1917--Creation of Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
1920--Hungary--January--Hungarian parliment restores the monarchy but postpones electing a king pending restoration of civil order. Admiral Miklos Horthy, elected Regent with power to appoint the prime minister, veto legislation, dissolve the parliament and command the armed forces.
1926--Italy--Mussolini assumes dictatorial powers, dissolves opposition parties, introduces press censorship and changes to electoral process.
1926--Lithuania--December 17 - Military and conservative led coup headed by Antanas Smetona take control of the country. Liberals and Leftists expelled from the Seimas (parliament). Smetona elected president with Augustinas Voldemas as premier.
1926--Poland--Marshall Pilsudski assumes power after
military coup. The Pilsudski regime governed with a mix of democratic and
dictatorial elements but after his death in 1935 drifted towards more open
authoritarianism.
1928--Albania--New constitution proclaims Albania a "kingdom" and Zogu becomes Zog I "King of the Albanians", abolishes the senate and establishes a unicameral National Assembly. Zog retains the dictatorial powers he enjoyed as president.
1929--Yugoslavia--January--King Aleksandar abrogates
the constitution, dissolves the Assembly, bans political parties and declares
a Royal Dictatorship.
1933--Portugal--New constitution, dictated by Salazar,
establishes the "New State". Salazar continues as prime minister
and leader of the sole legal political party, the Uniao Nacional. Legislative
and executive power vested in Salazar. The National Assembly is allowed to
initiate legislation only if it does not involve expenditure of government
funds. Official worker’s syndicates replace free trade unions.
1933--Germany--March--Reichstag passes an act according Hitler’s cabinet dictatorial powers for a period of four years by a vote of 441 to 81. Hitler implements a policy of Gleichschaltung, subordinating all independent institutions to Nazi control.
1934--Latvia--May 15 - Prime Minister Karlis Ulmanis
dissolves the Saeima (parliament) and begins dictatorial rule.
1934--Bulgaria--Colonel Damian Velchev, with military and Zveno support, overthrows government in a rightist coup. Kimon Georgiev named prime minister and begins taking dictatorial powers. Zveno abolishes all political parties, implements press censorship and declares that henceforth the Subranie would represent classes of society and not political parties.
1935--Estonia--Political party activities prohibited and the Isamaaliit (Patriotic League) is formed to support the regime. Restrictions imposed on the press.
1936--Greece--Royal dictatorship established with retired General Ioannis Metaxas as head of government.
1937--Romania--December--King Carol hands the government
over to a coalition of far right parties. Jews are barred from the civil service
and the army and forbidden to buy property and the practice of certain professions
1938--Austria--Schuschnigg meets with Hitler at Berchtesgaden. In face of German military threat he accepts demands for legalization of Austrian Nazi party.
1938--Czechoslovakia--Sept. 15 - Henlein flies to Germany and issues a proclamation demanding return of Sudetenland to Germany. Hilter meets with Chamberlain at Berchtesgaden and demands return of Sudetenland claiming that Czech were slaughtering the German inhabitants. British and French governments agree to the demand and issue ultimatum to the Czechs making future French support for Czechoslovakia contingent on its acceptance.
1939--Spain--March 31 - Last Republican forces surrender to the Nationalists ending the Civil War.
Source: Richard Doody, Europe in the Age of Autocracy, http://worldatwar.net/article/autocracy/index.html. Accessed on 27 February 2008.