A decree is an order made by a head of state or government and having the force of law. The particular term used for this concept may vary from country to country — the executive order made by the president of the United States, for example, are decrees. In non-legal English usage, however, the term rule by decree refers to any authoritarian decision and in this sense is often derogatory. Imperial Decree An imperial decree is a decree issued by a sovereign ruler, such as an emperor, king, or similarly styled person. Imperial decrees from monarchial times differ from decrees issued by heads of state in modern democracies in that they embodied a force of law that was subject to no limitations either by other branches of government, or through the democratic process. Russia After the Russian Revolution, a government proclamation of wide meaning was called a "decree" (Russian: ??????, de

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z # TAGS