (though some, like the French President, have similar or more extensive powers).

Contrary to popular opinion, the British Prime Minister can be of any religion - for example, Iain Duncan-Smith, a Catholic, was made leader of the Conservative Party while in opposition which would have made him Prime Minister had the party won a general election at that time. In addition, [[Margaret Thatcher]] was a Methodist rather than an Anglican. Not many British political commentators make any mention of religion, and religion is not considered a major deciding factor in elections. The faith or denominations of party leaders is not well known.

The only relevant legislation that exists demands that the Monarch not be Catholic, and the Anglican coronation and automatic incumbency to the position of Supreme Governor of the Church of England ensure that the Sovereign is Anglican; however, the now defunct position of advising the monarch on ecclesiastical affairs could have fallen to any member of the cabinet. No legislation exists which regulates the religion of the Prime Minister or any other member of parliament.

== Devolution ==

{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor=cccccc
! Nation/Region || Legislature || Executive || Leader(s)
|-
| '''[[Scotland]]''' || [[Scottish Parliament]] || Scottish Government || First Minister
|-
| '''[[Wales]]''' || National Assembly for Wales || Welsh Assembly Government || First Minister
|-
| '''[[Northern Ireland]]''' || Northern Ireland Assembly || Northern Ireland Executive || First Minister and Deputy First Minister1
|-
| '''[[London|Greater London]]''' || London Assembly|| Mayor of London || Mayor of London
|}


1 Northern Ireland is a dyarchy in which both leaders are regarded as equal.


==Local government==

Each locality in the UK has its own '''local authority''': there are '''councils''' of various sorts, as well as a number of elected '''mayors''' (most notably in London, whose current mayor is the sometimes controversial Conservative politician [[Boris Johnson]]). The powers of local authorities have been seen as declining for many years, however one of the main aims of the new coalition government is to reverse this. Local authorities can pass 'bylaws', secondary delegated legislation that can regulate planning and other local areas.

It should be noted that most mayors in Britain are relatively powerless officials who serve as mere figureheads, in a similar way to the Monarch, as the power is with the local council, of which the mayor is the leader. However, a number of cities, such as London, have powerful mayors with a full executive role.

==Parties==

The British political spectrum has historically been dominated by the '''[[Labour Party]]''' on the left, the '''[[Conservative Party]]''' on the right, and the '''Liberal Party''' (now the [[Liberal Democrats]]) in the centre between them ("liberal" in British political terminology is often used to mean "centrist" or "moderate", rather than "left-wing"). In theory, these parties represent the three main political ideologies; liberal, conservative and socialist, but recently, there has been a perception that the main parties are crowding together on the centre ground. In the 1990s, Labour moved decisively away from the traditional left (angering many of its more traditionally-minded supporters), to the point where it was perceived by many as being less left-wing than the Liberal Democrats. Since the advent of [[David Cameron]] as its leader in 2005, the Conservative Party has moved away from the territory of the traditional right (in this case too, angering many of its more strongly conservative or [[Thatcherism|Thatcherite]] supporters).

===Labour===
see also [[Labour Party]]

The [[Labour Party]] is currently the main opposition party in the UK and is led by [[Ed Miliband]]. It is also the largest party in the Welsh legislature and the second-largest party in the Scottish Parliament.

Following its defeat by Margaret Thatcher's Conservatives in 1979, the Labour Party adopted a strongly left-wing, communistic program. Following a catastrophic defeat in the 1983 general election, more moderate politicians took charge of Labour and slowly moved it closer to the centre ground of British politics, a process started by [[Neil Kinnock]] in the mid-1980s and carried forward enthusiastically by [[Tony Blair]] after his election as leader in 1994. Many more traditional, left-wing Labour supporters see Tony Blair as an usurper whose policies are too right-wing for comfort. This has been the case in particular following the Iraq War.

Blair's policies were arguably a mixture of left (e.g. higher taxes, higher government spending, greater integration with the European Union, equal rights for gay people) and right (e.g. pro-market reforms in the public services, retention of Lady Thatcher's labour laws, support for the [[War on Terror]] and [[George W. Bush]]'s foreign policies). His successor [[Gordon Brown]], once a close ally of Blair, has spoken out against the idea of the party shifting back to the left. Gordon Brown and Tony Blair were both seen as modernists within the Labour Party before they were elected to power in 1997.

===Conservatives===
* Also See: [[Conservative Party]]
British conservatism has traditionally been a moderate, non-ideological creed: its heroes include such pragmatic figures as [[Edmund Burke]] in the eighteenth century and Sir [[Robert Peel]] and [[Benjamin Disraeli]] in the nineteenth century. These figures contrasted with contemporary conservatives from other European countries such as the French thinker [[Joseph de Maistre]], who were often strong, ideologically-minded supporters of absolute monarchy and Roman Catholicism.

The Conservative Party became more ideologically conservative during the leadership of [[Margaret Thatcher]] (1975-1990). Since Lady Thatcher resigned in 1990, the strongly conservative element within the party has been more or less eclipsed. It had some influence in the 1990s during the leadership of Sir John Major (1990-1997), but the current Conservative leader, [[David Cameron]], has moved decisively away from "Thatcherism". This has caused dismay to many Conservative activists. It is often argued that this move has greatly increased the popularity and [[electability]] of the Conservative Party; however Margaret Thatcher achieved three solid general election victories while Cameron has been forced to form a coalition with the leftist Liberal Democrats after failing to win an absolute majority.

===Liberal Democrats===

The Liberal Democrats (or "Lib Dems") were formed in 1988 by the merger of the old centrist Liberal Party with the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SDP). They have long advocated disestablishing the [[Church of England]], and their current leader is [[Nick Clegg]], who has publicly said he is "not an active believer" in God, but claims to be "open-minded" about religion, has married a Catholic and is bringing his children up as Catholics.<ref>''Nick Clegg is a believer in families, not God'' [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article3076044.ece Times Online]</ref>

The Liberal Democrats are divided between a relatively left-wing faction (to which the former leaders Sir Menzies Campbell and Charles Kennedy belong), which has taken positions to the left of the Labour Party on a number of issues, and a more centrist, pro-[[free market]] faction to which the present leader belongs (several of whose members contributed to a controversial collection of essays published in 2004 called ''The Orange Book''). Despite the range of view on economic issues, the party is consistently culturally liberal, on social issues. The Liberal Democrats are strong advocates of anti-discrimination laws.

=== Scotland ===
The largest party in the [[Scottish Parliament]] is the '''[[Scottish National Party]]'''. Among other policies it advocates a greater level of independence for Scotland.

=== Wales ===
There is also a Welsh nationalist party, called '''Plaid Cymru''', or simply '''Plaid''', which currently in coalition with Labour has control of the [[Welsh Assembly]].

=== Northern Ireland ===
Northern Ireland has a number of political parties:
* '''[[Democratic Unionist Party]]''' - strongly Unionist
* '''[[Sinn Fein]]''' - strongly Irish-Nationalist ("Republican")
* '''[[Ulster Unionist Party]]''' - moderately Unionist
* '''[[Social Democratic and Labour Party]]''' - moderately Irish-Nationalist

===Minor parties===
There are several other minor British parties worthy of mention:
* The '''[[UK Independence Party]]''' advocates the withdrawal of Britain from the [[European Union]] and other more strongly conservative policies than those supported by the official Conservative Party.
* The '''[[Green Party (UK)|Green Party]]''' is a left-wing party that advocates major constraints on economic activity in order to prevent alleged anthropogenic global warming.
* '''[[RESPECT Party|Respect]]''' is a strongly far-left, socialist party led by the maverick ex-Labour politician [[George Galloway]].
* The '''[[British National Party]]''' is generally seen as an extreme [[national socialist]] or fascist party. It advocates the repatriation of non-white people from the UK to the countries of their or their families' origin.
*The [[Monster raving loony party|Monster Raving Loony Party]] is a 'joke' party, which however often receives significant numbers of [[protest vote]]s especially in high-profile [[by-election]]s (which may attract a large number, sometimes dozens, of other not entirely serious candidates).

==References==
<references/>
[[Category:British Politics]]
[[Category:British History]]

European Union

2012-12-14T14:29:09Z

Thatteapartyguy: EU is NOT democratic

{{Country
|name =''European Union''
|map =European_Union.jpg
|flag =567rugyhj.png
|arms =
|capital =
|capital-raw = [[Brussels]], [[Luxembourg]], [[Strasbourg]]
|government =
|government-raw = Sui generis [[supranationalism]]
|language = 23 official languages
|king =
|queen =
|monarch-raw =
|president =
|president-raw = José Manuel Barroso (Commission) Hans-Gert Pöttering (Parliament)
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =
|pm-raw =
|area =4,324,782 km² (1,669,807 sq mi)
|pop =497,198,740 (2007)
|pop-basis =
|gdp =$16,574 billion (2007 IMF)
|gdp-year =
|gdp-pc =$33,482 (2007 IMF)
|currency =euro
|idd =
|tld =.eu
}}
The '''European Union (EU)''' is a legal, political and economic union of 27 [[European]] countries. It was formed in 1993 with the ratification of the [[Maastricht Treaty]], though its predecessor, the [[European Economic Community]], was founded in 1957.

As a set of institutions, the EU has more powers over its member states and their citizens than other international bodies; many of its competencies are supranational (above the member states) rather than intergovernmental (between them). Despite having a legal personality and sovereignty in agreed areas, it is not regarded as a federation or state in its own right: rather, it stands somewhere between these two points. Fifteen member states use a common currency, the '''[[euro]]'''<ref>Five other states formally agree to use it, and four others use it without formal agreement.</ref>.

There is no EU military. Each nation has its own forces, but nearly all are members of [[NATO]], in which the U.S. has a preponderant voice.

The EU is a driving force of global economic and political integration, but Hix (2008) sees three problems with the EU: policy gridlock, lack of popular legitimacy and the democratic deficit. He notes, "In substantive terms ... the EU is closer to a form of enlightened despotism than a genuine democracy."<ref> Hix (2008) </ref>
==Politics==
Each nation elects members to the Parliament in proportion to population. The June 2009 elections saw sweeping gains by conservative and anti-immigration parties, as labor and socialist parties lost heavily. Since the 2004 elections the largest grouping has for the last five years been the centre-right European People's Party '''EPP''' (288 seats out of a current 785), followed by the centre-left '''PES''' (216) and the liberal '''ALDE''' (100). With the 2009 election EPP made gains and retains power in the parliament.

Conservative Jose Manuel Barroso, who will have a second term as European Commission president, thanked voters and assured them their voices would be heard.

In 2009 The British [[Labour Party]], Germany's [[SPD]] (Social Democrats) and France's Socialist Party suffered historic defeats--the worst defeat for Labour in Britain in a century..

Turnout was at an all-time low in some countries, including France (41%) and Germany (42%).

==Structure==

===The European Commission===
In September 2009 Jose Manuel Barroso, was re-elected as president of the European Commission after the European Parliament voted to give him a second term. This ended weeks of uncertainty during which Socialist, Green and Liberal critics tried to block Mr Barroso's candidacy on the grounds that he had yielded too much power to national governments and promoted the kind of free-market liberalism that led to the financial crisis.

The role and responsibilities of the European Commission place it at the centre of the EU's decision-making process. Acting as the EU's policy and executive engine, the Commission is composed of 27 Commissioners, one from each state, and is supported by a substantial staff located primarily in [[Brussels]], [[Belgium]]. In matters relating to economic integration ("First or 'Community' Pillar"), only the Commission has the right to propose legislation for approval by the EU Council and European Parliament. As "guardian of the Treaties," the Commission ensures that EU laws are applied and upheld throughout the EU, prosecuting member states and other institutions for failing to follow treaty precepts or otherwise apply Community law. The Commission has full authority to enforce Community competition policy, and its policing of implementation of Community legislation preserves the integrity of the EU single market. The Commission likewise manages and develops the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP), implements the budget, and represents the European Community in its areas of competence, notably including international trade negotiations.

The Commission President is appointed by agreement of the EU heads of government and is subject to approval by the European Parliament. Commissioners serve for a renewable five-year term. New Commissioners are identified by member state governments in consultation with the President-designate of the Commission and are normally put in place at the beginning of the term of the Commission President. The entire Commission must be confirmed as a collective whole by the European Parliament before its formal appointment by common accord of EU governments.

===The European Council===
The European Council brings together EU heads of government and the President of the European Commission; foreign ministers of member states also participate. Finance ministers are normally included when the leaders discuss questions related to the euro and the economy. The European Council meets at least twice a year, usually quarterly, at the end of each Presidency, to review major EU projects, set guidelines for policies and provide necessary guidance. The Presidency of the Council rotates every six months among EU member states (January–June; July–December). Its role has become increasingly important with the expansion of EU responsibilities and competencies. The Presidency organises and presides over the meetings of the European Council and EU Council (ministerial) meetings, drafts compromises, and seeks solutions to problems submitted to the European Council.

===Council of Ministers===
The Council of Ministers of the European Union (the "EU Council") is the body in which representatives of the individual member state governments, usually ministers, legislate for the EU, set its political objectives, coordinate national policies and resolve differences among their governments and with other EU bodies. Legally speaking, there is only one Council, but it meets in nine different formations, depending on the matters on its agenda. Foreign ministers usually meet at least once a month in the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC), which deals with major foreign policy issues and plays a coordinating role. Ministers for the Economy and Finance (ECOFIN) and ministers responsible for agriculture also hold monthly meetings. Ministers for Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) hold regular meetings to coordinate policies within their competence.

The Council holds formal sessions in its Brussels headquarters, except in April, June and October, when all sessions take place in Luxembourg. Most formations of the Council also meet informally (tasking no legally binding decisions) in the country holding the EU Presidency, usually once in the course of the Presidency's six-month term. The most prominent of these informal meetings is the so-called "Gymnich" meeting of foreign ministers, named for a town in Germany where the first such meeting took place.

The Council takes most decisions under the Community Pillar by qualified majority voting (QMV) but endeavours to reach the broadest possible consensus before approving legislation. Unanimity is required for a number of specific areas related to economic integration (e.g. taxation), constitutional matters such as amendments to the treaties, the launching of a new common policy, the accession of a new member state, and matters falling within the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy, European Security and Defence Policy, and aspects of law enforcement and judicial cooperation. The number of votes cast by each member state when the EU Council votes by qualified majority voting was determined by the Nice Treaty and roughly correlates to the size of its population.

===The [[European Parliament]]===
The European Parliament is the largest trans-national parliament in the world, and the second-largest overall (behind [[India]]), with an electorate of almost half a billion. Members of the Parliament are directly elected by all EU citizens for five-year terms; elections follow national election procedures, except they have to be a form of proportional representation. Members do not sit in national delegations; rather, they sit in groups according to political affiliation (including Socialists, Christian Democrats/Conservatives, Liberals, Greens, et cetera).

Parliament's powers have gradually grown with the entry into force of the Single European Act (1986), the Maastricht Treaty (1993) and the Treaty of Amsterdam (1999). Parliament shares decision-making power on an equal footing with the Council in many areas under the Community Pillar to which the "co-decision procedure" applies. The European Parliament is one of the two branches with budgetary authority – the Council is the other. The signature of the EP president brings the overall EU budget into effect.

The European Parliament also plays a role in the process of selecting the President and other members of the Commission. The European Council's nomination of the President is subject to approval by the Parliament. The EP holds U.S.-style public hearings of Commission nominees before taking a formal vote to approve the nomination of the Commission as a body. Parliament has the power to censure the entire Commission, but not to dismiss individual Commissioners.

===The European Court of Justice===
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ensures uniform interpretation and application of both the Treaties establishing the European Communities and the secondary legislation and other law adopted under their authority. To enable it to carry out that task, the Court has wide jurisdiction to hear various types of cases. For example, the Court has the authority to hear and issue binding judgements in lawsuits that seek to annul a law adopted by the EU, to compel an EU institution to act, or to require that a member state comply with EU law. The ECJ may issue clarifications of EU law (in response to a request for a preliminary ruling from any member state court) and hears appeals on legal questions arising out of cases at the Court of First Instance. The ECJ currently has 27 justices and eight advocates-general, who are appointed by common accord of the governments of the member states and who hold office for six-year renewable terms.

==Sovereignty==
The member states of the European Union fall under the jurisdiction of the Union's legislative and judicial institutions (the Court of Justice, the Commission, the Council and the Parliament) in those competences that they have conferred to the Union (the principle of subsidiarity). Similar to Federal Law trumping State Law in United States politics, EU member states are obliged to follow the laws set forth by the European Court of Justice, even if their national laws are contradictory. This system of government pools sovereignty in those agreed areas from the nation, and rests it in the EU institutions. Some political theorists argue that the EU is thus the death of the nation, as by the [[Treaty of Westphalia]], nations are defined by their right of self-sovereignty; however, each member state has a legal right to cede from the EU, which non-sovereign components of states do not.

