Faces of despotism

What exactly is despotism? Is it the same as tyranny? And in what ways is either of these related to dictatorship? Despots are, by definition, leaders, but are leaders 'born', or is leadership a function of particular types of situation? In other words, is despotism conditioned by its social context, and are the circumstances in which it is generated different from those which serve to maintain it?

This study is both historical and comparative, and ranges over a wide spectrum of societies. The analysis aims to show that although different manifestations of despotism have much in common, it is actually difficult to define. It considers the concentration of power in the hands of single rulers, but this study also demonstrates that the exercise of power is often conditioned by ideological factors.