autocracy
Autocracy is a system of rule that dresses itself in control while smothering liberty. It proclaims authority loudly but insists on obedience in practice, a genuine paradox. Citizens’ voices must pass through the filters of surveillance and censorship, rarely reaching their destination intact. The rule of law serves merely as ornamental veneer, reshaped at the whim of those in power. It promises safety and security, yet its deepest fear is the populace’s autonomy.