==Economy==
The institutions of the European Union were originally created to oversee the operation of the several economic communities that later became the Single European Market. Even as the EU's political integration has continued, the area of greatest integration has always been in the economic sphere: goods, capital, and labour move freely between member states (with exceptions for goods which pose a public health risk), businesses in all member states are increasingly subject to common basic rules, and fifteen of the 27 member states use a common currency, the euro. The rest of the states are legally obliged to adopt the euro when their economies meet strict ''Convergence Criteria''. The fifteen euro-area countries share a common monetary policy administered by the European Central Bank in Frankfurt, Germany. The EU strives to eliminate internal barriers to the free flow of goods, services, labour, and capital, and to promote the overall convergence of living standards. Internationally, the EU aims to strengthen Europe's trade position and capitalise on the political and economic leverage that a large, unified market brings.

===Growth===
The EU is the world's largest economic area (the U.S. is second) with a 2007 GDP of $16.6 trillion. Growth in many western member states has been slow compared to those in the east; between 2001 and 2003, the overall growth rate dropped from 1.8 percent to 1.0 percent, then recovered in 2004 to 2.4%, fell to 1.8 percent in 2005, then rose to 2.8% in 2006 and 2.4% in 2007. Within the euro area, growth varies as much as 4.5 percentage points between the fastest and slowest-growing economies: in 2005, the economies of Germany, France and Italy, grew by less than two percent. Growth remains strong in the new central- and eastern-European member states with rapidly industrialising economies.

In spring 2000, the EU committed to a ten-year strategic goal of transforming the EU into a more competitive, knowledge-based economy capable of sustaining higher levels of growth. Focusing on labour market reform, macroeconomic and fiscal policy, and promotion of e-commerce and entrepreneurship, the EU's "Lisbon Agenda" was an attempt to stimulate growth while remaining committed to the EU social model. Some suggest that it has so far failed to achieve its goals in large part because national governments (which retain authority over employment policy, immigration, large public sector workforces, entitlement programs and pensions) have not completed the necessary reforms, with unemployment at 6.9 percent in 2007. The European Commission re-launched the Lisbon Agenda in March 2005, promising three percent growth and six million new jobs by 2010. The revamped strategy focuses on developing political consensus within member states to make the changes necessary to complete elimination of barriers in the internal market, reduce the regulatory burden on business, improve labour market flexibility, provide incentives to work and increase investment in human capital.

===Fiscal and Monetary Policy===
Introduced in 1999, the euro is currently the official currency of fifteen of the 27 EU member states. The United Kingdom, Denmark and Sweden chose to retain their national currencies, and some of the newer EU members have yet to meet the strict economic conditions required to adopt the euro. Prior to the euro's launch in 1999, national currency exchange rates of countries intending to join the euro were fixed within an Exchange Rate Mechanism. Following the January 2002 introduction of euro notes and coins into general circulation, national currencies were removed from circulation. Each of the euro area countries agreed to abide by a shared fiscal policy rule book known as the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP). This agreement generally obliges national governments to limit government budget deficits to 3 percent of GDP and established a target debt-to-GDP ratio of below sixty percent. Although enforcement actions have been forgiving – France and Germany, for example, avoided sanctions despite missing SGP targets – countries violating the SGP are technically subject to sanctions by the European Commission. As of March 2005, national governments have been granted budget leeway to achieve structural reforms and to combat prolonged stagnation, negative growth or other factors, such as the cost of German reunification or state pensions. The revised standards still require deficits to remain close to the targets; they may only temporarily exceed the three percent limit.

The euro area's monetary policy is set by the European Central Bank (ECB), which must devise a monetary policy to accommodate a wide range of domestic policies and economic conditions within the euro area. The Treaties require that the ECB's primary objective be to maintain price stability (i.e., to keep inflation low). Euro area national governments have sometimes criticised the ECB for guarding against inflation at the expense of interest rate flexibility that could enable struggling economies to gain traction. The ECB's consistent overnight interest rate of two percent has been credited with creating favourable conditions for growth in Spain and Ireland, but has been blamed for hindering growth in France, Germany, Italy, and Portugal. Non-EU countries have also adopted the euro, including Andorra, United Kingdom base areas, Kosovo, Monaco, Montenegro, and the Vatican City. Additionally, several countries have currencies pegged to the euro, including French African states and those in the Exchange Rate Mechanism.

===Trade===
The EU is the world's largest exporter of goods and services. In 2003, the then fifteen EU members exported $987 billion worth of goods to non-EU countries. The EU's exports grew rapidly between 1996 and 2000 but have grown more slowly since. Except for 2002, the EU as a whole has posted a trade deficit every year since 1999; it was $62 billion in 2004. The EU is a major exporter of chemicals, transport equipment, and industrial machinery. The EU has large trade deficits in raw materials and energy, and a small deficit in food and drink.

The U.S. is the EU's main trading partner by a wide margin. U.S. goods and services exports to the EU reached $283 billion in 2004, while U.S. goods and services imports from the EU totalled $388 billion. Asian economies such as Japan and China, however, account for an increasingly important share of EU trade. The EU's two-way merchandise trade with China grew to $223 million in 2004, while merchandise trade with Japan was $149 million. Internal trade between euro area and non-euro area countries was down one percent in the first quarter of 2005, but the EU's external trade was up four percent, particularly with Russia and Norway.

Member states have given almost exclusive authority to the EU to negotiate binding international trade treaties. The European Community (EC) is a full member of the World Trade Organisation and plays an active role in the Doha Development Round to foster international trade in services and agricultural products. Bilaterally, the EC maintains framework agreements to facilitate trade flows with thirty-five countries worldwide, mostly elsewhere in Europe, in North Africa, and in the Middle East.

===Foreign Direct Investment===
The EU is both a major destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) and a major source of FDI. U.S. foreign direct investment in the EU totalled $83.3 billion in 2004; EU FDI into the U.S. totalled $46.6 billion. Following strong year-upon-year growth in the late 1990s, however, inward and outward flows of FDI have contracted since 2001. The EU is a net recipient of FDI from Japan, receiving $81 billion in 2003. Conversely, the EU is a net investor in Canada ($86 billion in outward investment in 2003), and China ($29 billion in outward investment in 2003). Growth of intra-EU FDI has increased rapidly in recent years and has increased much faster than FDI in non-EU countries.

The pattern of foreign investment by European firms reflects deep commercial ties with the United States. U.S. and EU businesses invest heavily and operate profitably on both sides of the Atlantic. U.S. affiliates in Europe accounted for 56 percent of the aggregate output of U.S. affiliates worldwide. European firms were the largest foreign investors in 44 U.S. states and the second largest foreign investor in the remaining six. Sales by U.S. affiliates in Europe totalled $1.5 trillion in 2002, more than double those of U.S. affiliates in the Asia/Pacific region. European affiliate sales in the U.S. were $1.2 trillion in 2002, more than three times the value of U.S. imports from Europe.

Intra-firm trade involving foreign affiliates is particularly important to the transatlantic trade and investment relationship. Approximately 58 percent of U.S. imports from the EU in 2004 involved trade between related parties, as did 30 percent of U.S. exports to Europe in 2003. This high level of intra-firm trade has contributed to the persistence of the U.S. trade deficit with Europe even as the dollar has lost value against the euro since 2002.

===Budget===
The EU's budget is composed of member state contributions. Equivalent to roughly one percent of the member states' combined gross national income (GNI), it was $123 billion in 2005. The UK receives a rebate for some of its contribution, as the CAP benefits the UK less than other states. In June 2005, the EU failed to agree on a budget plan for 2007 through 2013, due in part to a disagreement between the UK and France over the persistence of the UK budget rebate and the funding of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Costs attributable to the CAP constitute the EU's largest annual budget item, benefiting farmers across the EU, especially in France. Payments to net-recipient member states, designed to reduce economic and social disparities among EU countries and regions, are another budget item which has become more contentious with the accession of ten new states poorer than the EU average.

==Criticism==
A significant number of Europeans on the political right of centre are opposed to the EU on the grounds that it undermines national sovereignty and identity. The term "eurosceptic" has risen in popularity in Britan to describe these people, and among them are such members as the former British Prime Minister [[Margaret Thatcher]] (although, while in power, she committed Britain to the 1986 [[Single European Act]], a major integrationist measure). They also, however, include less well-respected politicians belonging to far right or [[nationalism|nationalist]] parties, such as France's [[Jean-Marie Le Pen]]. There are also extreme left-wing opponents of the European Union, such as ''Die Linke'' in Germany, who regard it as constituting an anti-progressive "Fortress Europe", and claim that EU membership impedes countries from following socialist policies.

==History==
Following World War II, traditional European rivals sought to solidify peace by bringing their nations together under a common institutional structure. Influenced by his compatriot [[Jean Monnet]], French Foreign Minister [[Robert Schuman]] officially tabled a plan on May 9, 1950 to pool French and German coal and steel production under an organisation that would be open to other European countries. German Chancellor [[Konrad Adenauer]] supported this proposal, and six founding countries – Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands – took an early step toward European integration by establishing the '''European Coal and Steel Community''' (ECSC) in 1951.

After failing to establish a European Defence Community in the 1950s, the six countries then decided to set up a common market. With the entry into force of the ''''Treaty of Rome''' in 1957, they created the '''European Economic Community''' (EEC), with an objective of liberating the movement of goods, capital, workers and services. (The European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM) was also established at this time.) The Treaty of Rome established the basic institutions and decision-making mechanisms still in place in today's European Union. in 1968, the EEC abolished customs duties between member states on manufactured goods. New policies, including a common agricultural policy (CAP) and a common trade policy, were in place by the end of the 1960s.

The success of the European integration project during a period of steady economic growth in the 1960s set the stage for a first enlargement – the accession of Britain, Ireland and Denmark – in 1973. Further "deepening" of European integration followed: the Community acquired executive authority in social, regional, and environment policies. The benefits of economic convergence became more evident in the context of the 1970s energy crisis and financial turmoil, which led to the launch of the European Monetary System in 1979. In the same year, the first direct elections to the European Parliament (EP) took place. Previously, delegates from national parliaments had represented their country's legislative bodies at the EP in Strasbourg, France.

The Community further expanded southward with the accession of Greece (1981, the second enlargement), followed by Spain and Portugal (1986, the third enlargement). These accessions led the EEC to adopt "structural programs" in order to reduce economic and social disparities among its regions.

During the 1960s and 1970s, the Community began to assert itself on the international scene with the conclusion of agreements with southern Mediterranean countries. Starting in 1963, the EEC signed four successive Lome Conventions, which guaranteed trading advantages and development aid for member states' former colonies in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific (ACP).

World recession and internal disputes over member states' financial burdens gave way, from 1985 onward, to renewed efforts for economic integration, enshrined in the 1985 "Single European Act" (SEA) and marked by the 1992 "Single Market Project." The SEA set January 1, 1993 as the date by which an internal single market was to be established and, by extending the practice of majority voting rather than unanimity in the EU Council, gave Community institutions the means of adopting the 300 Community-wide Directives required to abolish the remaining barriers and obstacles to intra-Community trade. In 1995, the Community entered into the "Barcelona" partnership with twelve southern Mediterranean countries. The partnership, reinforced by agreements on social, cultural, and human cooperation, was intended to lead to a free-trade area.

The collapse of the Berlin Wall and German unification prompted member states to negotiate the 1992 Treaty on European Union (the "Maastricht Treaty"). In addition to establishing the European Union, the Maastricht Treaty set an ambitious program of further integration: establishment of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) by 1999 (part of the "First or 'Community' Pillar"), setting up of a Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) ("Second Pillar"); and cooperation on Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) ("Third Pillar"). Shortly thereafter, in 1995, Austria, Finland and Sweden joined the EU – the fourth enlargement.

Signed in 1997 and entering into force on May 1, 1999, the '''Amsterdam Treaty''' partially streamlined the EU institutional structure. Its most significant effects were: (1) to transfer aspects of Justice and Home Affairs policy to the Community Pillar, enabling the Commission to propose decisions to be taken by the EU Council by qualified majority voting instead of by consensus, and (2) to establish a High Representative for the CFSP (who also serves as Secretary-General of the Council Secretariat). Ten countries in Central and Eastern Europe and Cyprus began accession procedures in 1997, followed by Malta. The prospect of eastward enlargement raised significant resource concerns and prompted the adoption in March 1999 of the "Agenda 2000" package, which covered amendments to the CAP and EU structural policies, as well as a budgetary framework through 2006.

In May 1998, EU heads of government officially designated eleven member states eligible to adopt a single currency. Britain and Denmark "opted out." On January 1, 1999, the euro became the official currency of the EU, and the '''European Central Bank''' (ECB) put euro notes and coins into circulation in 2002. Today, fifteen countries use the euro: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain.

Streamlining the size and procedures of EU institutions to make the expanded EU more efficient was also an aim of the 2003 Treaty of Nice.

===Expansion===
In 2004, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia joined the EU, and in 2007 Bulgaria and Romania acceded, bringing total membership to 27. Candidate countries currently include Turkey, FYR Macedonia and Croatia, and potential candidates include the rest of the Western Balkan states.

In October 2004, member states signed an EU Constitutional Treaty designed to replace all previous treaties. French and Dutch voters rejected the treaty through referendums in 2005, thereby suspending the ratification process. In 2007, a modified '''Treaty of Lisbon''' was agreed upon, which retains most of the reforms of the Constitution, but amends rather than replaces previous treaties.

==Candidates for membership==
There are three official candidates being considered for membership, [[Turkey]], [[Croatia]] and [[The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia]]. The western Balkan states of Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Bosnia-Hercegovina and Albania are officially ''potential candidates''. A country that is expected to accede is required to make some economic, social and governmental changes to bring it in line with other member states.

The status of Turkey is highly controversial. It has repeatedly applied to join the EU but has been rejected each time on numerous grounds. Despite being one of the first countries to join the post-war Council of Europe and being a key regional power with a strong military Turkey has a long list of obstacles to overcome before accession. Many nations have cited its poor relations with other countries such as Cyprus, as well as its views on the rights of women and the Turkish Penal Code which includes the notorious Article 301. Article 301 is a recent piece of legislation that provides that "a person who publicly insults the Turkish nation, the State of the Republic of Turkey, or the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, shall be punishable by imprisonment of between six months and two years". Turkey's population of 70 million would make it one of the largest states in the EU with the second-highest amount of MEPs, and would be the first Muslim-majority state in Europe. Britain supports admission while France is strongly against Turkey's membership.

Gateway to the European Union (EU official website) <ref>http://europa.eu/</ref>

==Member states==
*[[Austria]]
*[[Belgium]]
*[[Bulgaria]]
*[[Cyprus]]
*[[Czech Republic]]
*[[Denmark]]
*[[Estonia]]
*[[Finland]]
*[[France]]
*[[Germany]]
*[[Greece]]
*[[Hungary]]
*[[Ireland]]
*[[Italy]]
*[[Latvia]]
*[[Lithuania]]
*[[Luxembourg]]
*[[Malta]]
*[[Netherlands]]
*[[Poland]]
*[[Portugal]]
*[[Romania]]
*[[Slovakia]]
*[[Slovenia]]
*[[Spain]]
*[[Sweden]]
*[[United Kingdom]]

==References==
<References/>

{{License|license = This work is in the [[public domain]] in the United States because it is a work of the United States Federal Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the US Code.| source = [http://www.state.gov/p/eur/rls/fs/54126.htm]}}
==Further reading==
* Cini, Michelle, and Nieves Perez-Solorzano Borragan, eds. ''European Union Politics'' (2009)
* Craig, Paul and Gráinne de Búrca. ''EU Law, Text, Cases and Materials'' (4th ed. 2007)
* Dinan, Desmond. '' Europe Recast: A History of European Union' '(2004).
* Hix, Simon. ''What's Wrong with the Europe Union and How to Fix It'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/Whats-Wrong-Europe-Union-How/dp/0745642055/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1263576617&sr=1-10-spell excerpt and text search]
* Kaiser, Wolfram. ''Christian Democracy and the Origins of European Union'' (2007)
* Peterson, John, and Michael Shackleton eds. ''The Institutions of the European Union'' (2nd ed. 2006)
* McCormick, John. ''The European Union: Politics and Policies'' (2007)
* Pinder, John, and Simon Usherwood. ''The European Union: A Very Short Introduction'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/European-Union-Short-Introduction-Introductions/dp/0199233977/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263575844&sr=1-3 excerpt and text search]
*Podmore, Will & Nicholls, Doug (2006), The EU: bad for Britain - a [[trade union]] view. Bread Books, ISBN 0-942112-5-1.
* Staab, Andreas. ''The European Union Explained: Institutions, Actors, Global Impact'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/European-Union-Explained-Institutions-Actors/dp/0253220181/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263575844&sr=1-2 excerpt and text search]
* Yesilada, Birol A. and David M. Wood. ''The Emerging European Union'' (5th ed. 2009)
[[Category:European Politics]]
[[Category:European History]]

Tony Blair

2012-12-14T14:28:27Z

Thatteapartyguy: /* Blair's policies */

{{Prime Minister
|image=Tblair.jpg
|seq=73
|term_start=May 2 1997
|term_end=June 24 2007
|previous=John Major
|party=Labour Party
|next=Gordon Brown
|birth_date=May 6 1953
|birth_place=Edinburgh
|death_date=
|death_place=
|spouse=[[Cherie Blair|Cherie Booth]]
|spouse2=
|religion=[[Roman Catholic]]
}}
'''Anthony Charles Lynton "Tony" Blair''', (born May 6, 1953) is a former [[Prime Minister]] of the [[United Kingdom]]. The [[Labour Party]]'s longest-serving Prime Minister, he served from May 2, 1997 to June 27, 2007, succeeding the Conservative Party's [[John Major]] and preceding [[Gordon Brown]]. Blair is also the only person to have led the Labour Party to three consecutive general election victories, and the only Labour Prime Minister to serve more than one full consecutive term. Over the protest of the Old Left he abandoned most of the leftover leftist ideas in the Labour Party, endorsed the market solutions promulgated by [[Conservative Party]] Prime Minister [[Margaret Thatcher]] in the 1980s, and, as a close ally of the United States under [[Bill Clinton]] and [[George W. Bush]], he strongly endorsed the invasion of Iraq in 2003.
== Personal ==
The son of barrister and lecturer Leo Blair and his wife Hazel, Tony Blair was born in [[Edinburgh]], but spent most of his childhood in Durham. Blair has an older brother, Sir William, and a younger sister, Sarah. At the age of 14 he returned to Edinburgh to finish his education at Fettes College. Blair was known as a cheeky, rebellious, and argumentative schoolboy, and at 17 he was threatened with expulsion for persistently breaking school rules.<ref name="bbc">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6506365.stm The Tony Blair Story] BBC News 10 May 2007</ref>. After leaving Fettes with three A levels he studied law at [[Oxford University]], and went on to become a barrister (Lincoln's Inn) himself, before entering politics. Blair married his wife, [[Liverpool]]-born Cherie Booth QC, a barrister and daughter of the actor Tony Booth, in 1980, and they have four children.

