Liberal autocracy

Overview

The existence of real liberties in many of these autocracies is questionable. For instance, 19th-century autocracies often abolished feudal institutions like serfdom, guilds, privileges for the nobility and inequality before the law, but freedom of speech and freedom of association were at best limited. As such, liberal autocracy often preceded various forms of electoral democracy in the evolution of these nations, being much more open than feudal monarchies but less free than modern liberal democracies.

Hong Kong is often regarded as a special case, where in the later years of British colonial rule before the handover, there was considerable freedom of speech and freedom of association. However, it was widely recognised, including by the British, that China would not allow part of its territory to sustain these freedoms or to hold completely free elections even if it retained autonomy as a special administrative region (SAR). It was also suggested that since 2005 and prior to the consequences of the Arab Spring, Egypt had been leaning towards a liberal autocracy.

Political system of Pahlavi Iran (particularly during the reign of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi) is also considered an example of liberal autocracy; the regime held back political participation and civil society while implementing cultural liberal policies, including the promotion of women's rights and secularization.