All Topics  
President for Life

 

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

President for Life
 
 
  Topics President for Life Topic Home

President for Life is a title
Title

A title is a Prefix or Suffix added to a person's name to signify either veneration, an official position or a professional or academic qualification....
 assumed by some dictator
Dictator

A dictator is an authoritarian ruler who assumes sole and absolute power without hereditary ascension such as an absolute monarch. When other states call the head of state of a particular state a dictator, that state is called a dictatorship....
s to remove their term limit
Term limit

A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of Term of office a person may serve in a particular elected office. Term limits are found usually in Presidential system and semi-presidential systems as a method to curb the potential for dictatorships, where a leader effectively becomes "president for life"....
, in the hope that their authority
Authority

In government, authority is often used interchangeably with the term "power ". However, their meanings differ: while "power" refers to the ability to achieve certain ends, "authority" refers to a claim of legitimacy , the justification and right to exercise that power....
, legitimacy
Legitimacy (political science)

The word legitimacy is often interpreted in a Norm or a positive way. In a normative sense, legitimacy gets greater attention as a part of moral philosophy....
, and term will never be disputed
Dissenting opinion

A dissenting opinion in a legal case is an opinion of one or more judges expressing disagreement with the majority opinion of the court which gives rise to its judgment....
.

The first well-known incident of a republican leader extending his term indefinitely was Roman
Ancient Rome

Ancient Rome was a civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC....
 dictator Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar

'Gaius Julius Caesar' , July 13, 100 BC ? March 15, 44 BC,) was a Roman Republic military and political leader. He played a critical role in the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
, who made himself "Perpetual Dictator
Roman dictator

Dictator was a political office of the Roman Republic. The dictator was above the three branches of government in the constitution of the Roman Republic as no other body or officer could check his power....
" (commonly mistranslated as 'Dictator-for-life') in 45 BC. Originally, the office of dictator could only be held for six months. His actions would later be mimicked by the French leader Napoleon Bonaparte who was appointed "First Consul for life" in 1802.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'President for Life'
Start a new discussion about 'President for Life'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


President for Life is a title
Title

A title is a Prefix or Suffix added to a person's name to signify either veneration, an official position or a professional or academic qualification....
 assumed by some dictator
Dictator

A dictator is an authoritarian ruler who assumes sole and absolute power without hereditary ascension such as an absolute monarch. When other states call the head of state of a particular state a dictator, that state is called a dictatorship....
s to remove their term limit
Term limit

A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of Term of office a person may serve in a particular elected office. Term limits are found usually in Presidential system and semi-presidential systems as a method to curb the potential for dictatorships, where a leader effectively becomes "president for life"....
, in the hope that their authority
Authority

In government, authority is often used interchangeably with the term "power ". However, their meanings differ: while "power" refers to the ability to achieve certain ends, "authority" refers to a claim of legitimacy , the justification and right to exercise that power....
, legitimacy
Legitimacy (political science)

The word legitimacy is often interpreted in a Norm or a positive way. In a normative sense, legitimacy gets greater attention as a part of moral philosophy....
, and term will never be disputed
Dissenting opinion

A dissenting opinion in a legal case is an opinion of one or more judges expressing disagreement with the majority opinion of the court which gives rise to its judgment....
.

The first well-known incident of a republican leader extending his term indefinitely was Roman
Ancient Rome

Ancient Rome was a civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC....
 dictator Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar

'Gaius Julius Caesar' , July 13, 100 BC ? March 15, 44 BC,) was a Roman Republic military and political leader. He played a critical role in the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
, who made himself "Perpetual Dictator
Roman dictator

Dictator was a political office of the Roman Republic. The dictator was above the three branches of government in the constitution of the Roman Republic as no other body or officer could check his power....
" (commonly mistranslated as 'Dictator-for-life') in 45 BC. Originally, the office of dictator could only be held for six months. His actions would later be mimicked by the French leader Napoleon Bonaparte who was appointed "First Consul for life" in 1802. Since then, many dictators have adopted similar titles, either on their own authority or having it granted to them by rubber stamp
Rubber stamp (politics)

A rubber stamp, as a list of political metaphors, refers to a person or institution with de jure considerable formal power but little de facto power, one that rarely disagrees with more powerful organs....
 legislatures.