Blair is a competent guitar player and at university was a member of a rock band called Ugly Rumours. His favourite music includes [[The Beatles]], [[The Rolling Stones]], [[Led Zeppelin]], Free, [[Bruce Springsteen]], [[U2]], Coldplay, The Foo Fighters, and Simply Red.<ref name="bbc" />

While Blair rarely discusses his religious faith in public - and had been advised by his spokesman Alistair Campbell that "We don't do God, Mate" <ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2003/05/05/dl0501.xml A Question of Faith] Daily Telegraph 5 May 2003</ref> - he is a convinced Christian. His wife Cherie is a Catholic and Blair converted to Catholicism in 2007.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7157409.stm Tony Blair joins Catholic Church] BBC News 22 December 2007</ref>
==Career==
He was elected to the Labour Party leadership in 1994 following the unexpected death of his predecessor, John Smith. As well as being leader of the Labour Party and Prime Minister, Blair also served as the [[Member of Parliament|MP]] for Sedgefield, a constituency in [[County Durham]] in northeast England.

==Blair's political career==

A combination of the Labour Party's newfound moderation, Blair's personal popularity and the deep unpopularity of the Conservatives under [[John Major]] resulted in a landslide victory for Blair and his party in the 1997 general election, ending 18 years of Conservative government. Blair led Labour to easy triumphs in the 2001 and 2005 elections.

While the Labour Party still carries the old tag of a "socialist party", Blair eradicated most elements of socialism and committed his government to capitalism and private ownership. Blair coined the phrases "[[New Labour]]" and "[[The Third Way]]" to distinguish his own pro-business policies from the more collectivist platform of his leftist predecessors. He was often attacked by left-wing members of the Labour Party for "selling out" to conservative thinking, particularly in his support for privitisation and cooperating closely in the foreign policy of the United States in the [[Iraq War]]. On the other hand, some of Blair's policies were liberal by American standards: they have included increases in taxation, increases in government spending (particularly on public schools and Britain's [[National Health Service|public healthcare system]]), the introduction and subsequent increases of a minimum wage, and support for equal rights for gay people.

==Blair's policies==

During Blair's tenure as Prime Minister, the [[Labour party|Labour]] government made the Bank of England independent, allowing them to set the nation's interest rates (which had previously been set by the Chancellor of the Exchequer), and introduced a national [[minimum wage]] in 1998, which has gradually been increased over time. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland gained their own legislatures, and limited attempts were been made to devolve power to the regions of England (although outside of [[London]] these were not successful). Blair's government also banned fox-hunting, cigarette smoking in public places and public demonstrations within 1 kilometre of Parliament, as well as prepared the way for a national identity card and increased the time suspects can be held in police custody without charge to 28 days. His government was also notable for legislating an equal age of consent for homosexuals, civil partnership laws, and the abolition of [[Section 28]] (a measure introduced by the previous Conservative administration which prohibited the promotion of homosexuality in schools).

The most controversial aspects of Blair's premiership was his unstinting support for the Iraq war, despite strong opposition from the far left. He won the endorsement of majorities of both the Labour Party and the Conservative Party MP's for his policies in Iraq. His foreign policy is often described as [[neoconservative]].

==Blair and the media==

In the 1990s in particular, Blair was seen as a charismatic leader, with formidable media performing skills. His most famous television appearance was his tribute to [[Diana, Princess of Wales]] on the morning after her death in August 1997, in which he described her as "the People's Princess" and "the Queen of Hearts". Blair acquired a reputation for excessive news management, and even for dishonesty, particularly after the Iraq War.

Blair was criticized by more liberal opponents for his close association with conservative News Corp. owner [[Rupert Murdoch]], and the positive press they believed he received in return.

He is also the only Prime Minister to provide his own voice in an episode of ''[[The Simpsons]]'', in the episode "The Regina Monologues".

== Presidential Medal of Freedom ==
[[Image:Blair MedalOfFreedom2.jpg|right|thumb|300px|President George Bush applauds former Prime Minister Tony Blair at the ceremony honoring Mr. Blair as recipient of the 2009 Presidential Medal of Freedom.]]
On January 13, 2009, Blair received the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]] in a [[White House]] ceremony from United States President [[George W. Bush]]. The medal is America's highest civil award. It is given in recognition of exemplary achievement, and to convey the utmost esteem of the people and the President of the [[United States of America]]. The citation read:
:Tony Blair has been a powerful force for freedom and for building understanding among nations. As Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, he was instrumental in helping millions of people secure their freedom in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, and Sierra Leone; forging a new era of peace in Northern Ireland; providing humanitarian assistance around the globe, especially in Africa; and strengthening the special relationship between our two nations. Throughout his career, and in his role as Quartet Representative to the Middle East, he has worked to provide people with opportunities to better their lives. The United States honors Tony Blair for his lifelong dedication to building a more just and peaceful world.

==See Also==

* [[British politics]]
* [[Labour Party]]

==Bibliography==
===Biographies===
*Abse, Leo. ''Tony Blair: The Man Behind the Smile.'' (2001); nasty attack from the Old Left.
*Beckett F, Hencke D. ''The Survivor: Tony Blair in Peace and War .'' (2006) prize winning book by investigative journalists
*Naughtie, James. ''The Accidental American: Tony Blair and the Presidency.'' (2001); [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A21050-2004Sep14.html Interview in ''The Washington Post.'']]
*Riddell, Peter. ''The Unfulfilled Prime Minister: Tony Blair and the End of Optimism.'' (2004)
*Seldon, Anthony. ''Blair.'' (2004) [http://www.cerium.ca/article944.html#ouverture "Tony Blair in History"]
*Stephens, Philip. ''Tony Blair: The Making of a World Leader.'' (2004) by a senior editor of The ''Financial Times.'' Review [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb5037/is_200402/ai_n18261022 Argues that for Blair, "ending the tyranny in Iraq was a moral cause fully in accord with the teachings on just wars of Saint Augustine and Thomas Aquinas."
* Temple, Michael. ''Blair'' (British Prime Ministers of the 20th Century) (2006) [http://www.amazon.com/Blair-British-Prime-Ministers-Century/dp/1904950736/ref=sr_1_2/104-1795140-9172706?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1186882938&sr=8-2 excerpt online]

==Scholarly studies==
* Bevir, Mark and Rhodes, R. A. W. (2006) "Prime Ministers, Presidentialism and Westminster Smokescreens." ''Political Studies'' 54:671-90. Issn 0032-3217 Fulltext: [[Ebsco]]
* Bartle, John, and Anthony King. ''Britain at the Polls, 2005'' (2005) [http://www.amazon.com/Britain-Polls-2005/dp/1933116633/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195375016&sr=8-3 excerpt and text search]
* Fielding, Steven. ''The Labour Party: Continuity and Change in the Making of New Labour.'' (2003) argues the Labour Party under Blair has been faithful to its past, and represents "traditional values in a modern setting."
* Foley, Michael. ''John Major, Tony Blair and a Conflict of Leadership: Collision Course.'' Manchester University Press, 212 pp. (2003)
* Foley, Michael. ''The British Presidency: Tony Blair and the Politics of Public Leadership'' (2001)
* Gardner, Lloyd C. "'Damned High Wire,' on the Special Relationship That Unites Bush and Blair in Iraq." ''Journal of Transatlantic Studies'' (2005) 3(1 Supplement):43-62. Issn: 1479-4012 Fulltext: [[Ebsco]]
* Giddens, Anthony. ''The Third Way: The Renewal of Social Democracy'' (1998) [http://www.amazon.com/Third-Way-Renewal-Democracy-European/dp/0745622674/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195375436&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search], by influential advisor to Blair
* Hill, Paul T. "Lessons from Blair's School Reforms." ''Policy Review,'' No. 131, 2005. [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5012121395 online edition]
* Jones, Nicholas. ''Sultans of Spin: The Media and the New Labour Government''. (2000)
* King, Anthony, ed. ''New Labour Triumphs: Britain at the Polls.'' (1998) , 259pp. political science [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=87571616 online edition]
* King, Anthony, ed. ''Britain at the Polls: 2001'' (2001)
* Needham, Catherine. "Brand Leaders: Clinton, Blair and the Limitations of the Permanent Campaign." ''Political Studies'' (2005) 53:343-61. Issn: 0032-3217 Fulltext: [[Ebsco]]
* Norton, Bruce F. ''Politics in Britain'' (2007) textbook [http://www.amazon.com/Politics-Britain-Bruce-F-Norton/dp/0871879247/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195375016&sr=8-13 excerpt and text search]
* Reitan, Earl A. ''The Thatcher Revolution: Margaret Thatcher, John Major, and Tony Blair, and the Transformation of Modern Britain, 1979-2001.'' (2003) 260 pp.
* Rubinstein, David. ''The Labour Party and British Society: 1880-2005.'' (2005) 228 pp.
* Williams, Paul. ''British Foreign Policy under New Labour'' (2006) 288pp
* Wilson, Graham K. "A Blair Era? The Political Order of Modern Britain," ''The Forum'' (2007) Vol. 5#3, Article 2. [http://www.bepress.com/forum/vol5/iss3/art2 online edition]
* Wither, James K. "British Bulldog or Bush's Poodle? Anglo-American Relations and the Iraq War," ''Parameters,'' Vol. 33, 2003 [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5002396235 online edition]

==Primary sources==
* King, Anthony, ed. ''British Political Opinion 1937-2000: The Gallup Polls'' (2001)

===Memoirs===
*Campbell, Alastair (2007) ''The Blair Years: The Alastair Campbell Diaries.'' Knopf, ISBN 0307268314. By the controversial Press Secretary to Tony Blair.
*Gould, Philip (1999) ''The Unfinished Revolution: How the Modernisers Saved the Labour Party.'' Abacus, ISBN 0-349-11177-4.
==External links==
* [http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9149782 ''The Economist'' "Tony Blair: How will history judge him?" leader published May 10th 2007 online]
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/uk_politics/2007/blair_years/default.stm The Blair Years 1997-2007] - BBC articles covering major events of Tony Blair's premiership, with analysis.
*[http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/b/tony_blair/index.html The New York Times] - Includes short biography and links to ''NY Times'' articles relating to Tony Blair.

==References==
<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Blair, Tony}}
[[Category:United Kingdom Prime Ministers]]
[[Category:British History]]
[[Category:British Politics]]
[[Category:Reagan Era]]
[[Category:Presidential Medal of Freedom award winners]]

India

2012-12-14T14:22:14Z

Thatteapartyguy: /* Religious Persecution */

{{Country
|name =''भारत गणराज्य Bhārat Gaharājya''
|map =India rel01.jpg
|map2 =India location.png
|flag =Flag of India svg.png
|arms =Emblem of India.png
|capital =New Delhi
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|government =Federal Republic
|government-raw =
|language =Hindi, English
|king =
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|monarch-raw =
|president =Pratibha Patil
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =Manmohan Singh
|pm-raw =
|area =3,287,590 sq mi
|pop =1,189,866,154 (2011)
|pop-basis =
|gdp =
|gdp-year =$4.2 trillion (2006)
|gdp-pc =$3,800 (2006)
|currency =rupee
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}}
The '''Republic of India''' is a major [[Social democracy|social democratic]] nation located in [[South Asia]] with a population of 1.1 billion people. It spans from the [[Himalayas]] in the north to the [[Indian Ocean]]. It borders [[China]], [[Pakistan]], [[Bangladesh]], [[Nepal]], [[Bhutan]] and [[Myanmar]]. India is the 7th largest country in the world in terms of area and second most populous country (standing at around 1.1 billion according to 2006 estimate), only behind China. Home to the Indus Valley Civilization, the history, culture and tradition of India is more than 3000 years old. Though India is the world's fourth largest economy in terms of purchasing power parity, it has high levels of [[poverty]], [[illiteracy]], [[corruption]] and [[crime]].

==Etymology==
The name "India" came from the word 'Indus', which derives from the Persian word "Hindu" which was used to describe the Sindhu river (now known as the Indus).

==People==
[[File:Indians.jpg|right]]
Although India occupies only 2.4% of the world's land area, it supports over 15% of the world's population; only China has a larger population. India's median age is 25, one of the youngest among large economies. About 70% live in more than 550,000 villages, and the remainder in more than 200 towns and cities. Over the thousands of years of its history, India has been invaded from the Iranian plateau, Central Asia, Arabia, Afghanistan, and the West; Indian people and culture have absorbed and modified these influences to produce a remarkable racial and cultural synthesis.

Religion, [[caste]], and language are major determinants of social and political organization in India today. However, with more job opportunities in the private sector and better chances of upward social mobility, India has begun a quiet social transformation in this area. The government has recognized 18 official languages; Hindi, the national language, is the most widely spoken, although English is a national lingua franca. Although 81% of its people are Hindu, India also is the home of more than 138 million Muslims--one of the world's largest Muslim populations. The population also includes Christians, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, and Parsis.

The Hindu caste system reflects Indian occupational and socially defined hierarchies. Ancient Sanskrit sources divide society into four major categories, priests (Brahmin), warriors (Kshatriya), traders (Vaishya) and farmers/laborers (Shudra). Although these categories are understood throughout India, they describe reality only in the most general terms. They omit, for example, the tribes and those once known as "untouchables." In reality, Indian society is divided into thousands of jatis--local, endogamous groups based on occupation--and organized hierarchically according to complex ideas of purity and pollution. Discrimination based on caste is officially illegal, but remains prevalent, especially in rural areas. Nevertheless, the government has made strong efforts to minimize the importance of caste through active affirmative action and social policies. Moreover, caste has been diluted if not subsumed in the economically prosperous and heterogeneous cities, where an increasing percentage of India's population lives. In the countryside, expanding education, land reform and economic opportunity through access to information, communication, transport, and credit have lessened the harshest elements of the caste system.

==Religions==

===Overview===
[[File:Indian family going to church.jpg|thumb|Indian family going to church.]]
India has over 900 million [[Hindu]]s, 150 millions [[Muslim]]s, 25 million [[Christian]]s and 20 million [[Sikh]]s among the many religious groups that make up the country<ref>https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/in.html</ref> including communities of [[Jain]]s, [[Buddhist]]s, and [[Bahai]].

India is the region where four major world religions were founded:
*[[Hinduism]]
*[[Buddhism]]
*[[Jainism]]
*[[Sikhism]]

Today, Hinduism and Buddhism are the world's third- and fourth-largest religions respectively, after Christianity and Islam, with a collective 1.4 billion followers.

===Hinduism in India===
[[Image:Krishna a la flute.gif|right|180px]]
Hinduism as it is identified today has existed in India for over 4000 years; in the past it had spread to the rest of South-East [[Asia]] and [[Indonesia]], although Hinduism is practiced outside India today only in the island of [[Bali]].

The beliefs and practices of the pre-classical era (1500–500BC) are called the "historical Vedic religion". Modern Hinduism grew out of the [[Vedas]],a large corpus of texts originating in Ancient India. They form the oldest layer of [[Sanskrit]] literature and the oldest sacred texts of Hinduism.[, the oldest of which is the [[Rigveda]], dated to 1700–1100BC. The Vedas center on worship of deities such as [[Indra]], Varuna and Agni, and on the Soma ritual. They performed fire-sacrifices, called yajña and chanted Vedic mantras but did not build temples or icons. The oldest Vedic traditions exhibit strong similarities to [[Zoroastrian]]ism and with other Indo-European religions. During the Epic and Puranic periods, the earliest versions of the epic poems [[Ramayana]] and [[Mahabharata]] were written roughly from 500–100BC, although these were orally transmitted for centuries prior to this period. The epics contain mythological stories about the rulers and wars of ancient India, and are interspersed with religious and philosophical treatises. The later Puranas recount tales about devas and devis, their interactions with humans and their battles against demons.

