Dictablanda facts for kids

Dictablanda is a special kind of dictatorship. In a dictablanda, the government is still very powerful, but it lets people keep some of their civil liberties. Civil liberties are basic rights like freedom of speech or the right to gather peacefully.

The word dictablanda is a clever play on words from Spanish. It combines dictadura (which means "dictatorship") with blanda (which means "soft"). So, it literally means "soft dictatorship," unlike a "hard" one where all freedoms are taken away.

What is a Dictablanda?

A dictablanda is a type of government where a single leader or a small group holds most of the power. However, unlike a full dictatorship, it tries to appear less strict. It might allow some limited freedoms, like certain newspapers or public discussions, but always under the government's watchful eye.

When Was the Term First Used?

The term dictablanda first appeared in Spain in 1930. This happened when Dámaso Berenguer took over from Miguel Primo de Rivera y Orbaneja as the country's leader. Berenguer tried to make things calmer by undoing some of the very strict rules Primo de Rivera had put in place.

Examples of Dictablandas

The idea of a "soft dictatorship" has been used to describe different times and places:

• The later years of Francisco Franco's rule in Spain were sometimes called a dictablanda.
• The 70-year rule of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) in Mexico was also seen by some as a dictablanda. Even though elections happened, the PRI almost always won, and they controlled much of the country's politics.
• In Uruguay, the short time Alfredo Baldomir was in power in 1942 was nicknamed dictablanda. This was because it was less harsh than the earlier rule by Gabriel Terra.

Similar Ideas in Other Languages

The same idea exists in Portuguese. People use words like ditabranda or ditamole to mean a "soft dictatorship." In 2009, a Brazilian newspaper called Folha de S.Paulo used "ditabranda" to describe the military dictatorship in Brazil (1964–1985). This caused a lot of discussion and debate.

Dictablanda Versus Democradura

In Spanish, dictablanda is often compared to another interesting word: democradura.

• A dictablanda is a dictatorship that tries to be soft.
• A democradura is the opposite. It's a government that looks like a democracy because leaders are elected, but it doesn't truly protect people's civil liberties. So, it's a "hard democracy" or an illiberal democracy.

See also

In Spanish: Dictablanda para niños

• Authoritarian democracy
• Illiberal democracy