The modern political concept of despotism began as a domestic household term

Evidence

The invention of despotism (prior to Montesquieu, it was the political philosopher Jean Bodin who, in the sixteenth century “introduced the noun ‘despotism’ to designate a specific form of government”) involves the translation of a domestic term into a political one-the despotes was the head of the household, not a political figure. — Gil Anidjar, The Jew, the Arab, 618

Categorization

• DEFINE: Bodin coined ‘despotism’ by translating the household headship term despotes into a form-of-government name.
• XREF: connects to: The ancient household was governed by despotic rule, not freedom — Jessica Whyte, The Morals of the Market: Human Rights…, 156