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Wellsprings
politics

Despotic Rule (Mastery)

δεσποτεία

Rule over men as a master rules slaves — for the master's gain. To Greek eyes, the very shape of barbarian kingship.

When Aristotle wanted to name the worst form of holding power, he reached for the household: despoteia is rule exercised over subjects the way a master rules slaves, for the ruler's benefit rather than the ruled. He set it against political rule among free and equal citizens who govern and are governed in turn. Greeks characteristically ascribed this mastery-rule to barbarian, especially Persian, monarchies — peoples they imagined as naturally servile and content to be owned by a king.

Where this idea shows up

30 Greek sources·1 Jewish-canon citation

Where to read it