Authoritarian democracy

Authoritarian democracy is a form of democracy directed by a ruling elite of an authoritarian state that seeks to represent the different interests of society. Authoritarian democracy has also been called "organic democracy" by some proponents. In use for cases of fascism it has also been referred to as totalitarian democracy.

Authoritarian democracy was first developed and used by Bonapartism. The Bonapartist conception of authoritarian democracy was based upon Emmanuel Joseph Sieyès's maxim, "confidence from below, authority from above", which he claimed must be an enlightened authority that is responsive to the needs and clamour of the people.

Authoritarian democracy was promoted by fascists, who presented fascism as a form of authoritarian democracy. It explicitly rejects the conventional concept of democracy as in a majoritarian democracy that assumes equality of citizens. The concept of authoritarian democracy in fascism was developed by Italian fascist political theorist Giovanni Gentile and used by Italian Fascist leader Benito Mussolini. The Nazis supported the concept of authoritarian democracy. Francisco Franco's quasi-fascist Falange in Nationalist Spain promoted the concept, but named it "organic democracy" that was based upon national plebiscites issued from the Spanish government to the Spanish people.