===Buddhism in India===

Buddhism originated in Eastern India in the 6th century B.C. and spread to the rest of Asia through individual and organized missionaries, although there are few practicing Buddhists left in India today.

===Jainism in India===

Jainism originated in Eastern India in the 6th century B.C. and spread to the rest of India; today they are mostly concentrated in the Southern and Western parts of the country.

===Sikhism in India===

Sikhism is a monotheistic religion that originated in India in the 16th century A.D.

===Other Religions in India===

[[Christianity]] arrived in India in the first century A.D., possibly through the travels of the [[Apostle Thomas]], whose tomb in the Indian city of Chennai is a major pilgrimage site for Christians in India.

[[Islam]] arrived in the latter half of the 8th century A.D. as a consequence of both war and trade. It continued to spread with invasions, wars and forced conversions by Afghans and Turkic Mongols. They slowly integrated into the society and formed India's Islamic tradition. The [[Taj Mahal]], India's national monument, was built by a Muslim emperor named Shah Jahan. Islam is practiced by around 13.4% of all Indians.
[[Image:Taj Mahal.jpg|thumb|Taj Mahal]]

Although small in number, India does have a Jewish community. The first identifiably [[Judaism|Jewish]] migrants arrived in India as the Bene Israel group. There is some debate as to the Jewishness of a possibly older group of Indians in the Northeastern part of the country called the Bnei Menashe.

===Religious Persecution===

While for many years India has been known as an area of the world where a melting pot of religions could be practiced freely, troubling and persistent persecution against [[Christian]]s by the [[Hindu]] majority arose in the 1990s and has continued since that time. In October 2008, 38 Christians were killed and 30,000 fled from efforts of Hindu nationalist militants to force them to convert to Hinduism.<ref>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27380721</ref>

There are also frequent attacks upon Indian Christians by [[Muslims]] in India, who make up a large proportion of the population. They subject the Indian Christian population to harrassment and intimidation, particularly those who were previously Muslims. In 2006, a Muslim who converted to Christianity in the Indian state of Kashmir was shot dead by [[Jihadism|Jihadist]] militants.<ref>http://www.speroforum.com/site/article.asp?id=6705</ref>

==Government==
According to its Constitution, India is a "sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic." Like the United States, India has a federal form of government. However, the central government in India has greater power in relation to its states, and has adopted a British-style parliamentary system.

The government exercises its broad administrative powers in the name of the president, whose duties are largely ceremonial. A special electoral college elects the president and vice president indirectly for 5-year terms. Their terms are staggered, and the vice president does not automatically become president following the death or removal from office of the president.

Real national executive power is centered in the Council of Ministers (Cabinet), led by the prime minister. The president appoints the prime minister, who is designated by legislators of the political party or coalition commanding a parliamentary majority in the Lok Sabha (lower house). The president then appoints subordinate ministers on the advice of the prime minister.
[[File:Delhi Tomb of Imam Zamin Qutub Minar Complex.jpg|thumb|left|Tomb of Imam Zamin Qutub, Delhi.]]
India's bicameral Parliament consists of the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) and the Lok Sabha (House of the People). The Council of Ministers is responsible to the Lok Sabha.

The legislatures of the states and union territories elect 233 members to the Rajya Sabha, and the president appoints another 12. The members of the Rajya Sabha serve 6-year terms, with one-third up for election every 2 years. The Lok Sabha consists of 545 members, who serve 5-year terms; 543 are directly elected, and two are appointed.

India's independent judicial system began under the British, and its concepts and procedures resemble those of Anglo-Saxon countries. The Supreme Court consists of a chief justice and 25 other justices, all appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister.

India has 28 states* and 7 union territories. At the state level, some legislatures are bicameral, patterned after the two houses of the national parliament. The states' chief ministers are responsible to the legislatures in the same way the prime minister is responsible to Parliament.

Each state also has a presidentially appointed governor, who may assume certain broad powers when directed by the central government. The central government exerts greater control over the union territories than over the states, although some territories have gained more power to administer their own affairs. Local governments in India have less autonomy than their counterparts in the United States. Some states are trying to revitalize the traditional village councils, or panchayats, to promote popular democratic participation at the village level, where much of the population still lives. Over half a million panchayats exist throughout India.

 

==Principal Government Officials==
*President--Pratibha Patil
*Vice President--Mohammed Hamid Ansari
*Prime Minister--Manmohan Singh
*Home Minister--Shivraj Patil
*Minister of External Affairs--Pranab Mukherjee
*Ambassador to the U.S.--Ronen Sen
*Ambassador to the UN--Nirupam Sen

===Politics ===
The governing coalition led by the Indian National Congress sailed to a decisive victory in India’s parliamentary elections in May 2009, adding 57 seats. The election gave a second term to prime minister Manmohan Singh, age 77, a soft-spoken economic reformer, and ended the prospect of political instability in the world’s most populous democracy. The election confirmed that Sonia Gandhi, age 62, dominates the Congress Party. She is the the Italian-born widow of the assassinated former prime minister [[Rajiv Gandhi]] and the daughter-in-law of the prime minister before him, [[Indira Gandhi]], who was also assasinated. The Congress-led coalition built its near-majority with an appeal to the rural poor. During its first term, buoyed by robust economic growth, it used record government revenues to increase social spending, not just raising health and education budgets, but also starting an ambitious public works program in the countryside and a costly loan repayment waiver for farmers. Mrs. Gandhi won support by casting herself as a leader who relinquished power, turning down her party’s appeals to become prime minister, first in 2004 and again this time. Instead, she chose the soft-spoken economist, Mr. Singh, and between them, they controlled the party and the government. She took care of the politics of keeping the coalition together, while he served as the chief executive who followed her advice.

[[File:India-14.jpg|thumb|390px]]
Emerging as the nation's single largest party in the April/May 2004 Lok Sabha election, Congress currently leads a coalition government under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Party President Sonia Gandhi was re-elected by the Party National Executive in May 2005. Also a Member of Parliament, she heads the Congress Lok Sabha delegation. Congress prides itself as a secular, left of center party, with a long history of political dominance. Although its performance in national elections had steadily declined during the last 12 years, its surprise victory in 2004 was a result of recruiting strong allies into the UPA, the anti-incumbency factor among voters, and its courtship of India's many poor, rural and Muslim voters. Congress political fortunes suffered badly in the 1990s, as many traditional supporters were lost to emerging regional and caste-based parties, such as the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Samajwadi Party, but have rebounded since its May 2004 ascension to power. It currently rules either directly or in coalition with its allies in 9 states. In November 2005, the Congress regained the Chief Ministership of Jammu and Kashmir state, under a power-sharing agreement.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Rajnath Singh, holds the second-largest number of seats in the Lok Sabha. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee serves as Chairman of the BJP Parliamentary Party, and former Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani is Leader of the Opposition. The Hindu-nationalist BJP draws its political strength mainly from the "Hindi Belt" in the northern and western regions of India.

The party holds power in the states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Orissa--in coalition with the Biju Janata Dal. Popularly viewed as the party of the northern upper caste and trading communities, the BJP made strong inroads into lower castes in recent national and state assembly elections. The party must balance the competing interests of Hindu nationalists, (who advocate construction of a temple on a disputed site in Ayodhya, and other primarily religious issues), and center-right modernizers who see the BJP as a party of economic and political reform.
[[Image:Haveli in Mandawa, India.jpg|240px|right|Haveli in Mandawa.]]

Four Communist and Marxist parties are united in a bloc called the "Left Front," which controls 57 parliamentary seats. The Left Front rules the states of West Bengal and Kerala. Although it has not joined the government, Left Front support provides the crucial seats necessary for the UPA to retain power in New Delhi; without its support, the UPA government would fall. It advocates a secular and Communist ideology and opposes many aspects of economic liberalization and globalization, resulting in dissonance with Prime Minister Singh's liberal economic approach.

==Foreign Relations==
India's size, population, and strategic location give it a prominent voice in international affairs, and its growing economic strength, military prowess, and scientific and technical capacity give it added weight. The end of the Cold War dramatically affected Indian foreign policy. India remains a leader of the developing world and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). India is now strengthening its political and commercial ties with the United States, Japan, the European Union, Iran, China, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. India is an active member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

Always an active member of the United Nations, India now seeks a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. India has a long tradition of participating in UN peacekeeping operations.

==Bilateral and Regional Relations==

===Tense relations with Pakistan===

India and Pakistan have been locked in a tense rivalry since the partition of the subcontinent upon achieving independence from Great Britain in 1947. The principal source of contention has been Kashmir, whose Hindu Maharaja at that time chose to join India, although a majority of his subjects were Muslim. India maintains that his decision and subsequent elections in Kashmir have made it an integral part of India. This dispute triggered wars between the two countries in 1947 and 1965 and provoked the Kargil conflict in 1999.

Pakistan and India fought a war in December 1971 following a political crisis in what was then East Pakistan and the flight of millions of Bengali refugees to India. The brief conflict left the situation largely unchanged in the west, where the two armies reached an impasse, but a decisive Indian victory in the east resulted in the creation of Bangladesh.
[[File:Iran Pakistan India gas pipeline.JPG|thumb|left|300px|Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline.]]
Since the 1971 war, Pakistan and India have made slow progress toward normalization of relations. In July 1972, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Pakistani President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto met in the Indian hill station of Simla. They signed an agreement by which India would return all personnel and captured territory in the west and the two countries would "settle their differences by peaceful means through bilateral negotiations." Diplomatic and trade relations were re-established in 1976.

The 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan caused new strains between India and Pakistan. Pakistan supported the Afghan resistance, while India implicitly supported the Soviet occupation. In the following eight years, India voiced increasing concern over Pakistani arms purchases, U.S. military aid to Pakistan, and Pakistan's nuclear weapons program. In an effort to curtail tensions, the two countries formed a joint commission. In December 1988, Prime Ministers Rajiv Gandhi and Benazir Bhutto concluded a pact not to attack each other's nuclear facilities and initiated agreements on cultural exchanges and civil aviation.

In 1997, high-level Indo-Pakistani talks resumed after a three-year pause. The Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan met twice, and the foreign secretaries conducted three rounds of talks. In June 1997 at Lahore, the foreign secretaries identified eight "outstanding issues" around which continuing talks would be focused. The dispute over the status of Jammu and Kashmir, an issue since partition, remains the major stumbling block in their dialogue. India maintains that the entire former princely state is an integral part of the Indian union, while Pakistan insists upon the implementation of UN resolutions calling for self-determination for the people of the state.

In September 1997, the talks broke down over the structure of how to deal with the issues of Kashmir and peace and security. Pakistan advocated that separate working groups treat each issue. India responded that the two issues be taken up along with six others on a simultaneous basis. In May 1998 India, and then Pakistan, conducted nuclear tests. Attempts to restart dialogue between the two nations were given a major boost by the February 1999 meeting of both Prime Ministers in Lahore and their signing of three agreements. These efforts were stalled by the intrusion of Pakistani-backed forces into Indian-held territory near Kargil in May 1999 (that nearly turned into full scale war), and by the military coup in Pakistan that overturned the Nawaz Sharif government in October the same year. In July 2001, Mr. Vajpayee and General Pervez Musharraf, leader of Pakistan after the coup, met in Agra, but talks ended after two days without result.

After an attack on the Indian Parliament in December 2001, India-Pakistan relations cooled further as India accused Pakistan of involvement. Tensions increased, fueled by killings in Jammu and Kashmir, peaking in a troop buildup by both sides in early 2002.

Prime Minister Vajpayee's April 18, 2003 speech in Srinagar (Kashmir) revived bilateral efforts to normalize relations. In November 2003, Prime Minister Vajpayee and President Musharraf agreed to a ceasefire, which still holds, along the Line-of-Control in Jammu and Kashmir. After a series of confidence building measures, Prime Minister Vajpayee and President Musharraf met on the sidelines of the January 2004 SAARC summit in Islamabad and agreed to commence a Composite Dialogue addressing outstanding issues between India and Pakistan, including Kashmir. The UPA government has continued the Composite Dialogue with Pakistan.

In February 2004, India and Pakistan agreed to restart the "2+6" Composite Dialogue formula, which provides for talks on Peace and Security and Jammu and Kashmir, followed by technical and Secretary-level discussions on six other bilateral disputes: Siachen Glacier, Wuller Barrage/Tulbul Navigation Project, Sir Creek estuary, Terrorism and Drug Trafficking, Economic and Commercial cooperation, and the Promotion of Friendly Exchanges in various fields. The Foreign Secretary talks resumed in November 2006, after a three-month delay following the July 11, 2006 terrorist bombings in Mumbai. The meeting generated modest progress, with the two sides agreeing to establish a joint mechanism on counter-terrorism and agreeing to a follow-on meeting in February 2007. The restart of the Composite Dialogue process is especially significant, given the almost six years that transpired since the two sides agreed to this formula in 1997-98.

Following the October 2005 earthquake in Kashmir, the two governments coordinated relief efforts and opened access points along the Line-of-Control to allow relief supplies to flow from India to Pakistan and to allow Kashmiris from both sides to visit one another.

===South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)===

Certain aspects of India's relations within the subcontinent are conducted through the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). Its members are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, with the People's Republic of China, Iran, Japan, European Union, Republic of Korea, and the U.S. as observers. Established in 1985, SAARC encourages cooperation in agriculture, rural development, science and technology, culture, health, population control, narcotics, and terrorism.

SAARC has intentionally stressed these "core issues" and avoided those which could prove divisive, although political dialogue is often conducted on the margins of SAARC meetings. In 1993, India and its SAARC partners signed an agreement gradually to lower tariffs within the region. Forward movement in SAARC had slowed because of tension between India and Pakistan, and the SAARC summit scheduled for 1999 was not held until January 2002. In addition, to boost the process of normalizing India's relationship with Pakistan, the January 2004 SAARC summit in Islamabad produced an agreement to establish a South Asia Free Trade Area (SAFTA). All the member governments have ratified SAFTA, which was slated to come into force on January 1, 2006, with a series of graduated tariff cuts through 2015. As of December 2006, however, the FTA partners were still negotiating sensitive product lists, rules of origin, and technical assistance. India hosted the 2007 SAARC summit, which called for greater regional cooperation on trade, environmental, social, and counterterrorism issues.

===Relations with China===

Despite suspicions remaining from a 1962 border conflict between India and [[China]] and continuing territorial/boundary disputes, Sino-Indian relations have improved gradually since 1988. Both countries have sought to reduce tensions along the frontier, expand trade and cultural ties, and normalize relations. Their bilateral trade reached $24 billion in 2006. China is India's second-largest trading partner behind the U.S.

A series of high-level visits between the two nations has improved relations. In December 1996, Chinese President Jiang Zemin visited India on a tour of South Asia. While in New Delhi, he and the Indian Prime Minister signed a series of confidence-building measures along the disputed border, including troop reductions and weapons limitations.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao invited Prime Minister Vajpayee to visit China in June 2003. They recognized the common goals of both countries and made the commitment to build a "long-term constructive and cooperative partnership" to peacefully promote their mutual political and economic goals without encroaching upon their good relations with other countries. In Beijing, Prime Minister Vajpayee proposed the designation of special representatives to discuss the border dispute at the political level, a process that is still under way.

In November 2006, President Hu Jintao made an official state visit to India, further cementing Sino-Indian relations. India and China are building on growing economic ties to improve other aspects of their relationship such as counter-terrorism, energy, and trade. In another symbol of improved ties, the two countries opened the Nathu La Pass to bilateral trade in July 2006 for the first time in 40 years. Though it is the first direct land trade route in decades, trade is expected to be local and small since the pass is open only four months a year.

===Russia===

The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the emergence of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) had major repercussions for Indian foreign policy. India's substantial trade with the region plummeted after the Soviet collapse and has yet to recover. Longstanding military supply relationships were similarly disrupted due to questions over financing. Russia nonetheless remains India's largest supplier of military systems and spare parts.

Russia and India have not renewed the 1971 Indo-Soviet Peace and Friendship Treaty and follow what both describe as a more pragmatic, less ideological relationship. The visit of Russian President Boris Yeltsin to India in January 1993 helped cement this new relationship. The pace of high-level visits has since increased, as has discussion of major defense purchases. UPA leader Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Singh visited Russia in July 2005. President Vladimir Putin traveled to India in January 2007 to attend an Indo-Russia Summit and was the guest of honor at India's Republic Day celebrations.

==Defense==
The supreme command of the Indian armed forces is vested in the President of India. Policies concerning India's defense, and the armed forces as a whole, are formulated and confirmed by the Cabinet.

===Indian Army===

The Indian Army numbers over 1.1 million strong and fields 34 divisions. Its primary task is to safeguard the territorial integrity of the country against external threats. The Army has been heavily committed in the recent past to counterterrorism operations in Jammu and Kashmir, as well as the in the Northeast. Its current modernization program focuses on obtaining equipment to be used in combating terror. The Army often provides aid to civil authorities and assists the government in organizing relief operations.