Ironically, most leaders who have proclaimed themselves President for Life have not in fact gone on to successfully serve a life term. Most have been deposed long before their death. However, some, such as Rafael Carrera
Rafael Carrera

Jos? Rafael Carrera Turcios was the ruler of Guatemala from about 1839 until his death. He was the first President of Guatemala, representing the Conservatives, on two occasions: from 4 December 1844 to 16 August 1848, and from 6 November 1851 - 14 April 1865 ....
, François Duvalier
François Duvalier

Dr. Fran?ois Duvalier, known as "Papa Doc" , was the List of Presidents of Ha?ti of Haiti from 1957 to 1971. In 1964 he made himself President for Life....
, Saparmurat Niyazov
Saparmurat Niyazov

Saparmyrat Ata?ewi? Ny?azow served as the head of state of Turkmenistan from 1985 until his death in 2006. He served as the First Secretary of the Turkmen Communist Party from 1985 until 1991 and the first President of Turkmenistan from 2 November 1990 until his death....
, José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia
José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia

Dr. Jos? Gaspar Rodr?guez de Francia y Velasco was the first leader of Paraguay following its independence from Spain. He ran the country with no outside interference and little outside influence from 1814 to 1840....
 and Josip Broz Tito
Josip Broz Tito

Josip Broz Tito, original name Josip Broz was the leader of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1945 until his death in 1980. During World War II, Tito organized the anti-fascist resistance movement known as the People's Liberation Movement led by Yugoslav Partisans....
 have managed to rule until their (natural) deaths.

Some very long-serving authoritarian presidents, such as North Korea
North Korea

North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea , is a state in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula....
's Kim Il-sung
Kim Il-sung

Kim Il-sung was the president and absolute ruler of North Korea from its founding in early 1948 until his death, when he was succeeded by his son Kim Jong-il....
 or Cuba
Cuba

The Republic of Cuba is a country in the Caribbean. It consists of the island of Cuba , the island of Isla de la Juventud, and several adjacent small islands....
's Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro

Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary leader who was prime minister of Cuba from February 1959 to December 1976 and then president, premier until his resignation from the office in February 2008....
, who were frequently thought of as examples of Presidents for Life, actually underwent periodic renewal of mandate but these are largely regarded as show election
Show election

A show election, also known as a sham election or rubber stamp election, is an election that is held purely for show, that is, without any significant political purpose....
s. After Kim Il-sung's death, the North Korean government wrote the presidential office out of the constitution, declaring him "Eternal President
Eternal President of the Republic

The position of Eternal President of the Republic is established by a line in the preface to the North Korean Constitution of North Korea. It reads:...
" in order to honor his memory forever.

Others made unsuccessful attempts to have themselves named President for Life, such as Mobutu Sese Seko
Mobutu Sese Seko

Mobutu Sese Seko Nkuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga , commonly known as Mobutu, or Mobutu Sese Seko , born Joseph-D?sir? Mobutu, was the Heads of state of the Democratic Republic of the Congo of Zaire for 32 years after deposing Joseph Kasavubu....
 of Zaire
Zaire

The Republic of Zaire was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between 27 October 1971, and 17 May 1997. The name of Zaire derives from the , itself an adaptation of the Kongo language word nzere or nzadi, or "the river that swallows all rivers", and is often still used to refer to that state, perhaps because "Zai...
 in 1972.

Notably, George Washington
George Washington

George Washington was the leader of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War and served as the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States of the United States of Americas ....
 rejected all attempts to make him President for Life. That particular institution, as designed by its proponents, was, however, quite dissimilar from the modern usage, being an attempt to establish a limited constitutional
Constitutional monarchy

A constitutional monarchy is a form of constitutional government, where in either an elected or hereditary monarch is the head of state, unlike in an absolute monarchy, wherein the king or the queen is the sole source of political power, as he or she is not legally bound by the constitution....
 elective monarchy
Elective monarchy

An elective monarchy is a monarchy ruled by someone, generally from a royal house, who is elected by a group.Some examples from history ...
.

