Dissident

A dissident, broadly defined, is a person who actively opposes an established opinion, policy, or structure. The term is most often used to refer to political dissidents, usually against authoritarian regimes (although there are rare uses of the phrase philosophical dissident). Political dissidents usually use non-violent means of political dissent, including voicing criticism of the government, but dissidents can also attempt to displace or overthrow the established government by achieving popular support and sparking a revolution or rebellion. In totalitarian regimes these dissidents are often punished with lengthy prison sentences, execution or economic deprivation. It has been widely alleged that the USSR and China used or use involuntary commitment against dissidents.

See also

• List of Chinese dissidents
• List of Singaporean dissidents