Dictator and Follower

Dictator - It is the level (Repository, List, or ListItem) where the security is defined. If a list or list item does not have security defined then the security applied at the parent (Repository) level will be implemented. Here, the Repository is a dictator to list and listitem when list and listitem do not have their own security.

Follower - It is the level (List or ListItem) where the security is not defined. It cannot apply its own security and therefore has to inherit from its immediate dictator, that is, its immediate parent level where the security is defined.

• Example 1: Security is available at the Repository level. The security is defined for some lists like Workflow list and Forms list. When the logged-in user comes to the Workflow or Forms list, the list level security gets applied. When the user comes to the User list or some other list where no security definition is available at the list level, security is inherited from the above level i.e. the Repository level.

• Example 2: At Workflow list, the security is defined but it is not defined at the list item level. In this scenario, when the logged-in user comes to the Workflow list, the security rights available at the Workflow list will be applied for the user. When the user is at the list item level, there is no security definition. Hence, the listitem will inherit security from its dictator (in this case, the list).

• Example 3: Security is defined at the listitem level but the child items do not have a security definition. When the logged-in user comes to the listitem  level, the security definition available at this level gets applied for the user. When the user comes to the child items where security is not defined, the security definition will be inherited from its immediate dictator; here it is the parent item.