Tyranny; autocratic government (9)

I believe the answer is:

despotism

(Other definitions for despotism that I've seen before include "Cruel rule" , "Autocracy" , "Tyranny" , "Arbitrary government" , "Do miss pet (anag)" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.

Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.