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A family dictatorship is a form of dictatorship that operates much like an absolute monarchy, yet occurs in a nominally republican state.
When the dictator of a family dictatorship dies, one of his relatives (usually his son) becomes the new ruler of the country. This transition often occurs after years of "grooming" the dictator's successor as heir apparent.
What makes a family dictatorship unique is that this heriditary order of succession is not formally enshrined in law, as it is in a monarchy.
Successful transitions of power
Dates in parentheses denote the period of rule.
- England: Oliver Cromwell (1653-1658) succeeded by his son Richard Cromwell (1658-1659)
- Nicaragua: Anastasio Somoza García (1937-1947, 1950-1956) succeeded by his son Luis Somoza Debayle (1956-1963). There was also a third Somoza president, Anastasio Somoza Debayle (1967-1972, 1974-1979), though he did not directly succeed the other two.
- North Korea: Kim Il Sung (1948-1994) succeeded by his son Kim Jong-il (1994- )
- Haiti: François Duvalier (1957-1971) succeeded by his son Jean-Claude Duvalier (1971-1986)
- Armenia- Aram Sarkisyan (1999-2000) replaced his brother Vazgen Sarkisian (1996-1999)
- Syria: Hafez al-Assad (1971-2000) succeeded by his son Bashar al-Assad (2000- )
- Azerbaijan: Heydar Aliyev (1993-2003) succeeded by his son Ilham Aliyev (2003- )
- Congo-Kinshasa: Laurent Kabila (1997-2001), succeeded by his son Joseph Kabila (2001-)
- Togo: Faure Gnassingbé succeeded his father Gnassingbé Eyadéma as President on February 5, 2005. Under international pressure, Faure had to resign on February 25, 2005, but he won an election in April and was sworn in again in May.
Indirect successions
- Republic of China (from 1949 on Taiwan): Chiang Kai-shek (1928-1975) indirectly succeeded by his son Chiang Ching-kuo (1975-1988)
Unsuccessful transitions of power
- China: Mao Zedong's original heir, his eldest son Mao Anying, was killed during the Korean War.
- Romania: Nicolae Ceauşescu's heir apparent was his son Nicu Ceauşescu.
- Iraq: Saddam Hussein's heir apparent was his son Uday and latter the second oldest son Qusay. Saddam was removed from power in 2003 and both sons were killed.
Prospective family dictatorships
- Egypt: Aging Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak introduced his son Gamal Mubarak into the leadership of the National Democratic Party. Succession is considered probable, even certain, by many, although this prospect has been officially downplayed.
- Libya: Muammar al-Qaddafi rumoured to be considering transferring power to one of his three eldest sons (Muhammad Qaddafi, Al-Saadi Qaddafi, or Saif al-Islam Qaddafi), or to his daughter, Ayesha Qaddafi.
- North Korea: Kim Jong-il rumoured to transfer power to his son Kim Jong-nam or his son Kim Jong-chul.
- Maldives: Maumoon Abdul Gayoom likely to transfer power to his daughter Dunya Maumoon or Brother Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom.
- Cuba: Raúl Castro as a major player in the Cuban Revolution is likely to inherit power from Fidel Castro, if his brother becomes disabled or dies.
- Kazakhstan: Nursultan Nazarbayev may transfer power to his daughter Dariga Nazarbayev
See also
External link
"Family dictatorship"