Among the options above, the word that best defines the italicized word despotic is AUTHORITARIAN. Despotic means tyrannical and exercising power, enforcing strict obedience. Authoritarian also means enforcing strict obedience to the authorities in the government at the expense of personal freedom. I hope this helps.
Authoritarian because it also means <span>favoring complete obedience or subjection to </span>authority<span> as opposed to individual <span>freedom</span></span>