A President-for-life may be regarded as a de facto monarch. In fact, other than the title, political scientists often face difficulties in differentiating a state ruled by a president-for-life (especially one who inherits the job from a family dictatorship
Family dictatorship

A family dictatorship, in political science terms a personalistic regime, is a form of dictatorship that occurs in a nominally or formally republican regime, but operates in practice like an absolute monarchy, in that political power passes within the dictator's family....
) and a monarchy
Monarchy

A monarchy is a form of government in which supreme power is absolutely or nominally lodged in an individual, who is the head of state, often for Life tenure or until abdication, and "is wholly set apart from all other members of the state." The person who heads a monarchy is called a monarch....
.

List of leaders who became President for Life

Note: the first date listed in each entry is the date of proclamation of their status as President for Life.
  • Toussaint Louverture of Saint-Domingue
    Saint-Domingue

    Saint-Domingue was a French colonization of the Americas colony on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola from 1659 to 1804, when it became the independent nation of Haiti....
     was proclaimed Governor for Life by the 1801 Constitution; he was arrested and exiled to metropolitan France in 1802 and died in 1803.
  • Henri Christophe
    Henri Christophe

    Henri Christophe was a key leader in the Haitian Revolution, winning independence from France in 1804. On 17 February 1807, after the creation of separate nation in the north Christophe was elected President of Ha?ti of the State of Haiti....
     of Haiti
    Haiti

    Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Haitian Creole language- and French language-speaking Caribbean country. Along with the Dominican Republic, it occupies the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antilles archipelago....
     (1807) - became emperor, later suicide in office 1818.
  • José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia
    José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia

    Dr. Jos? Gaspar Rodr?guez de Francia y Velasco was the first leader of Paraguay following its independence from Spain. He ran the country with no outside interference and little outside influence from 1814 to 1840....
     of Paraguay
    Paraguay

    Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay , is one of the only two landlocked countries in South America . It lies on both banks of the Paraguay River and is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest....
     (1816) - died in office 1840.
  • Rafael Carrera
    Rafael Carrera

    Jos? Rafael Carrera Turcios was the ruler of Guatemala from about 1839 until his death. He was the first President of Guatemala, representing the Conservatives, on two occasions: from 4 December 1844 to 16 August 1848, and from 6 November 1851 - 14 April 1865 ....
     of Guatemala
    Guatemala

    Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize and the Caribbean to the northeast, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast....
     (1854) - died in office 1865.
  • Yuan Shikai
    Yuan Shikai

    Yuan Shikai was an important Chinese people general and politician famous for his influence during the Qing Dynasty#Rule of Empress Dowager Cixi, his role in the events leading up to the abdication of the Pu Yi of China, his autocratic rule as the second President of the Republic of China of the Republic of China, and his short-lived attem...
     of China
    Republic of China

    The Republic of China , also known as Nationalist China is a country in East Asia that has evolved from a single-party state with full global recognition into a multi-party democratic state with Political status of Taiwan....
     (1915) - became emperor, rescinded throne, died in office 1916.
  • Josip Broz Tito
    Josip Broz Tito

    Josip Broz Tito, original name Josip Broz was the leader of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1945 until his death in 1980. During World War II, Tito organized the anti-fascist resistance movement known as the People's Liberation Movement led by Yugoslav Partisans....
     of Yugoslavia
    Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

    The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and in Slovene language: Socialisticna Federativna Republika Jugoslavija The Slovene language name also uses this Gaj?s Latin alphabet version with a slight difference in spelling....
     (1963) - died in office 1980.
  • Sukarno
    Sukarno

    Sukarno, born Kusno Sosrodihardjo was the first President of Indonesia. He helped the country win its independence from Netherlands and was President from 1945 to 1967, presiding with mixed success over the country's turbulent transition to independence....
     of Indonesia
    Indonesia

    The Republic of Indonesia , is a transcontinental country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Comprising Islands of Indonesia, it is the world's largest Archipelago state....
     (1963) - deposed 1967.
  • Kwame Nkrumah
    Kwame Nkrumah

    Kwame Nkrumah , was an influential 20th century advocate of Pan-Africanism, and the leader of Ghana and its predecessor state, the Gold Coast , from 1952 to 1966....
     of Ghana
    Ghana

    The Republic of Ghana is a country in West Africa. It borders C?te d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south....
     (1964) - deposed 1966.
  • François "Papa Doc" Duvalier
    François Duvalier

