Despotism You can roughly locate any community in the world somewhere along a scale running all the way from democracy to despotism one to the democracy end, another somewhere in the middle, and a third... Let's find out about despotism This man makes it his job to study these things Well, for one thing, avoid the comfortable idea that the mere form of government can of itself safeguard a nation against despotism. Germany under President Hindenburg was a republic. And yet in this republic an aggressive despotism and flourished under Adolph Hitler. When a competent observer looks for signs of despotism in the community he looks beyond fine words and noble phrases. [Recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance]