diff --git a/docs/api/rpc_proposal.rst b/docs/api/rpc_proposal.rst
index 2347a8751..38c9be402 100644
--- a/docs/api/rpc_proposal.rst
+++ b/docs/api/rpc_proposal.rst
@@ -3306,9 +3306,6 @@ Protocol Alpha
       "hard_gas_limit_per_operation": $bignum,
       "hard_gas_limit_per_block": $bignum,
       "proof_of_work_threshold": integer ∈ [-2^31-2, 2^31+2] || string,
-      "dictator_pubkey":
-        string
-        /* A Secp256k1 or Ed25519 public key (Base58Check-encoded) */,
       "max_operation_data_length": integer ∈ [-2^30-2, 2^30+2],
       "tokens_per_roll":
         /* Amount in mutez */
diff --git a/docs/whitedoc/the_big_picture.rst b/docs/whitedoc/the_big_picture.rst
index c83cddc5c..595a70de8 100644
--- a/docs/whitedoc/the_big_picture.rst
+++ b/docs/whitedoc/the_big_picture.rst
@@ -221,9 +221,9 @@ Three economic protocols are included in the main Tezos repository.
 
   - :package:`tezos-protocol-genesis`
     (:package:`tezos-embedded-protocol-genesis`) is the protocol of
-    the genesis block. It accepts a single block, signed by a dictator
+    the genesis block. It accepts a single block, signed by a activator
     whose public key is hardcoded, that single action is to switch to
-    a new protocol chosen by the dictator.
+    a new protocol chosen by the activator.
   - :package:`tezos-protocol-alpha`
     (:package:`tezos-embedded-protocol-alpha`) is the first real
     protocol of Tezos. A :ref:`tutorial<entering_alpha>` is available
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ compatible, and library vs command line interface.
   - :package:`tezos-client-alpha-commands` plugs the functions from
     :package:`tezos-client-alpha` as handlers for the alpha specific
     commands of the ``tezos-client`` command line wallet.
-  - :package:`tezos-client-genesis` contains the basic dictator
+  - :package:`tezos-client-genesis` contains the basic activator
     commands available on the genesis protocol.
   - :package:`tezos-client-base-unix` implements configuration file
     and wallet storage in Unix files, user interaction via the Unix
diff --git a/src/bin_client/test/test_injection.sh b/src/bin_client/test/test_injection.sh
index a6e734274..85240a657 100755
--- a/src/bin_client/test/test_injection.sh
+++ b/src/bin_client/test/test_injection.sh
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ $admin_client list protocols
 
 $client activate protocol $protocol_version \
         with fitness 1 \
-        and key dictator \
+        and key activator \
         and parameters $parameters_file
 
 retry 2 15 assert_protocol "$protocol_version"
diff --git a/src/bin_client/tezos-init-sandboxed-client.sh b/src/bin_client/tezos-init-sandboxed-client.sh
index 94e451580..2af80b60d 100755
--- a/src/bin_client/tezos-init-sandboxed-client.sh
+++ b/src/bin_client/tezos-init-sandboxed-client.sh
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ BOOTSTRAP5_IDENTITY="tz1ddb9NMYHZi5UzPdzTZMYQQZoMub195zgv"
 BOOTSTRAP5_PUBLIC="edpkv8EUUH68jmo3f7Um5PezmfGrRF24gnfLpH3sVNwJnV5bVCxL2n"
 BOOTSTRAP5_SECRET="unencrypted:edsk4QLrcijEffxV31gGdN2HU7UpyJjA8drFoNcmnB28n89YjPNRFm"
 
-DICTATOR_SECRET="unencrypted:edsk31vznjHSSpGExDMHYASz45VZqXN4DPxvsa4hAyY8dHM28cZzp6"
+ACTIVATOR_SECRET="unencrypted:edsk31vznjHSSpGExDMHYASz45VZqXN4DPxvsa4hAyY8dHM28cZzp6"
 
 add_sandboxed_bootstrap_identities() {
 
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ add_sandboxed_bootstrap_identities() {
     ${client} import secret key bootstrap4 ${BOOTSTRAP4_SECRET}
     ${client} import secret key bootstrap5 ${BOOTSTRAP5_SECRET}
 