===Indian Navy===

The Indian Navy is by far the most capable navy in the region. The Navy's primary missions are the defense of India and of India's vital sea lines of communication. India relies on the sea for 90% of its oil and natural gas and over 90% of its foreign trade. The Navy currently operates one aircraft carrier with two on order, 14 submarines, and 15 major surface combatants. It is capable of projecting power within the Indian Ocean basin and occasionally operates in the South China Sea, the Mediterranean Sea and the Arabian Gulf. Fleet introduction of the Brahmos cruise missile and the possible lease of nuclear submarines from Russia will add significantly to the Indian Navy's flexibility and striking power.

Although small, the Indian Coast Guard has been expanding rapidly in recent years. Indian Navy officers typically fill top Coast Guard positions to ensure coordination between the two services. India's Coast Guard is responsible for control of India's huge exclusive economic zone.

===Indian Air Force===

The Indian Air Force is becoming a 21st century force through modernization, new tactics and the acquisition of modern aircraft, such as the SU-30MKI, a new advanced jet trainer (BAE Hawk) and the indigenously produced advanced light [[helicopter]] (Dhruv). In June 2007, the Indian Government announced intentions to release a request for proposals for 126 multi-role combat aircraft for the Indian Air Force.

==Economy==

===General overview===
[[File:India...jpg|right|340px]]

India's population is estimated at more than 1.1 billion and is growing at 1.3% a year. It has the world's 12th largest economy--and the third largest in [[Asia]] behind [[Japan]] and [[China]]--with total [[GDP]] of around $1 trillion ($1,000 billion). Services, industry, and [[agriculture]] account for 55%, 27%, and 18% of GDP respectively. Nearly two-thirds of the population depends on agriculture for its livelihood. 700 million Indians live on $2 per day or less, but there is a large and growing [[middle class]] of 325-350 million with disposable income for consumer goods.

India is continuing to move forward with market-oriented economic reforms that began in 1991. Recent reforms include liberalized foreign investment and exchange regimes, industrial decontrol, significant reductions in [[tariff]]s and other trade barriers, reform and modernization of the financial sector, significant adjustments in government monetary and fiscal policies, and safeguarding intellectual property rights.

Real GDP growth for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2007 was 9.4%, up from 9.0% growth in the previous year. Growth for the year ending March 31, 2008 is expected to be between 8.5-9.0%. Foreign portfolio and direct investment inflows have risen significantly in recent years. They have contributed to $255 billion in foreign exchange reserves by June 2007. Government receipts from privatization were about $3 billion in fiscal year 2003-2004, but the privatization program has stalled since then.

Economic growth is constrained by inadequate infrastructure, a cumbersome bureaucracy, corruption, labor market rigidities, regulatory and foreign investment controls, the "reservation" of key products for small-scale industries, and high (although declining) fiscal deficits. The outlook for further trade liberalization is mixed. India eliminated quotas on 1,420 consumer imports in 2002 and has incrementally lowered non-agricultural customs duties in recent successive budgets. However, the tax structure is complex, with compounding effects of various taxes.

The [[United States]] is India's largest trading partner. Bilateral trade in 2006 was $32 billion. Principal U.S. exports are diagnostic or lab reagents, aircraft and parts, advanced machinery, [[cotton]], [[fertilizer]]s, ferrous waste/scrap metal, and computer hardware. Major U.S. imports from India include [[textile]]s and ready-made garments, Internet-enabled services, agricultural and related products, gems and jewelry, leather products, and chemicals.

The rapidly growing software sector is boosting service exports and modernizing India's economy. Software exports crossed $28 billion in FY 2006-2007, while business process outsourcing (BPO) revenues hit $8.3 billion in 2006-2007. Personal computer penetration is 14 per 1,000 persons. The cellular/mobile market surged to 140 million subscribers by November 2006. The country has 54 million [[cable TV]] customers.

The United States is India's largest investment partner, with a 13% share. India's total inflow of U.S. direct investment is estimated at more than $9 billion through 2006. Proposals for direct foreign investment are considered by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board and generally receive government approval. Automatic approvals are available for investments involving up to 100% foreign equity, depending on the kind of industry. Foreign investment is particularly sought after in power generation, telecommunications, ports, roads, petroleum exploration/processing, and mining.

India's external debt was $155 billion in 2006-2007, up from $126 billion in 2005-2006. Foreign assistance was approximately $3 billion in 2006-2007, with the United States providing about $126 million in development assistance. The [[World Bank]] plans to double aid to India to almost $3 billion a year, with focus on infrastructure, education, health, and rural livelihoods.

===Agriculture===
[[Image:Varma Lady Carrying Fruits.jpg|thumb|Lady Carrying Fruits by Ravi Varma.]]
India has a cultivated area of 138 million hectares which almost equals that of the [[European Union]]. A lot of the land has good agriculture potential especially where water supplies are available. Arable farming, especially cereals is the main kind of farming. India, which has two thirds of its working population relying on the land to earn a living, desperately needs to improve agriculture production in order to develop its economy.

When India became independent from [[Britain]] in 1947 the Indian government recognized agriculture as a key area for economic development. Despite this there has been limited modernization of the sector. There hasn’t been an effective land reform package introduced to redistribute land from wealthy landlords to landless peasants. In the 1990’s almost half of rural families had plots of 0.5 hectares or no land at all, but a quarter of India’s agricultural land was owned by five percent of rich landowning families. This has made it nearly impossible to mechanize and introduce modern farm practices.

The dominant type of farming throughout India is intensive [[Subsistence farming]]. It is used especially in rural areas with high population density, where people depend on being able to feed themselves. [[Rice]] is very important for this type of farming, especially in the Indus and Ganges flood plains. Other crops such as wheat and millet are grown in drier parts of peninsular India. Farming is a family affair, with all planting, flooding and harvesting done by hand. One of the reasons rural Indians have such large families is to provide free labour to help harvest crops. This adds to the pressure on India’s service sector and India’s agriculture sector to meet the demands of India’s ever-growing population.

India is a country that has benefited from the Green revolution. This refers to the development and introduction of genetically modified, high yield varieties of staple crops, such as rice and wheat. These ‘miracle’ crops produce high yields and are resistant to disease and pests. Due to the Green revolution, India has managed to become a net exporter of food.

There is however some problems linked to the Green revolution. It depends on large inputs of chemical fertilizers and pesticides that may be costly and harmful to the soil in the long run. Labour is often replaced with machinery, so rural unemployment goes up and more people leave the land and go to towns, increasing rural-urban migration. A well-educated farm population and capital investment are needed. It only really benefits comparatively few, large-scale farmers; large numbers of small-scale farmers may not be able to benefit from the process.

For a large number of Indian farmers a better solution would be the introduction of more intermediate technology and a more effective programme of land reform. While the Green revolution has brought some positive results, the vast majority of India’s rice farmers use traditional farm practices that depend heavily on the natural environment. The need to match food production to match India’s growing population is a major concern for government.

===Industry===

When India became independent in 1947 it had a largely underdeveloped Industrial system, with textiles and food processing been the key industries in the country. Only two percent of the working population had been employed in industry, which was concentrated in the major cities; [[Mumbai]], [[Kolkata]] and [[Chennai]]. On gaining independence the new government was determined to reduce India’s dependence on imported goods and to promote greater wealth and employment throughout the country.

The size of India’s population provided it a large home market and the country had some natural resources (coal and Iron) a large and cheap labour force and outputs from agriculture (cotton, Jute) Mineral resources encouraged the government to develop heavy industries, such as Iron and steel, shipbuilding and chemicals. Despite these advantages development was relatively slow and only benefited a few growth centers. In addition, by the 1980’s, many heavy industries were in decline, Industrial policy has changed to emphasize Agri-industries, consumer goods industries and small craft industries, rural development (community based development and self-help schemes) and high technology industries.

Agri-industries would be advantageous to India in that it already employs a large number of people in the agricultural sector. The development of fertilizers, machinery and food processing benefits rural communities and helps in the modernization of India’s agricultural system.

[[Consumer goods]] industries are more labour intensive than large-scale heavy industries, so more jobs are created as a result. They also benefit from low labour costs and traditional skills, which make them more competitive in, export markets. E.g. jewellary, clothing, leather goods etc.

With more than 70% of India’s population living in rural areas, jobs need to be taken to these people rather than encouraging migration to urban areas. This involves support for community development projects and self-help schemes that improve skills levels among the workforce.

High technology (Hi-tech) industries are attracted to India by the growing number of India’s skilled workers (Which produces more university graduates than USA and Canada combined) low costs and improved communication systems. These high value industries add a modern face to Indian industry. Many major multinationals, such as [[IBM]] and [[Texas instruments]], have located in India. Large numbers of locally owned companies have also set up to supply software components to western markets. (See [[Spin-off Effect]])

Although the government has tried to spread industry across the country, this growing sector remains concentrated in a growing number of city regions. The most important are [[Calcutta]], [[Bombay]] and [[Bangalore]]. Bangalore is known as ‘India’s silicon valley’ as a result of all the high-tech industries which have set up there.
===Education===
[[File:Sikh pilgrim at the Golden Temple in Amritsar India.jpg|thumb|300px|Sikh pilgrim at the Golden Temple in Amritsar.]]
India has a large number of universities, but the quality ranges from poor to medicore. The best students head to the U.S. or Britain. To cover this weakness, the government in July 2009 announced plans to expand the higher education budget by 40%, to $3.1-billion, for 2009-10.

The government in 2009 allotted an extra $435-million to the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology and the National Institutes of Technology, and $170.5-million more to open 16 central universities in states that lack one. In keeping with its agenda of inclusive economic growth, the government has also announced interest-free loans for disadvantaged students to take technical and professional courses.

To increase India’s college-going rate to 21% by 2017, Prime Minister Singh has announced plans to start five new Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research, eight new Indian Institutes of Technology, seven new Indian Institutes of Management, and 20 new Indian Institutes of Information Technology — thus doubling the number of top-tier institutions in the country. He also wants to set up 16 central universities, 14 “world class” universities, and almost 400 colleges.

==History==
See [[History of India]]

==Further reading==
* Cohen, Stephen P. ''India: Emerging Power'' (2002) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0815715013/ref=sib_dp_pt/103-4827826-5463040#reader-link excerpt and online search from Amazon.com]
* Guha, Ramachandra. ''India After Gandhi: The History of the World's Largest Democracy'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/India-After-Gandhi-History-Democracy/dp/0060958588/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242545228&sr=1-8 excerpt and text search]
* Nilekani, Nandan. ''Imagining India: The Idea of a Renewed Nation'' (2009) business in India [http://www.amazon.com/Imagining-India-Idea-Renewed-Nation/dp/1594202044/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242545602&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Panagariya, Arvind. ''India: The Emerging Giant'' (2008) 544 pp., The major recent history; for advanced readers. [http://www.amazon.com/India-Emerging-Giant-Arvind/dp/0195315030/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222697254&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]
* Wolpert, Stanley. ''India'' (4th ed. 2009), 264pp; excellent overview and introduction [http://www.amazon.com/India-Stanley-Wolpert/dp/0520260325/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255296028&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]
===Guides===
* ''India'' (Lonely Planet Guide) by Sarina Singh et al. (2007) [http://www.amazon.com/India-Country-Guide-Sarina-Singh/dp/1741043085/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242545228&sr=1-4 excerpt and text search]
* '' India'' (Eyewitness Travel Guides by DK Publishing (2002) [http://www.amazon.com/India-Eyewitness-Travel-Guides-Publishing/dp/0789483955/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242545500&sr=1-18 excerpt and text search]
* ''India - Culture Smart!: a quick guide to customs and etiquette'' by Nicki Grihault (2006) [http://www.amazon.com/India-Culture-Smart-customs-etiquette/dp/1857333055/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242545228&sr=1-5 excerpt and text search]
* ''The Rough Guide to India'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/Rough-Guide-India-Travel-Guides/dp/1858289947/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242545228&sr=1-10 excerpt and text search]

==References==
<div class="references-small">
<references/>
</div>

== See also ==
*[[World History Lecture Three]] for more information on Ancient India.
*[[Anti-conversion legislation in India]]
*[[Oriental art]]
*[[Indian Painting]]

----

{{Copyright Details (US Government)|source=[http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3454.htm]}}

{{Asian Countries}}
[[Category:India]]
[[Category:Indian History]]

RINO

2012-12-14T14:14:12Z

Thatteapartyguy: Ron Paul has a fairly conservative voting record, calling him a RINO is somewhat unfair

[[File:Kel-rino.jpg|thumb|250px|Sergeant [[Jesse Kelly]] runs for Congress in Arizona in 2009 and attacks the RINOs in the GOP]]
A '''RINO''' ('''R'''epublican '''i'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly) is an officeholder or candidate who is a member of the [[Republican Party]], but holds views to the political left of most Republican voters. The term "RINO" describes politicians who claim to be [[Republican Party|Republican]] but are in fact [[liberal]], and therefore generally debase the winning conservative coalition base of the Republican Party.

RINOs are often Republican only to the extent it serves their own interests, and will abandon conservative principles as soon as it is in their own interests to do so. RINOs often provide support for raising taxes, [[abortion]] as [[Pro-choice|a right]], [[gay rights]] and [[gun control]]. Some RINOs have connections with [[Planned Parenthood]] or corporations that support goals of [[population control]]; other RINOs pay lip service to [[pro-life]] values while in practice not advancing those values.

[[Double standard]]s by RINOs are common: a birther comment by [[Romney]] during his campaign was supposedly a "nothing", but [[Todd Akin]]'s [[pro-life]] comment would somehow "absolutely" could cost RINOs control of the [[U.S. Senate]]!<ref>http://content.usatoday.com/communities/onpolitics/post/2012/08/todd-akin-rape-missouri-senate-race-reince-priebus-/1#.UDpUhNZlQ7s</ref>

RINOs, like Democrats, typically come from states in [[New England]], the Mid-Atlantic; or states on the [[Left Coast]]. A less-used term is '''[[cafeteria conservative]]''', for a person who picks and chooses which [[conservative]] principles to believe, as a person might choose foods in a cafeteria instead of ordering the full-course ''menu'' selected by the chef at most restaurants.<ref>[http://www.manp.org/association-spotlight/archives/james-carville-mary-matalin-he-said-she-said James Carville & Mary Matalin: He Said, She Said]</ref> In contrast to RINO's and cafeteria conservatives, [[movement conservative]]s understand that since conservative philosophy is a coherent whole, it is untenable to discard part of it without discarding all of it.

The targets of attack argue they follow [[middle of the road]] policies and are not liberals; they claim they get results, and insist that without them the [[United States Congress|Congress]] would be totally controlled by liberal [[Democratic Party|Democrats]] and Republicans would rarely have any success. Conservatives respond that in the heyday of "Rockefeller liberalism" in the GOP the Democrats always controlled Congress, and the GOP only took power when [[Newt Gingrich]] launched a national conservative "Contract with America" in 1994, ending 40 years of Democratic control of the [[United States House of Representatives|House]].

In recent Republican [[Primary election|primaries]], voters have been rejecting establishment RINOs in favor of those with stronger conservative principles. Their commitment to self and not party is evident in their refusal to endorse the candidate that beats them. In some instances, they refuse the will of the voters and their party by running for office on an [[Independent candidate|independent ticket]]. It is important to vote for someone who's more conservative on the issues rather than for a Republican because anyone can join a party and be they can be RINOs.

== RINOs ==
*Senator [[Olympia J. Snowe]] of [[Maine]] (not seeking re-election in 2012)

*Senator [[Susan Collins]] of [[Maine]]

*Senator [[Lindsey Graham]] of [[South Carolina]]

*Senator [[Scott Brown]] of [[Massachusetts]]

*Senator [[Lisa Murkowski]] of [[Alaska]]

*Senator [[Mark Kirk]] of [[Illinois]]

*Senator [[Richard Lugar]] of [[Indiana]] (displaced by [[Richard Mourdock]] in the 2012 Indiana Senate Primary)

*Senator [[John McCain]] of [[Arizona]]

*Senator [[Kay Bailey Hutchison]] of [[Texas]]

*Governor [[Chris Christie]] of [[New Jersey]]

*Governor [[Mitch Daniels]] of [[Indiana]]

*Transportation Secretary [[Ray Lahood]]

*Rep. Don Young of [[Alaska]]

*Rep. David Dreier of [[California]]

*Supreme Court Chief Justice [[John Roberts]] after his support of gutting Arizona's immigration law and yet being the swing vote responsible for keeping [[Obamacare]] upheld. As Supreme Court Justices officially have no party, he is more of a "conservative in name only".

*State Senator Allan Kittleman of [[Maryland]], for promoting homosexual [[special rights]]<ref>[http://voices.washingtonpost.com/annapolis/2011/02/gop_senator_announces_support.html GOP senator announces support for Md. same-sex marriage bill]</ref>

==Former or Defeated RINOs==

*[[Jon Bruning]], who lost a double-digit lead in a stunning upset for the [[Republican]] nomination for [[U.S. Senate]] in [[Nebraska]] in 2012.

*Former President [[Theodore Roosevelt]], because he regulated the economy and used social justice.

