ABSTRACT
In this context, Arendt refers to Montesquieu, who contrasts despotism-as a fundamentally unique kind of rule-to the triad of monarchy, aristocracy and democracy. (The latter three, as is well known, could all be ‘republican’ according to the European tradition of political theory.) Because only the oriental despotisms stood at Montesquieu’s disposal as examples of despotism, many of the characteristics named by him do not fit totalitarianism. Nonetheless, there are some important ones:
• The principle of despotism is fear5 (which is total rule for Arendt).
