Dictatorship

High school (ages 12+)
People & Society

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/dictatorship

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the methods of maintaining power?Combination of coercion, political repression, propaganda, and co-optation of elites
2. Why do dictators try to control the news and schools?They want to keep people from hearing different ideas, so they can keep everyone following their rules.
3. How do dictators keep people from fighting back?They watch for people who disagree, use the police or army to stop them, and sometimes give rewards to loyal helpers.

Authoritarianism: A form of government characterized by strong central power and limited political freedoms.
Totalitarianism: A system where the state holds total authority over society and controls every aspect of public and private life.
Coup d'état: A sudden, illegal seizure of power from a government, often by the military.