*Former Senator [[Alan Simpson]] of [[Wyoming]]

*Former Senator [[George Voinovich]] of [[Ohio]]

*Former Senator [[Gordon Smith]] of [[Oregon]]

*Former Senator [[Charles Mathias]] of [[Maryland]]

*Former Senator [[Bob Bennett]] of [[Utah]]

*Former Senator [[Chuck Hagel]] of [[Nebraska]]

*Former Vice-President and Senator [[Nelson Rockefeller]] of [[New York]]

*Former Congressman [[Christopher Shays]] of [[Connecticut]]

*Former Congressman [[Tom Campbell]] of [[California]]

*Former Congressman [[Michael Castle]] of [[Delaware]]

*Former Congressman [[Joseph Cao]] of [[Louisiana]]

*Former Congressman [[Joe Scarborough]] of [[Florida]]

*Former Governor [[Jeb Bush]] of [[Florida]]

*Former Governor [[Jon Huntsman, Jr.]] of [[Utah]]

*Former Governor [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]] of [[California]]

*Former Governor [[Linda Lingle]] of [[Hawaii]]

*Former Governor [[George Pataki]] of [[New York]]

*Former Governor and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator [[Christine Todd Whitman]] of [[New Jersey]]

*Former Secretary of State [[Colin Powell]]

*Former Secretary of [[Homeland Security]] [[Tom Ridge]].

*Former Press Secretary [[Scott McClellan]]

*Former [[New York City]] Mayor [[Rudy Giuliani]]

*Former New York Congressional Candidate [[Dede Scozzafava]]

==Former RINOs who have since left the Republican Party==

* Former [[New Mexico]] Governor [[Gary Johnson]] supports same-sex marriage and abortion (although he opposes abortion once the fetus becomes viable outside the mother's body). After switching to the [[Libertarian Party]] in 2012 to run for President, he openly admitted that he governed New Mexico for eight years as a RINO, even using the phrase "Republican in name only" on multiple occasions. The Libertarian Party is [[liberal]] on social issues (with the exception that they support [[gun rights]]) but are fiscally very conservative.

* Former Senator [[Arlen Specter]] of [[Pennsylvania]] supported ObamaCare and switched from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party to give the latter a 60-40 edge in the Senate and allow them to enact [[cloture]] on the Republican [[filibuster]]

*Former Senator [[Lincoln Chafee]] of [[Rhode Island]], who became an Independent in 2007.

*Former Senator [[Lowell Weicker]] of [[Connecticut]], who left the party and formed his own local one in 1990, then became an Independent in 1995.

*[[New York City]] Mayor [[Michael Bloomberg]], who became an Independent in 2007. As it is not possible to campaign as an Independent in New York State, Bloomberg runs on the line of the [[Independence Party of New York]].

*Former Senator [[Jim Jeffords]] of [[Vermont]], who left the Party and became a Democrat in 2001, giving control of the [[United States Senate|Senate]] to the Democrats.

*Former Governor [[Charlie Crist]] of [[Florida]], who became an independent in 2010 after it was clear he would lose his Senate bid.

*Former Representative [[John Anderson]] of [[Illinois]], who became an Independent after losing his party's presidential primary in 1980.

==RINO McCain==

A majority of conservatives distrust RINO [[John McCain]] even though many of his policies are that of a true conservative. Key RINO principles rejected by McCain include support for [[gay rights]], support for [[abortion]], and support for [[earmark]]s. He has positioned his career as a bipartisan moderate, reaching across the aisle whenever possible. This is also his downfall. The era of reaching across the aisle passed -- when [[statist]], [[socialist]] Democrats became Senators. His major political blunders mostly came during the 21st century political period. He was against both the Reagan and Bush [[tax cuts]], and employed [[class warfare]] rhetoric in trying to stop the tax cuts from taking effect. His support for amnesty was the complete opposite of what conservatives wanted. He has always complained about [[waterboarding|enhanced interrogation techniques]], calling them "[[torture]]". In non-election years, he likes to trash conservative positions and icons in order to get the [[Mainstream media|media]]'s and Democrats' approval. However, during the election he refused to go after [[Barack Hussein Obama]]'s associations with [[Jeremiah Wright]]. He believes in the junk science known as [[global warming]], and has supported cap-and-trade programs. Another [[Middle East]] war, without a goal, without full commitment to win, without Congressional approval- McCain supports the President. It didn't stop there and in July 2011, he called the [[Tea Party]], the people that care about fiscal sanity in Washington, they are "hobbits".

The sacrifices he has made serving this country cannot be overlooked. John McCain has earned war hero status but also the status as a D.C. zero.

==External Links==
* [http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/05/05/1615233/in-senate-primary-california-republicans.html In Senate primary, California Republicans run away from RINO label]
* [http://www.commieblaster.com/RINO/index.html CommieBlaster RINO Index]

==See Also==
*[[RINO Backers]]
*[[PLINO]] - [[pro-life]] in name only
*[[XINO]] - [[Christian]] in name only
*[[Republican Party]]
*[[Moderate Republican]]
*[[Conservative Democrat]]
*[[Blue Dog Democrat]]
*[[Reagan Democrat]]
*[[Catholic in name only]]
*[[Liberal media conservative]]

{{Liberalism}}

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Conservative]]
[[Category:Republican Party]]

Friedrich Hayek

2012-12-14T14:12:54Z

Thatteapartyguy:

[[Image:Hayek.jpg|right|frame]]
'''Friedrich August Von Hayek''' (1899-1992) was a [[Nobel Prize]] winning [[economist]] and one of the most prominent members of the [[Austrian School of Economics]], a [[libertarian]] economic theory. Hayek emphasized our limited knowledge of the markets (and other subjects), and thus our need for the price mechanism to communicate essential information about supply and demand. His theories are that no centralized planner or government can manage the economy and that the free market is the most efficient known allocator of resources.

==Life==

Hayek was born in [[Vienna]], which was then the capital of [[Austria-Hungary]]. As a teenager he studied biology, philosophy and ethics, before joining the Austrian Army aged 18 and becoming one of the pioneers of airborne artillery observation during [[World War 1]]. After the war he earned doctorates in law and political science. He moved to [[London]] in 1931 to be a professor at the [[London School of Economics]]. When Austria became part of [[Nazi Germany]] following the 1938 ''Anschluss'' Hayek refused to return there, and became a British subject.

==Contributions==
His most famous popular book is [[The Road To Serfdom]] (1944). Where in he discusses the collapse of essential freedoms in the face of economic manipulation at the hands of well meaning government actors. His most influential work among economists however is his 1935 academic papers "The Nature and History of the Problem" and "The Present State of the Debate," on the total inability of socialism to coordinate and allocate resources due to their lack of price signals, an effect that lead to the eventual collapse of the [[Soviet Union]]. Many of these ideas were developed in conjunction with his friend and mentor [[Ludwig von Mises]]<ref>Econ Talk, Russ Roberts and Bruce Caldwell 10 January, 2011 [http://www.econtalk.org/archives/2011/01/caldwell_on_hay.html]</ref>.

Hayek was one of the most vocal and respected contemporary critics of the [[liberal]] and now widely discredited economist [[John Maynard Keynes]].

[[Image:HAYEK1.JPG|left|thumb|300px]] Hayek has been compared to the philosopher [[David Hume]] with respect to his insistence that we should be "sensible of our ignorance."

==Bibliography==
* Birner, Hack, and Rudy van Zijp, eds., ''Hayek: Co-ordination and Evolution: His legacy in philosophy, politics, economics and the history of ideas'' (1994)
* Brittan, Samuel "Hayek, Friedrich August (1899–1992)", ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography,'' (2006) [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/51095, online]
* Caldwell, Bruce, 2005. ''Hayek's Challenge: An Intellectual Biography of F.A. Hayek''.
* Doherty, Brian. 2007. ''Radicals for Capitalism: A Freewheeling History of the Modern American Libertarian Movement''
* Ebenstein, Alan O., 2001. '' Friedrich Hayek: A Biography''. [http://books.google.com/books?id=k0O3q5qzB7AC&dq=Horwitz,+Steven.+%22Friedrich+Hayek,+Austrian&pg=PP1&ots=MXoBbHnLn5&source=in&sig=0BwUP_0dz9mtD84pC5jameSWN5I&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=13&ct=result excerpt and text search]
* Frowen, S. ed., (1997) ''Hayek: economist and social philosopher''
* Gamble, Andrew. (1996) ''The Iron Cage of Liberty'', an analysis of Hayek's ideas
* Gray, John, 1998. ''Hayek on Liberty''.
* Horwitz, Steven. "Friedrich Hayek, Austrian Economist." ''Journal of the History of Economic Thought'' 2005 27(1): 71-85. Issn: 1042-7716 Fulltext: in Swetswise, Ingenta and Ebsco
* Kasper, Sherryl, 2002, ''The Revival of Laissez-Faire in American Macroeconomic Theory: A Case Study of Its Pioneers''. Chpt. 4.
* Kley, Roland, 1994. ''Hayek's Social and Political Thought''. Oxford Univ. Press.
* Samuelson, Richard A. "Reaction to the Road to Serfdom." ''Modern Age'' 1999 41(4): 309-317. [http://209.85.173.132/search?q=cache:K5DRrwv_AQEJ:www.firstprinciplesjournal.com/articles.aspx%3Farticle%3D746%26theme%3Dfrmar%26loc%3Db+Samuelson,+Richard+A.+%22Reaction+to+the+Road+to&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=us&client=firefox-a Fulltext online]
* Vernon, Richard. "The 'Great Society' and the 'Open Society': Liberalism in Hayek and Popper." ''Canadian Journal of Political Science'' 1976 9(2): 261-276. Issn: 0008-4239 Fulltext: in Jstor
===Primary sources===
* Hayek, Friedrich. ''Hayek on Hayek: an autobiographical dialogue, ed. S. Kresge and L. Wenar (1994)
* Hayek, Friedrich. ''The collected works of F. A. Hayek,'' ed. W. W. Bartley and others (1988–)

== See also ==

*[[Milton Friedman]]
*[[Ludwig von Mises]]
*[[Enterprise]]

== References ==

<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT: Hayek, Friedrich A.}}
[[Category:Nobel laureates in Economics]]
[[Category:Philosophers]]
[[Category:Economists]]
[[Category:Libertarianism]]
[[Category:New Deal]]

India

2012-12-14T14:12:00Z

Thatteapartyguy:

{{Country
|name =''भारत गणराज्य Bhārat Gaharājya''
|map =India rel01.jpg
|map2 =India location.png
|flag =Flag of India svg.png
|arms =Emblem of India.png
|capital =New Delhi
|capital-raw =
|government =Federal Republic
|government-raw =
|language =Hindi, English
|king =
|queen =
|monarch-raw =
|president =Pratibha Patil
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =Manmohan Singh
|pm-raw =
|area =3,287,590 sq mi
|pop =1,189,866,154 (2011)
|pop-basis =
|gdp =
|gdp-year =$4.2 trillion (2006)
|gdp-pc =$3,800 (2006)
|currency =rupee
|idd =
|tld =
}}
The '''Republic of India''' is a major [[Social democracy|social democratic]] nation located in [[South Asia]] with a population of 1.1 billion people. It spans from the [[Himalayas]] in the north to the [[Indian Ocean]]. It borders [[China]], [[Pakistan]], [[Bangladesh]], [[Nepal]], [[Bhutan]] and [[Myanmar]]. India is the 7th largest country in the world in terms of area and second most populous country (standing at around 1.1 billion according to 2006 estimate), only behind China. Home to the Indus Valley Civilization, the history, culture and tradition of India is more than 3000 years old. Though India is the world's fourth largest economy in terms of purchasing power parity, it has high levels of [[poverty]], [[illiteracy]], [[corruption]] and [[crime]].

==Etymology==
The name "India" came from the word 'Indus', which derives from the Persian word "Hindu" which was used to describe the Sindhu river (now known as the Indus).

==People==
[[File:Indians.jpg|right]]
Although India occupies only 2.4% of the world's land area, it supports over 15% of the world's population; only China has a larger population. India's median age is 25, one of the youngest among large economies. About 70% live in more than 550,000 villages, and the remainder in more than 200 towns and cities. Over the thousands of years of its history, India has been invaded from the Iranian plateau, Central Asia, Arabia, Afghanistan, and the West; Indian people and culture have absorbed and modified these influences to produce a remarkable racial and cultural synthesis.

Religion, [[caste]], and language are major determinants of social and political organization in India today. However, with more job opportunities in the private sector and better chances of upward social mobility, India has begun a quiet social transformation in this area. The government has recognized 18 official languages; Hindi, the national language, is the most widely spoken, although English is a national lingua franca. Although 81% of its people are Hindu, India also is the home of more than 138 million Muslims--one of the world's largest Muslim populations. The population also includes Christians, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, and Parsis.

The Hindu caste system reflects Indian occupational and socially defined hierarchies. Ancient Sanskrit sources divide society into four major categories, priests (Brahmin), warriors (Kshatriya), traders (Vaishya) and farmers/laborers (Shudra). Although these categories are understood throughout India, they describe reality only in the most general terms. They omit, for example, the tribes and those once known as "untouchables." In reality, Indian society is divided into thousands of jatis--local, endogamous groups based on occupation--and organized hierarchically according to complex ideas of purity and pollution. Discrimination based on caste is officially illegal, but remains prevalent, especially in rural areas. Nevertheless, the government has made strong efforts to minimize the importance of caste through active affirmative action and social policies. Moreover, caste has been diluted if not subsumed in the economically prosperous and heterogeneous cities, where an increasing percentage of India's population lives. In the countryside, expanding education, land reform and economic opportunity through access to information, communication, transport, and credit have lessened the harshest elements of the caste system.

==Religions==

===Overview===
[[File:Indian family going to church.jpg|thumb|Indian family going to church.]]
India has over 900 million [[Hindu]]s, 150 millions [[Muslim]]s, 25 million [[Christian]]s and 20 million [[Sikh]]s among the many religious groups that make up the country<ref>https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/in.html</ref> including communities of [[Jain]]s, [[Buddhist]]s, and [[Bahai]].

India is the region where four major world religions were founded:
*[[Hinduism]]
*[[Buddhism]]
*[[Jainism]]
*[[Sikhism]]

Today, Hinduism and Buddhism are the world's third- and fourth-largest religions respectively, after Christianity and Islam, with a collective 1.4 billion followers.

===Hinduism in India===
[[Image:Krishna a la flute.gif|right|180px]]
Hinduism as it is identified today has existed in India for over 4000 years; in the past it had spread to the rest of South-East [[Asia]] and [[Indonesia]], although Hinduism is practiced outside India today only in the island of [[Bali]].

The beliefs and practices of the pre-classical era (1500–500BC) are called the "historical Vedic religion". Modern Hinduism grew out of the [[Vedas]],a large corpus of texts originating in Ancient India. They form the oldest layer of [[Sanskrit]] literature and the oldest sacred texts of Hinduism.[, the oldest of which is the [[Rigveda]], dated to 1700–1100BC. The Vedas center on worship of deities such as [[Indra]], Varuna and Agni, and on the Soma ritual. They performed fire-sacrifices, called yajña and chanted Vedic mantras but did not build temples or icons. The oldest Vedic traditions exhibit strong similarities to [[Zoroastrian]]ism and with other Indo-European religions. During the Epic and Puranic periods, the earliest versions of the epic poems [[Ramayana]] and [[Mahabharata]] were written roughly from 500–100BC, although these were orally transmitted for centuries prior to this period. The epics contain mythological stories about the rulers and wars of ancient India, and are interspersed with religious and philosophical treatises. The later Puranas recount tales about devas and devis, their interactions with humans and their battles against demons.

===Buddhism in India===

Buddhism originated in Eastern India in the 6th century B.C. and spread to the rest of Asia through individual and organized missionaries, although there are few practicing Buddhists left in India today.

===Jainism in India===

Jainism originated in Eastern India in the 6th century B.C. and spread to the rest of India; today they are mostly concentrated in the Southern and Western parts of the country.

===Sikhism in India===

Sikhism is a monotheistic religion that originated in India in the 16th century A.D.

===Other Religions in India===

[[Christianity]] arrived in India in the first century A.D., possibly through the travels of the [[Apostle Thomas]], whose tomb in the Indian city of Chennai is a major pilgrimage site for Christians in India.

[[Islam]] arrived in the latter half of the 8th century A.D. as a consequence of both war and trade. It continued to spread with invasions, wars and forced conversions by Afghans and Turkic Mongols. They slowly integrated into the society and formed India's Islamic tradition. The [[Taj Mahal]], India's national monument, was built by a Muslim emperor named Shah Jahan. Islam is practiced by around 13.4% of all Indians.
[[Image:Taj Mahal.jpg|thumb|Taj Mahal]]

Although small in number, India does have a Jewish community. The first identifiably [[Judaism|Jewish]] migrants arrived in India as the Bene Israel group. There is some debate as to the Jewishness of a possibly older group of Indians in the Northeastern part of the country called the Bnei Menashe.

