The federal and state authorities became offsetting buttresses repelling any despotic aspirations the other might exhibit.

FORBES: Europe's Debt Crisis Is No Failing Of Federalism

But Mr Aristide became increasingly despotic, relying on thuggish gangs to enforce his rule.

ECONOMIST: At last, a bridge of sorts to the future | The

In the other excerpt, the despotic conductor was just as assertive, but the violinists seemed to pay as much attention to themselves as they did to him.

ECONOMIST: Orchestras really can use the smack of firm leadership

Should Saddam Hussein instead survive the present crisis with his despotic political control and his arsenal intact, we should expect yet another, perhaps even more sinister, by-product.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center For Security Policy

It is disappointing to see The Economist confusing possible enlightened despotism, which we in Pakistan might not mind at all, with the more-of-the-same despotic self-interest that we know all too well.

ECONOMIST: Letters

Empires are always tyrannous, but not always despotic.

ECONOMIST: Immigration: No entry | The

But in the case of Arrian it could be argued that, against his own better judgment perhaps (the ideal of karteria you mention), he did also see some degree of deterioration, some sort of decline, in Alexander from the ideal Greek-style monarch into an excessively despotic, oriental-style ruler.

FORBES: Two Great Historians Talk Alexander The Great, Part 6