Political system in which one person or a small group has absolute power?

A political system in which one person or a small group holds absolute power is known as an autocracy or oligarchy. In an autocracy, a single leader maintains control over the state, often without constitutional or legal limitations. In contrast, an oligarchy is governed by a small group of individuals, often from the same socioeconomic or political class. Both systems typically suppress dissent and limit political pluralism, concentrating power in the hands of the few.