===Religious Persecution===

While for many years India has been known as an area of the world where a melting pot of religions could be practiced freely, troubling and persistent persecution against [[Christian]]s by the [[Hindu]] majority arose in the 1990s and has continued since that time. In October 2008, 38 Christians were killed and 30,000 fled from efforts of Hindu militants to force them to convert to Hinduism<ref>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27380721</ref>

==Government==
According to its Constitution, India is a "sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic." Like the United States, India has a federal form of government. However, the central government in India has greater power in relation to its states, and has adopted a British-style parliamentary system.

The government exercises its broad administrative powers in the name of the president, whose duties are largely ceremonial. A special electoral college elects the president and vice president indirectly for 5-year terms. Their terms are staggered, and the vice president does not automatically become president following the death or removal from office of the president.

Real national executive power is centered in the Council of Ministers (Cabinet), led by the prime minister. The president appoints the prime minister, who is designated by legislators of the political party or coalition commanding a parliamentary majority in the Lok Sabha (lower house). The president then appoints subordinate ministers on the advice of the prime minister.
[[File:Delhi Tomb of Imam Zamin Qutub Minar Complex.jpg|thumb|left|Tomb of Imam Zamin Qutub, Delhi.]]
India's bicameral Parliament consists of the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) and the Lok Sabha (House of the People). The Council of Ministers is responsible to the Lok Sabha.

The legislatures of the states and union territories elect 233 members to the Rajya Sabha, and the president appoints another 12. The members of the Rajya Sabha serve 6-year terms, with one-third up for election every 2 years. The Lok Sabha consists of 545 members, who serve 5-year terms; 543 are directly elected, and two are appointed.

India's independent judicial system began under the British, and its concepts and procedures resemble those of Anglo-Saxon countries. The Supreme Court consists of a chief justice and 25 other justices, all appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister.

India has 28 states* and 7 union territories. At the state level, some legislatures are bicameral, patterned after the two houses of the national parliament. The states' chief ministers are responsible to the legislatures in the same way the prime minister is responsible to Parliament.

Each state also has a presidentially appointed governor, who may assume certain broad powers when directed by the central government. The central government exerts greater control over the union territories than over the states, although some territories have gained more power to administer their own affairs. Local governments in India have less autonomy than their counterparts in the United States. Some states are trying to revitalize the traditional village councils, or panchayats, to promote popular democratic participation at the village level, where much of the population still lives. Over half a million panchayats exist throughout India.

 

==Principal Government Officials==
*President--Pratibha Patil
*Vice President--Mohammed Hamid Ansari
*Prime Minister--Manmohan Singh
*Home Minister--Shivraj Patil
*Minister of External Affairs--Pranab Mukherjee
*Ambassador to the U.S.--Ronen Sen
*Ambassador to the UN--Nirupam Sen

===Politics ===
The governing coalition led by the Indian National Congress sailed to a decisive victory in India’s parliamentary elections in May 2009, adding 57 seats. The election gave a second term to prime minister Manmohan Singh, age 77, a soft-spoken economic reformer, and ended the prospect of political instability in the world’s most populous democracy. The election confirmed that Sonia Gandhi, age 62, dominates the Congress Party. She is the the Italian-born widow of the assassinated former prime minister [[Rajiv Gandhi]] and the daughter-in-law of the prime minister before him, [[Indira Gandhi]], who was also assasinated. The Congress-led coalition built its near-majority with an appeal to the rural poor. During its first term, buoyed by robust economic growth, it used record government revenues to increase social spending, not just raising health and education budgets, but also starting an ambitious public works program in the countryside and a costly loan repayment waiver for farmers. Mrs. Gandhi won support by casting herself as a leader who relinquished power, turning down her party’s appeals to become prime minister, first in 2004 and again this time. Instead, she chose the soft-spoken economist, Mr. Singh, and between them, they controlled the party and the government. She took care of the politics of keeping the coalition together, while he served as the chief executive who followed her advice.

[[File:India-14.jpg|thumb|390px]]
Emerging as the nation's single largest party in the April/May 2004 Lok Sabha election, Congress currently leads a coalition government under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Party President Sonia Gandhi was re-elected by the Party National Executive in May 2005. Also a Member of Parliament, she heads the Congress Lok Sabha delegation. Congress prides itself as a secular, left of center party, with a long history of political dominance. Although its performance in national elections had steadily declined during the last 12 years, its surprise victory in 2004 was a result of recruiting strong allies into the UPA, the anti-incumbency factor among voters, and its courtship of India's many poor, rural and Muslim voters. Congress political fortunes suffered badly in the 1990s, as many traditional supporters were lost to emerging regional and caste-based parties, such as the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Samajwadi Party, but have rebounded since its May 2004 ascension to power. It currently rules either directly or in coalition with its allies in 9 states. In November 2005, the Congress regained the Chief Ministership of Jammu and Kashmir state, under a power-sharing agreement.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Rajnath Singh, holds the second-largest number of seats in the Lok Sabha. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee serves as Chairman of the BJP Parliamentary Party, and former Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani is Leader of the Opposition. The Hindu-nationalist BJP draws its political strength mainly from the "Hindi Belt" in the northern and western regions of India.

The party holds power in the states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Orissa--in coalition with the Biju Janata Dal. Popularly viewed as the party of the northern upper caste and trading communities, the BJP made strong inroads into lower castes in recent national and state assembly elections. The party must balance the competing interests of Hindu nationalists, (who advocate construction of a temple on a disputed site in Ayodhya, and other primarily religious issues), and center-right modernizers who see the BJP as a party of economic and political reform.
[[Image:Haveli in Mandawa, India.jpg|240px|right|Haveli in Mandawa.]]

Four Communist and Marxist parties are united in a bloc called the "Left Front," which controls 57 parliamentary seats. The Left Front rules the states of West Bengal and Kerala. Although it has not joined the government, Left Front support provides the crucial seats necessary for the UPA to retain power in New Delhi; without its support, the UPA government would fall. It advocates a secular and Communist ideology and opposes many aspects of economic liberalization and globalization, resulting in dissonance with Prime Minister Singh's liberal economic approach.

==Foreign Relations==
India's size, population, and strategic location give it a prominent voice in international affairs, and its growing economic strength, military prowess, and scientific and technical capacity give it added weight. The end of the Cold War dramatically affected Indian foreign policy. India remains a leader of the developing world and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). India is now strengthening its political and commercial ties with the United States, Japan, the European Union, Iran, China, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. India is an active member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

Always an active member of the United Nations, India now seeks a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. India has a long tradition of participating in UN peacekeeping operations.

==Bilateral and Regional Relations==

===Tense relations with Pakistan===

India and Pakistan have been locked in a tense rivalry since the partition of the subcontinent upon achieving independence from Great Britain in 1947. The principal source of contention has been Kashmir, whose Hindu Maharaja at that time chose to join India, although a majority of his subjects were Muslim. India maintains that his decision and subsequent elections in Kashmir have made it an integral part of India. This dispute triggered wars between the two countries in 1947 and 1965 and provoked the Kargil conflict in 1999.

Pakistan and India fought a war in December 1971 following a political crisis in what was then East Pakistan and the flight of millions of Bengali refugees to India. The brief conflict left the situation largely unchanged in the west, where the two armies reached an impasse, but a decisive Indian victory in the east resulted in the creation of Bangladesh.
[[File:Iran Pakistan India gas pipeline.JPG|thumb|left|300px|Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline.]]
Since the 1971 war, Pakistan and India have made slow progress toward normalization of relations. In July 1972, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Pakistani President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto met in the Indian hill station of Simla. They signed an agreement by which India would return all personnel and captured territory in the west and the two countries would "settle their differences by peaceful means through bilateral negotiations." Diplomatic and trade relations were re-established in 1976.

The 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan caused new strains between India and Pakistan. Pakistan supported the Afghan resistance, while India implicitly supported the Soviet occupation. In the following eight years, India voiced increasing concern over Pakistani arms purchases, U.S. military aid to Pakistan, and Pakistan's nuclear weapons program. In an effort to curtail tensions, the two countries formed a joint commission. In December 1988, Prime Ministers Rajiv Gandhi and Benazir Bhutto concluded a pact not to attack each other's nuclear facilities and initiated agreements on cultural exchanges and civil aviation.

In 1997, high-level Indo-Pakistani talks resumed after a three-year pause. The Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan met twice, and the foreign secretaries conducted three rounds of talks. In June 1997 at Lahore, the foreign secretaries identified eight "outstanding issues" around which continuing talks would be focused. The dispute over the status of Jammu and Kashmir, an issue since partition, remains the major stumbling block in their dialogue. India maintains that the entire former princely state is an integral part of the Indian union, while Pakistan insists upon the implementation of UN resolutions calling for self-determination for the people of the state.

In September 1997, the talks broke down over the structure of how to deal with the issues of Kashmir and peace and security. Pakistan advocated that separate working groups treat each issue. India responded that the two issues be taken up along with six others on a simultaneous basis. In May 1998 India, and then Pakistan, conducted nuclear tests. Attempts to restart dialogue between the two nations were given a major boost by the February 1999 meeting of both Prime Ministers in Lahore and their signing of three agreements. These efforts were stalled by the intrusion of Pakistani-backed forces into Indian-held territory near Kargil in May 1999 (that nearly turned into full scale war), and by the military coup in Pakistan that overturned the Nawaz Sharif government in October the same year. In July 2001, Mr. Vajpayee and General Pervez Musharraf, leader of Pakistan after the coup, met in Agra, but talks ended after two days without result.

After an attack on the Indian Parliament in December 2001, India-Pakistan relations cooled further as India accused Pakistan of involvement. Tensions increased, fueled by killings in Jammu and Kashmir, peaking in a troop buildup by both sides in early 2002.

Prime Minister Vajpayee's April 18, 2003 speech in Srinagar (Kashmir) revived bilateral efforts to normalize relations. In November 2003, Prime Minister Vajpayee and President Musharraf agreed to a ceasefire, which still holds, along the Line-of-Control in Jammu and Kashmir. After a series of confidence building measures, Prime Minister Vajpayee and President Musharraf met on the sidelines of the January 2004 SAARC summit in Islamabad and agreed to commence a Composite Dialogue addressing outstanding issues between India and Pakistan, including Kashmir. The UPA government has continued the Composite Dialogue with Pakistan.

In February 2004, India and Pakistan agreed to restart the "2+6" Composite Dialogue formula, which provides for talks on Peace and Security and Jammu and Kashmir, followed by technical and Secretary-level discussions on six other bilateral disputes: Siachen Glacier, Wuller Barrage/Tulbul Navigation Project, Sir Creek estuary, Terrorism and Drug Trafficking, Economic and Commercial cooperation, and the Promotion of Friendly Exchanges in various fields. The Foreign Secretary talks resumed in November 2006, after a three-month delay following the July 11, 2006 terrorist bombings in Mumbai. The meeting generated modest progress, with the two sides agreeing to establish a joint mechanism on counter-terrorism and agreeing to a follow-on meeting in February 2007. The restart of the Composite Dialogue process is especially significant, given the almost six years that transpired since the two sides agreed to this formula in 1997-98.

Following the October 2005 earthquake in Kashmir, the two governments coordinated relief efforts and opened access points along the Line-of-Control to allow relief supplies to flow from India to Pakistan and to allow Kashmiris from both sides to visit one another.

===South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)===

Certain aspects of India's relations within the subcontinent are conducted through the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). Its members are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, with the People's Republic of China, Iran, Japan, European Union, Republic of Korea, and the U.S. as observers. Established in 1985, SAARC encourages cooperation in agriculture, rural development, science and technology, culture, health, population control, narcotics, and terrorism.

SAARC has intentionally stressed these "core issues" and avoided those which could prove divisive, although political dialogue is often conducted on the margins of SAARC meetings. In 1993, India and its SAARC partners signed an agreement gradually to lower tariffs within the region. Forward movement in SAARC had slowed because of tension between India and Pakistan, and the SAARC summit scheduled for 1999 was not held until January 2002. In addition, to boost the process of normalizing India's relationship with Pakistan, the January 2004 SAARC summit in Islamabad produced an agreement to establish a South Asia Free Trade Area (SAFTA). All the member governments have ratified SAFTA, which was slated to come into force on January 1, 2006, with a series of graduated tariff cuts through 2015. As of December 2006, however, the FTA partners were still negotiating sensitive product lists, rules of origin, and technical assistance. India hosted the 2007 SAARC summit, which called for greater regional cooperation on trade, environmental, social, and counterterrorism issues.

===Relations with China===

Despite suspicions remaining from a 1962 border conflict between India and [[China]] and continuing territorial/boundary disputes, Sino-Indian relations have improved gradually since 1988. Both countries have sought to reduce tensions along the frontier, expand trade and cultural ties, and normalize relations. Their bilateral trade reached $24 billion in 2006. China is India's second-largest trading partner behind the U.S.

A series of high-level visits between the two nations has improved relations. In December 1996, Chinese President Jiang Zemin visited India on a tour of South Asia. While in New Delhi, he and the Indian Prime Minister signed a series of confidence-building measures along the disputed border, including troop reductions and weapons limitations.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao invited Prime Minister Vajpayee to visit China in June 2003. They recognized the common goals of both countries and made the commitment to build a "long-term constructive and cooperative partnership" to peacefully promote their mutual political and economic goals without encroaching upon their good relations with other countries. In Beijing, Prime Minister Vajpayee proposed the designation of special representatives to discuss the border dispute at the political level, a process that is still under way.

In November 2006, President Hu Jintao made an official state visit to India, further cementing Sino-Indian relations. India and China are building on growing economic ties to improve other aspects of their relationship such as counter-terrorism, energy, and trade. In another symbol of improved ties, the two countries opened the Nathu La Pass to bilateral trade in July 2006 for the first time in 40 years. Though it is the first direct land trade route in decades, trade is expected to be local and small since the pass is open only four months a year.

===Russia===

The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the emergence of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) had major repercussions for Indian foreign policy. India's substantial trade with the region plummeted after the Soviet collapse and has yet to recover. Longstanding military supply relationships were similarly disrupted due to questions over financing. Russia nonetheless remains India's largest supplier of military systems and spare parts.

Russia and India have not renewed the 1971 Indo-Soviet Peace and Friendship Treaty and follow what both describe as a more pragmatic, less ideological relationship. The visit of Russian President Boris Yeltsin to India in January 1993 helped cement this new relationship. The pace of high-level visits has since increased, as has discussion of major defense purchases. UPA leader Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Singh visited Russia in July 2005. President Vladimir Putin traveled to India in January 2007 to attend an Indo-Russia Summit and was the guest of honor at India's Republic Day celebrations.

==Defense==
The supreme command of the Indian armed forces is vested in the President of India. Policies concerning India's defense, and the armed forces as a whole, are formulated and confirmed by the Cabinet.

===Indian Army===

The Indian Army numbers over 1.1 million strong and fields 34 divisions. Its primary task is to safeguard the territorial integrity of the country against external threats. The Army has been heavily committed in the recent past to counterterrorism operations in Jammu and Kashmir, as well as the in the Northeast. Its current modernization program focuses on obtaining equipment to be used in combating terror. The Army often provides aid to civil authorities and assists the government in organizing relief operations.

===Indian Navy===

The Indian Navy is by far the most capable navy in the region. The Navy's primary missions are the defense of India and of India's vital sea lines of communication. India relies on the sea for 90% of its oil and natural gas and over 90% of its foreign trade. The Navy currently operates one aircraft carrier with two on order, 14 submarines, and 15 major surface combatants. It is capable of projecting power within the Indian Ocean basin and occasionally operates in the South China Sea, the Mediterranean Sea and the Arabian Gulf. Fleet introduction of the Brahmos cruise missile and the possible lease of nuclear submarines from Russia will add significantly to the Indian Navy's flexibility and striking power.

Although small, the Indian Coast Guard has been expanding rapidly in recent years. Indian Navy officers typically fill top Coast Guard positions to ensure coordination between the two services. India's Coast Guard is responsible for control of India's huge exclusive economic zone.

===Indian Air Force===

The Indian Air Force is becoming a 21st century force through modernization, new tactics and the acquisition of modern aircraft, such as the SU-30MKI, a new advanced jet trainer (BAE Hawk) and the indigenously produced advanced light [[helicopter]] (Dhruv). In June 2007, the Indian Government announced intentions to release a request for proposals for 126 multi-role combat aircraft for the Indian Air Force.

==Economy==

===General overview===
[[File:India...jpg|right|340px]]

India's population is estimated at more than 1.1 billion and is growing at 1.3% a year. It has the world's 12th largest economy--and the third largest in [[Asia]] behind [[Japan]] and [[China]]--with total [[GDP]] of around $1 trillion ($1,000 billion). Services, industry, and [[agriculture]] account for 55%, 27%, and 18% of GDP respectively. Nearly two-thirds of the population depends on agriculture for its livelihood. 700 million Indians live on $2 per day or less, but there is a large and growing [[middle class]] of 325-350 million with disposable income for consumer goods.

India is continuing to move forward with market-oriented economic reforms that began in 1991. Recent reforms include liberalized foreign investment and exchange regimes, industrial decontrol, significant reductions in [[tariff]]s and other trade barriers, reform and modernization of the financial sector, significant adjustments in government monetary and fiscal policies, and safeguarding intellectual property rights.