-    ${client} import secret key dictator ${DICTATOR_SECRET}
+    ${client} import secret key activator ${ACTIVATOR_SECRET}
 }
 
 activate_alpha() {
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ activate_alpha() {
         -block genesis \
         activate protocol ProtoALphaALphaALphaALphaALphaALphaALphaALphaDdp3zK \
         with fitness 1 \
-        and key dictator \
+        and key activator \
 	and parameters "${parameters_file}" \
         --timestamp $(TZ='AAA+1' date +%FT%TZ)
 }
@@ -320,7 +320,7 @@ main () {
     cat <<EOF
 if type tezos-client-reset >/dev/null 2>&1 ; then tezos-client-reset; fi ;
 PATH="$client_dir/bin:\$PATH" ; export PATH ;
-alias tezos-activate-alpha="$client  -block genesis activate protocol ProtoALphaALphaALphaALphaALphaALphaALphaALphaDdp3zK with fitness 1 and key dictator and parameters $parameters_file --timestamp $(TZ='AAA+1' date +%FT%TZ)" ;
+alias tezos-activate-alpha="$client  -block genesis activate protocol ProtoALphaALphaALphaALphaALphaALphaALphaALphaDdp3zK with fitness 1 and key activator and parameters $parameters_file --timestamp $(TZ='AAA+1' date +%FT%TZ)" ;
 alias tezos-client-reset="rm -rf \"$client_dir\"; unalias tezos-activate-alpha tezos-client-reset" ;
 alias tezos-autocomplete="if [ \$ZSH_NAME ] ; then autoload bashcompinit ; bashcompinit ; fi ; source \"$bin_dir/bash-completion.sh\"" ;
 trap tezos-client-reset EXIT ;
diff --git a/src/proto_alpha/lib_delegate/test/proto_alpha_helpers.ml b/src/proto_alpha/lib_delegate/test/proto_alpha_helpers.ml
index 3b8c34b1a..f3b95114d 100644
--- a/src/proto_alpha/lib_delegate/test/proto_alpha_helpers.ml
+++ b/src/proto_alpha/lib_delegate/test/proto_alpha_helpers.ml
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ let vote_protocol_parameters =
 
 let activate_alpha ?(vote = false) () =
   let fitness = Fitness_repr.from_int64 0L in
-  let dictator_sk =
+  let activator_sk =
     Tezos_signer_backends.Unencrypted.make_sk
       (Signature.Secret_key.of_b58check_exn
          "edsk31vznjHSSpGExDMHYASz45VZqXN4DPxvsa4hAyY8dHM28cZzp6") in
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ let activate_alpha ?(vote = false) () =
                  fitness ;
                  protocol_parameters ;
                })
-    dictator_sk
+    activator_sk
 
 let init ?exe ?vote ?rpc_port () =
   begin
diff --git a/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/test/helpers/account.ml b/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/test/helpers/account.ml
index ed36d9612..4dc26d430 100644
--- a/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/test/helpers/account.ml
+++ b/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/test/helpers/account.ml
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ let new_account () =
 let add_account ({ pkh ; _ } as account) =
   Signature.Public_key_hash.Table.add known_accounts pkh account
 
-let dictator_account = new_account ()
+let activator_account = new_account ()
 
 let find pkh =
   try return (Signature.Public_key_hash.Table.find known_accounts pkh)
diff --git a/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/test/helpers/account.mli b/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/test/helpers/account.mli
index 23bfb1f61..5bb111b5b 100644
--- a/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/test/helpers/account.mli
+++ b/src/proto_alpha/lib_protocol/test/helpers/account.mli
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ type t = {
 }
 type account = t
 
-val dictator_account: account
+val activator_account: account
 val dummy_account: account
 
 val new_account: unit -> account
diff --git a/src/proto_genesis/lib_client/client_proto_main.ml b/src/proto_genesis/lib_client/client_proto_main.ml
index 6c392ce62..63c01a22e 100644
--- a/src/proto_genesis/lib_client/client_proto_main.ml
+++ b/src/proto_genesis/lib_client/client_proto_main.ml
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ let commands () =
          int64_parameter
        @@ prefixes [ "and" ; "key" ]
        @@ Client_keys.Secret_key.source_param
-         ~name:"password" ~desc:"Dictator's key"
+         ~name:"password" ~desc:"Activator's key"
        @@ prefixes [ "and" ; "parameters" ]
        @@ param ~name:"parameters"
          ~desc:"Protocol parameters (as JSON file)"
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ let commands () =
        @@ Protocol_hash.param ~name:"version" ~desc:"Protocol version (b58check)"
        @@ prefixes [ "with" ; "key" ]
        @@ Client_keys.Secret_key.source_param
-         ~name:"password" ~desc:"Dictator's key"
+         ~name:"password" ~desc:"Activator's key"
        @@ stop)
       begin fun timestamp hash sk cctxt ->
         bake cctxt ?timestamp cctxt#block