The system of government or rule by a czar; an autocratic form of government where one person has absolute power.
Formed from czar with the English suffix -ism (meaning a system or ideology), following the pattern of words like absolutism, despotism, and monarchy. This word became common in 19th-century political discussions about Russia.
Czarism describes not just having a czar as a ruler, but the entire political system of absolute power—so it's similar to how 'capitalism' isn't just about wealthy capitalists but a whole economic system, showing how -ism transforms simple nouns into descriptions of complete ideologies.
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