In these conditions, created by dictatorship, the vocabulary of revolt could not but concentrate on dictatorship - and its downfall - in a political discourse, and no more.

That country is now living under a military dictatorship.

Autocracy often causes the people to revolt.

The alliance delivered little of that, as evidenced by the military dictatorships and civil wars that plagued the region soon after.

To give that up, indeed even to embrace Chinese-style economic modernisation, would bring on the regime' s collapse.