Crossword Genius

Horrible attritional aims in dictatorship? (15)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

totalitarianism

'dictatorship?' is the definition.
(synonyms)

'horrible attritional aims' is the wordplay.
'horrible' is an anagram indicator.
'attritional'+'aims'='attritionalaims'
'attritionalaims' is an anagram of 'TOTALITARIANISM'.

'in' acts as a link.

(Other definitions for totalitarianism that I've seen before include "Allowing no opposition" , "Dictatorship" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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