The most common modern classification in Western political science consists of the distinction between “liberal-democratic,” “totalitarian democratic” and “autocratic” political systems. This classification reflects, firstly, the observation that most modern political systems (at least in Europe) claim to be “democratic,” deriving their authority to rule form their claim to represent or be endorsed by the majority of the people. As Alexis de Tocqueville (an early nineteenth-century French political sociologist) noted, however, democracy in the sense equality and sovereignty is as compatible with a totalitarian regime (“organizing” the people in its support and justifying its disregard for civil liberties by reference to “the will of the people”) as it is with a liberal-democratic regime (emphasizing “liberty” above “equality”). It is therefore important to distinguish between liberal-democratic and totalitarian-democratic political systems. But there is another type of state, found especially in the newly-independent countries, which rules in a highly arbitrary as well as oppressive fashion. Such states are labeled as “autocratic”. The following section first outlines the set of features which is supposed to characterize each type of state, and then considers some of the problems with scheme of classification.