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  • Essay / Oppression and authoritarianism: understanding the nature of tyranny

    People do not depend on the regime, rather it is the regime and its existing system that depend on people and their willingness to comply. Tyrannies do not have power over people because of any God-given right. Instead, it is the people who empower a tyranny. Because the regime and system in place needs validation from the people to have power, if the people deny their power, then tyranny can be overthrown because power lies in numbers. In this essay on tyranny, we will define this concept and understand what we, as a society, can do to defeat tyranny in government. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essay Tyranny refers to a form of government in which a single person, known as a tyrant, holds power and control. absolute authority, usually through the use of oppressive and authoritarian methods. In a tyranny, the power of the ruler is not limited by laws, the constitution, or any other form of government. The ruler's authority is based on fear and repression and power is passed to the ruler's descendants or followers. Tyrannies are characterized by the suppression of political opposition, the restriction of civil liberties, the suppression of freedom of speech and the press, and the use of force and violence to maintain control. Furthermore, tyrannies often involve the use of secret police, censorship, and propaganda to control the population and maintain the power of the ruling regime. The way tyrannies accumulate their power is reminiscent of a board game. The game is designed by the state and aims to keep players playing. The players in the game are the people under the control of tyranny. Tyranny makes a guide of strict rules on how to play the game, much like the instruction booklet for a board game. If players decided to stop playing and live in the realm of truth, the game would no longer have any power over them. If everyone stopped playing, the game would end. Much like the example of the greengrocer, his act of non-compliance threatened the entire system as he denied playing the game anymore. He thus denied his consent to give the regime power over itself. As a result, people are both victims and pillars of the system. By denying the lies of the state and living in the truth, people automatically differentiate themselves from the state-mandated system. This defect reveals the fragility of the State since power is only effective to the extent that citizens are ready to submit to it. As Snyder's book "On Tyranny" and Havel's political essay "Power of The Powerless" show, actions that stand out and are based in truth can prevent tyranny. The example of the greengrocer used in Havel's political essay illustrates how believing in the truth and standing out work in unison to end tyranny. The greengrocer refuses to participate in the ritual of displaying the slogan of tyranny in his window, on the grounds that the sign is a lie. His refusal of the slogan against dominant public opinion makes it an action that stands out from societal norms. Through the actions of the greengrocer, he reveals to the audience that it is possible to live freely in truth, as we are inherently inclined to do as humans. His refusal to empower empty slogans and pointless rituals is him refusing to be part of the lie that oppresses himself and others. His action takes away power from the