In Ancient Greece, a tyrant (τύραννος) was someone who seized absolute power over a city by force, without due consideration for tradition or law. The word did not necessarily have a pejorative connotation. Not all Greek tyrants were hated men; some were popular rulers in their time. But the worst of tyrants are remembered for their cruelty. They exemplify how unchecked power and arbitrary rule can easily degenerate into exploitation. This points to the fact that the concept of tyranny does not only apply to governments. Tyranny, I will argue, is something that can occur at different levels of society.
On Tyranny
