Final answer:
An autocrat is a ruler who has complete and unchecked power, typical of authoritarian regimes and absolute monarchies. Such rulers can wield power through various means and often do not adhere to democratic principles or allow legal opposition.
Step-by-step explanation:
An autocrat is a ruler with complete and absolute power over a government or populace, with no earthly check on their authority. This form of government is often seen in authoritarian regimes and absolute monarchies, where the empowered individual, whether a dictator or a monarch, exercises complete control and power is not obtained or maintained through democratic means like the principle of one person, one vote.
This contrasts with other forms of government such as constitutional monarchies, where the monarch's powers are limited by a constitution, and democracies, where power is distributed among the population and governmental authority is legitimized through elections and the will of the people. Autocratic leadership may rely on military might, economic control, intimidation, or charismatic authority, and can manifest in various ways, such as in a dictatorship or a monarchical system that does not share power or allow for legal opposition.