What is the term for authoritarian rule by a single individual?

The term for authoritarian rule by a single individual is dictatorship. In a dictatorship, power is concentrated in the hands of one leader who often wields absolute control over the state and its functions. This leader typically governs without the consent of the governed and may suppress political opposition and civil liberties.

In contrast, a monarchy refers to a form of government in which a single person, the monarch, rules based on hereditary succession; monarchies can be absolute but are not necessarily authoritarian in the same way a dictatorship is. An oligarchy is characterized by power being held by a small group of people, often from the same socioeconomic or political class, rather than a single individual. Constitutional rule suggests a government structure governed by a constitution that outlines the rights of citizens and limits the powers of leaders, differing fundamentally from an authoritarian mode of governance.