    Dr. Fran?ois Duvalier, known as "Papa Doc" , was the List of Presidents of Ha?ti of Haiti from 1957 to 1971. In 1964 he made himself President for Life....
     of Haiti
    Haiti

    Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Haitian Creole language- and French language-speaking Caribbean country. Along with the Dominican Republic, it occupies the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antilles archipelago....
     (1964) - died in office 1971, named his son as his successor (see below)
  • Hastings Banda
    Hastings Banda

    Hastings Kamuzu Banda was the leader of Malawi and its predecessor state, Nyasaland, from 1961 to 1994. After receiving much of his education overseas, Banda returned to his home country to speak against colonialism and help lead the movement towards independence....
     of Malawi
    Malawi

    The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast and Mozambique, which surrounds it on the east, south and west....
     (1971) - stripped of title 1993, defeated in elections 1994.
  • Jean-Claude Duvalier
    Jean-Claude Duvalier

    Jean-Claude Duvalier succeeded his father, Fran?ois Duvalier as the ruler of Haiti from his father's death in 1971 until his overthrow by a popular uprising in 1986....
     of Haiti
    Haiti

    Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Haitian Creole language- and French language-speaking Caribbean country. Along with the Dominican Republic, it occupies the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antilles archipelago....
     (1971) - named by his father as successor, deposed 1986.
  • Jean-Bédel Bokassa
    Jean-Bédel Bokassa

    Jean-B?del Bokassa was the military ruler of the Central African Republic from January 1 1966 and the Emperor of the Central African Empire from December 41976 until he was overthrown on 20 September 1979....
     of the Central African Republic
    Central African Republic

    The Central African Republic , is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It borders Chad in the north, Sudan in the east, the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the south, and Cameroon in the west....
     (1972) - became emperor 1976 (deposed 1979).
  • Francisco Macías Nguema
    Francisco Macías Nguema

    Francisco Mac?as Nguema was the first President of Equatorial Guinea of Equatorial Guinea, from 1968 until his overthrow in 1979....
     of Equatorial Guinea
    Equatorial Guinea

    The Republic of Equatorial Guinea is a Spanish-speaking country located in Central Africa. With an area of 28,000 km2 it is one of the smallest countries in continental Africa, having a population estimated at half a million....
     (1972) - deposed 1979.
  • Habib Bourguiba
    Habib Bourguiba

    Habib Bourguiba was a Tunisian statesman and the Founder and List of Presidents of Tunisia from July 25, 1957 to November 7, 1987. He is often compared to Turkey leader Mustafa Kemal Atat?rk because of the Westernisation enacted during his presidency....
     of Tunisia
    Tunisia

    Tunisia , officially the Tunisian Republic , is a country located in North Africa. It is bordered by Algeria to the west and Libya to the southeast....
     (1975) - deposed 1987.
  • Idi Amin
    Idi Amin

    Idi Amin Dada , commonly known as Idi Amin, was a Ugandan Military dictatorship and the President of Uganda of Uganda from 1971 to 1979. Amin joined the British colony regiment, the King's African Rifles, in 1946, and advanced to the rank of Major General and Commander of the Ugandan Army....
     of Uganda
    Uganda

    The Republic of Uganda is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by Tanzania....
     (1976) - defeated in war 1979.
  • Lennox Sebe
    Lennox Sebe

    Lennox Leslie Wongamu Sebe was chief minister of the Xhosa bantustan of Ciskei, and the country's first Heads of State of Ciskei, after its self-rule in 1972....
     of Ciskei
    Ciskei

    Ciskei was a Bantustan in the south east of South Africa. It consisted 2,970 square miles , almost entirely surrounded by what was then the Cape Province and possessing a small coastline along the shore of the Indian Ocean....
     (1983) - deposed 1990.
  • Saparmurat Niyazov
    Saparmurat Niyazov

    Saparmyrat Ata?ewi? Ny?azow served as the head of state of Turkmenistan from 1985 until his death in 2006. He served as the First Secretary of the Turkmen Communist Party from 1985 until 1991 and the first President of Turkmenistan from 2 November 1990 until his death....
     of Turkmenistan
    Turkmenistan

    Turkmenistan is a Turkic peoples country in Central Asia. Until 1991, it was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic ....
     (officially in 1999, but had already been president since 1991) - died in office 2006.