Real GDP growth for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2007 was 9.4%, up from 9.0% growth in the previous year. Growth for the year ending March 31, 2008 is expected to be between 8.5-9.0%. Foreign portfolio and direct investment inflows have risen significantly in recent years. They have contributed to $255 billion in foreign exchange reserves by June 2007. Government receipts from privatization were about $3 billion in fiscal year 2003-2004, but the privatization program has stalled since then.

Economic growth is constrained by inadequate infrastructure, a cumbersome bureaucracy, corruption, labor market rigidities, regulatory and foreign investment controls, the "reservation" of key products for small-scale industries, and high (although declining) fiscal deficits. The outlook for further trade liberalization is mixed. India eliminated quotas on 1,420 consumer imports in 2002 and has incrementally lowered non-agricultural customs duties in recent successive budgets. However, the tax structure is complex, with compounding effects of various taxes.

The [[United States]] is India's largest trading partner. Bilateral trade in 2006 was $32 billion. Principal U.S. exports are diagnostic or lab reagents, aircraft and parts, advanced machinery, [[cotton]], [[fertilizer]]s, ferrous waste/scrap metal, and computer hardware. Major U.S. imports from India include [[textile]]s and ready-made garments, Internet-enabled services, agricultural and related products, gems and jewelry, leather products, and chemicals.

The rapidly growing software sector is boosting service exports and modernizing India's economy. Software exports crossed $28 billion in FY 2006-2007, while business process outsourcing (BPO) revenues hit $8.3 billion in 2006-2007. Personal computer penetration is 14 per 1,000 persons. The cellular/mobile market surged to 140 million subscribers by November 2006. The country has 54 million [[cable TV]] customers.

The United States is India's largest investment partner, with a 13% share. India's total inflow of U.S. direct investment is estimated at more than $9 billion through 2006. Proposals for direct foreign investment are considered by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board and generally receive government approval. Automatic approvals are available for investments involving up to 100% foreign equity, depending on the kind of industry. Foreign investment is particularly sought after in power generation, telecommunications, ports, roads, petroleum exploration/processing, and mining.

India's external debt was $155 billion in 2006-2007, up from $126 billion in 2005-2006. Foreign assistance was approximately $3 billion in 2006-2007, with the United States providing about $126 million in development assistance. The [[World Bank]] plans to double aid to India to almost $3 billion a year, with focus on infrastructure, education, health, and rural livelihoods.

===Agriculture===
[[Image:Varma Lady Carrying Fruits.jpg|thumb|Lady Carrying Fruits by Ravi Varma.]]
India has a cultivated area of 138 million hectares which almost equals that of the [[European Union]]. A lot of the land has good agriculture potential especially where water supplies are available. Arable farming, especially cereals is the main kind of farming. India, which has two thirds of its working population relying on the land to earn a living, desperately needs to improve agriculture production in order to develop its economy.

When India became independent from [[Britain]] in 1947 the Indian government recognized agriculture as a key area for economic development. Despite this there has been limited modernization of the sector. There hasn’t been an effective land reform package introduced to redistribute land from wealthy landlords to landless peasants. In the 1990’s almost half of rural families had plots of 0.5 hectares or no land at all, but a quarter of India’s agricultural land was owned by five percent of rich landowning families. This has made it nearly impossible to mechanize and introduce modern farm practices.

The dominant type of farming throughout India is intensive [[Subsistence farming]]. It is used especially in rural areas with high population density, where people depend on being able to feed themselves. [[Rice]] is very important for this type of farming, especially in the Indus and Ganges flood plains. Other crops such as wheat and millet are grown in drier parts of peninsular India. Farming is a family affair, with all planting, flooding and harvesting done by hand. One of the reasons rural Indians have such large families is to provide free labour to help harvest crops. This adds to the pressure on India’s service sector and India’s agriculture sector to meet the demands of India’s ever-growing population.

India is a country that has benefited from the Green revolution. This refers to the development and introduction of genetically modified, high yield varieties of staple crops, such as rice and wheat. These ‘miracle’ crops produce high yields and are resistant to disease and pests. Due to the Green revolution, India has managed to become a net exporter of food.

There is however some problems linked to the Green revolution. It depends on large inputs of chemical fertilizers and pesticides that may be costly and harmful to the soil in the long run. Labour is often replaced with machinery, so rural unemployment goes up and more people leave the land and go to towns, increasing rural-urban migration. A well-educated farm population and capital investment are needed. It only really benefits comparatively few, large-scale farmers; large numbers of small-scale farmers may not be able to benefit from the process.

For a large number of Indian farmers a better solution would be the introduction of more intermediate technology and a more effective programme of land reform. While the Green revolution has brought some positive results, the vast majority of India’s rice farmers use traditional farm practices that depend heavily on the natural environment. The need to match food production to match India’s growing population is a major concern for government.

===Industry===

When India became independent in 1947 it had a largely underdeveloped Industrial system, with textiles and food processing been the key industries in the country. Only two percent of the working population had been employed in industry, which was concentrated in the major cities; [[Mumbai]], [[Kolkata]] and [[Chennai]]. On gaining independence the new government was determined to reduce India’s dependence on imported goods and to promote greater wealth and employment throughout the country.

The size of India’s population provided it a large home market and the country had some natural resources (coal and Iron) a large and cheap labour force and outputs from agriculture (cotton, Jute) Mineral resources encouraged the government to develop heavy industries, such as Iron and steel, shipbuilding and chemicals. Despite these advantages development was relatively slow and only benefited a few growth centers. In addition, by the 1980’s, many heavy industries were in decline, Industrial policy has changed to emphasize Agri-industries, consumer goods industries and small craft industries, rural development (community based development and self-help schemes) and high technology industries.

Agri-industries would be advantageous to India in that it already employs a large number of people in the agricultural sector. The development of fertilizers, machinery and food processing benefits rural communities and helps in the modernization of India’s agricultural system.

[[Consumer goods]] industries are more labour intensive than large-scale heavy industries, so more jobs are created as a result. They also benefit from low labour costs and traditional skills, which make them more competitive in, export markets. E.g. jewellary, clothing, leather goods etc.

With more than 70% of India’s population living in rural areas, jobs need to be taken to these people rather than encouraging migration to urban areas. This involves support for community development projects and self-help schemes that improve skills levels among the workforce.

High technology (Hi-tech) industries are attracted to India by the growing number of India’s skilled workers (Which produces more university graduates than USA and Canada combined) low costs and improved communication systems. These high value industries add a modern face to Indian industry. Many major multinationals, such as [[IBM]] and [[Texas instruments]], have located in India. Large numbers of locally owned companies have also set up to supply software components to western markets. (See [[Spin-off Effect]])

Although the government has tried to spread industry across the country, this growing sector remains concentrated in a growing number of city regions. The most important are [[Calcutta]], [[Bombay]] and [[Bangalore]]. Bangalore is known as ‘India’s silicon valley’ as a result of all the high-tech industries which have set up there.
===Education===
[[File:Sikh pilgrim at the Golden Temple in Amritsar India.jpg|thumb|300px|Sikh pilgrim at the Golden Temple in Amritsar.]]
India has a large number of universities, but the quality ranges from poor to medicore. The best students head to the U.S. or Britain. To cover this weakness, the government in July 2009 announced plans to expand the higher education budget by 40%, to $3.1-billion, for 2009-10.

The government in 2009 allotted an extra $435-million to the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology and the National Institutes of Technology, and $170.5-million more to open 16 central universities in states that lack one. In keeping with its agenda of inclusive economic growth, the government has also announced interest-free loans for disadvantaged students to take technical and professional courses.

To increase India’s college-going rate to 21% by 2017, Prime Minister Singh has announced plans to start five new Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research, eight new Indian Institutes of Technology, seven new Indian Institutes of Management, and 20 new Indian Institutes of Information Technology — thus doubling the number of top-tier institutions in the country. He also wants to set up 16 central universities, 14 “world class” universities, and almost 400 colleges.

==History==
See [[History of India]]

==Further reading==
* Cohen, Stephen P. ''India: Emerging Power'' (2002) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0815715013/ref=sib_dp_pt/103-4827826-5463040#reader-link excerpt and online search from Amazon.com]
* Guha, Ramachandra. ''India After Gandhi: The History of the World's Largest Democracy'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/India-After-Gandhi-History-Democracy/dp/0060958588/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242545228&sr=1-8 excerpt and text search]
* Nilekani, Nandan. ''Imagining India: The Idea of a Renewed Nation'' (2009) business in India [http://www.amazon.com/Imagining-India-Idea-Renewed-Nation/dp/1594202044/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242545602&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Panagariya, Arvind. ''India: The Emerging Giant'' (2008) 544 pp., The major recent history; for advanced readers. [http://www.amazon.com/India-Emerging-Giant-Arvind/dp/0195315030/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222697254&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]
* Wolpert, Stanley. ''India'' (4th ed. 2009), 264pp; excellent overview and introduction [http://www.amazon.com/India-Stanley-Wolpert/dp/0520260325/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255296028&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]
===Guides===
* ''India'' (Lonely Planet Guide) by Sarina Singh et al. (2007) [http://www.amazon.com/India-Country-Guide-Sarina-Singh/dp/1741043085/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242545228&sr=1-4 excerpt and text search]
* '' India'' (Eyewitness Travel Guides by DK Publishing (2002) [http://www.amazon.com/India-Eyewitness-Travel-Guides-Publishing/dp/0789483955/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242545500&sr=1-18 excerpt and text search]
* ''India - Culture Smart!: a quick guide to customs and etiquette'' by Nicki Grihault (2006) [http://www.amazon.com/India-Culture-Smart-customs-etiquette/dp/1857333055/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242545228&sr=1-5 excerpt and text search]
* ''The Rough Guide to India'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/Rough-Guide-India-Travel-Guides/dp/1858289947/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242545228&sr=1-10 excerpt and text search]

==References==
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<references/>
</div>

== See also ==
*[[World History Lecture Three]] for more information on Ancient India.
*[[Anti-conversion legislation in India]]
*[[Oriental art]]
*[[Indian Painting]]

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{{Copyright Details (US Government)|source=[http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3454.htm]}}

{{Asian Countries}}
[[Category:India]]
[[Category:Indian History]]

Paleolibertarianism

2012-12-14T14:07:55Z

Thatteapartyguy: /* Social Conservatism */

'''Paleolibertarianism''' is a school of [[libertarianism|libertarian]] thought. Paleolibertarians, sometimes referred to as "paleos", are libertarians who believe that [[conservative|social conservatism]] is a natural form of values in a free society. Paleoconservatives support most [[conservative_values|conservative values]] but believe that government should not enforce them. Many view [[anarcho-capitalism]] as an ideal society.

== History of term and later rejection by coiner ==

The term "paleolibertarian" was coined by Lew Rockwell of the [[Ludwig von Mises Institute]] as a means of separating idealist anti-government libertarians from the so-called "Beltway libertarians" of groups such as the [[Cato Institute]].<ref>[http://karendecoster.com/about Karen De Coster "About Me" page]</ref> In 2007, Rockwell rejected the term "paleolibertarian", claiming he didn't intend for it to be associated with social conservatism.<ref>[http://www.lewrockwell.com/rockwell/liberal-post-interview.html "LewRockwell.com: Do You Consider Yourself a Libertarian?"]</ref>

Many feel that this was due to allegations of racism during the 2008 Ron Paul presidential campaign.<ref>[http://www.vdare.com/misc/080514_pendleton.htm Lew Rockwell And The Strange Death (Or At Least Suspended Animation) Of Paleolibertarianism]</ref> During the campaign, many [[politically incorrect]] columns and controversial columnists were pulled from his site, LewRockwell.com.<ref>[http://www.vdare.com/misc/080514_pendleton.htm Ibid.]</ref>

== Social Conservatism ==

Although paleolibertarians differ from many other libertarians in their [[social conservatism|socially conservative]] views, they share the idea that government should not enforce these values. For instance, although many libertarians personally support [[same-sex marriage]], paleolibertarians do not. However, both groups feel that the government should not enforce anti-homosexual values, regardless of whether they personally hold them. Rather, they support same-sex marriage, or in some cases [[marriage privatization]]. Many paleolibertarians are [[pro-life]] and therefore support government intervention in this case.

== Notable Paleolibertarians ==

*[[Ron Paul]]
*Lew Rockwell
*Hans Hermann-Hoppe
*[[Murray Rothbard]]
*[[Justin Amash]]
*[[Walter B. Jones]]
*[[Rand Paul]]
*[[Mike Lee]]

== Links ==

*[http://www.lewrockwell.com/ LewRockwell.com]
*[http://www.mises.org/ Ludwig von Mises Institute]
*[http://www.propertyandfreedom.org/ Property and Freedom Society]

== References ==

<references/>

[[Category:Political Ideologies]]
[[Category:Libertarianism]]

Paleolibertarianism

2012-12-14T14:06:44Z

Thatteapartyguy: /* Notable Paleolibertarians */

'''Paleolibertarianism''' is a school of [[libertarianism|libertarian]] thought. Paleolibertarians, sometimes referred to as "paleos", are libertarians who believe that [[conservative|social conservatism]] is a natural form of values in a free society. Paleoconservatives support most [[conservative_values|conservative values]] but believe that government should not enforce them. Many view [[anarcho-capitalism]] as an ideal society.

== History of term and later rejection by coiner ==

The term "paleolibertarian" was coined by Lew Rockwell of the [[Ludwig von Mises Institute]] as a means of separating idealist anti-government libertarians from the so-called "Beltway libertarians" of groups such as the [[Cato Institute]].<ref>[http://karendecoster.com/about Karen De Coster "About Me" page]</ref> In 2007, Rockwell rejected the term "paleolibertarian", claiming he didn't intend for it to be associated with social conservatism.<ref>[http://www.lewrockwell.com/rockwell/liberal-post-interview.html "LewRockwell.com: Do You Consider Yourself a Libertarian?"]</ref>

Many feel that this was due to allegations of racism during the 2008 Ron Paul presidential campaign.<ref>[http://www.vdare.com/misc/080514_pendleton.htm Lew Rockwell And The Strange Death (Or At Least Suspended Animation) Of Paleolibertarianism]</ref> During the campaign, many [[politically incorrect]] columns and controversial columnists were pulled from his site, LewRockwell.com.<ref>[http://www.vdare.com/misc/080514_pendleton.htm Ibid.]</ref>

== Social Conservatism ==

Although paleolibertarians differ from many other libertarians in their [[social conservatism|socially conservative]] views, they share the idea that government should not enforce these values. For instance, although many libertarians personally support [[same-sex marriage]], paleolibertarians do not. However, both groups feel that the government should not enforce anti-homosexual values, regardless of whether they personally hold them. Rather, they support same-sex marriage, or in some cases [[marriage privatization]].

== Notable Paleolibertarians ==

*[[Ron Paul]]
*Lew Rockwell
*Hans Hermann-Hoppe
*[[Murray Rothbard]]
*[[Justin Amash]]
*[[Walter B. Jones]]
*[[Rand Paul]]
*[[Mike Lee]]

== Links ==

*[http://www.lewrockwell.com/ LewRockwell.com]
*[http://www.mises.org/ Ludwig von Mises Institute]
*[http://www.propertyandfreedom.org/ Property and Freedom Society]

== References ==

<references/>

[[Category:Political Ideologies]]
[[Category:Libertarianism]]

Mike Lee

2012-12-14T14:05:53Z

Thatteapartyguy:

{{Officeholder
|name=Mike Lee
|image=MikeLee.jpg
|party=[[Republican]]
|spouse=Sharon Lee
|religion=The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
|offices=
{{Officeholder/senator
|state=Utah
|terms=January 5, 2011 - Present
|preceded=[[Bob Bennett]]
|former=n
|succeeded=
}}
}}

'''Mike Lee''' (b. June 4, 1971) is a constitutional [[conservative]], a constitutional lawyer, a [[paleolibertarian]] and is the junior Republican United States Senator from Utah, having won the 2010 election. Lee was backed by the [[Tea Party Movement]] and the [[Senate Conservatives Fund]]. He scored a primary victory against incumbent Republican [[Bob Bennett]]. At the age of 39, Lee is currently the youngest U.S. Senator. He promises to reduce the cost, size and scope of the federal government. His father was an Assistant U.S. Attorney General under President Ford and U.S. Attorney General under [[Ronald Reagan]]. Lee's legal career includes a one-year clerkship with Justice [[Samuel Alito]] at the U.S. Supreme Court. Mike and his wife Sharon have three children and live in Alpine, Utah.

==External Links==
*[http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/senators/one_item_and_teasers/Lee_Mike.htm Senate website]
*[http://www.facebook.com/mikelee2010 Facebook page]
*[http://twitter.com/#!/mikelee2010 Twitter page]
*[http://www.youtube.com/mikelee2010 YouTube channel]
*[http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikelee2010 Flickr page]

{{conservatism}}
[[Category:United States Senators]]
[[Category:Republican Party]]
[[Category:Tea Party Movement]]
[[Category:2010 Midterm Elections]]
[[Category:Mormons]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Mike}}
[[Category:Utah]]