Despotic abuse of power (7)

I believe the answer is:

tyranny

(Other definitions for tyranny that I've seen before include "Oppressive government" , "Oppression" , "Cruel rulers" , "Cruel government" , "Cruel and oppressive rule" .)

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.