威权主义 (wēiquán zhǔyì) — authoritarianism
HSK 5 | noun | political system based on concentrated authority and limited freedoms
威权主义 (wēiquán zhǔyì)
威权主义 refers to a political ideology or system in which power is concentrated in a single authority with limited political freedoms and civil liberties. It is commonly contrasted with democracy and liberalism in political discourse.
Meanings
- [noun] authoritarianism; a system of governance that prioritizes centralized control over individual freedoms
Example Sentences
威权主义政府通常限制公民的言论自由。 Wēiquán zhǔyì zhèngfǔ tōngcháng xiànzhì gōngmín de yánlùn zìyóu. Authoritarian governments typically restrict citizens' freedom of speech.
许多学者研究威权主义与民主制度的区别。 Xǔduō xuézhě yánjiū wēiquán zhǔyì yǔ mínzhǔ zhìdù de qūbié. Many scholars study the differences between authoritarianism and democratic systems.
历史上，威权主义往往伴随着对反对声音的压制。 Lìshǐ shàng, wēiquán zhǔyì wǎngwǎng bànsuízhe duì fǎnduì shēngyīn de yāzhì. Historically, authoritarianism has often been accompanied by suppression of dissent.
经济发展并不能为威权主义提供长久的合法性。 Jīngjì fāzhǎn bìng bù néng wèi wēiquán zhǔyì tígōng chángjiǔ de héfǎxìng. Economic development cannot provide lasting legitimacy for authoritarianism.
该国的威权主义倾向令国际观察人士感到担忧。 Gāi guó de wēiquán zhǔyì qīngxiàng lìng guójì guānchá rénshì gǎndào dānyōu. The country's authoritarian tendencies have caused concern among international observers.
公民社会的壮大被认为是抵制威权主义的重要力量。 Gōngmín shèhuì de zhuàngdà bèi rènwéi shì dǐzhì wēiquán zhǔyì de zhòngyào lìliàng. A strong civil society is considered an important force in resisting authoritarianism.
Collocations
| Collocation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 威权主义政府 | authoritarian government |
| 威权主义体制 | authoritarian system |
| 反对威权主义 | oppose authoritarianism |
| 威权主义倾向 | authoritarian tendency |
| 威权主义统治 | authoritarian rule |
Usage Notes
威权主义 is the noun form (the ideology or system). The adjective "authoritarian" is often expressed as 威权的 or 威权主义的 before a noun. In academic and journalistic writing, 威权主义 is the standard term; in everyday speech, 独裁 (dictatorship) is sometimes used more loosely as a synonym, though the two concepts differ in degree.
The term carries a strongly negative connotation in contemporary usage. It is frequently paired with 民主 (democracy) as an opposing concept in political science discussions.
Memory Hook
威 means "power/authority" and 权 means "rights/power" -- 威权 is unchecked power, and 主义 means "-ism", so 威权主义 is the ideology of unchecked power.