Absolutism, AB suh loo tihz uhm, is a form of government in which one or more persons rule with power unlimited by law. It includes dictatorships and absolute monarchies. Most dictatorships are run by a ruler or rulers who seized power by force. In some dictatorships, the government is satisfied to keep the people from revolting while the rulers obtain advantages for themselves. Other dictatorships try to maintain almost complete control over people so as to make great changes in society. Adolf Hitler of Germany and Joseph Stalin of the Soviet Union headed such absolutist governments.