ThoughtCo, Dec. 5, 2022, thoughtco.com/totalitarianism-authoritarianism-fascism-4147699. Artists painted pictures and authors wrote novels that glorified Stalin, and people were expected to have a picture of him in their homes, often replacing former pictures of Jesus and other religious figures. Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler in Munich, Germany September 1937. The party leadership maintains monopoly control over the governmental system, which includes the police, military, communications, and economic and education systems. All citizens are required to adopt and serve a single apocalyptical ideology dedicated to defeating a shadowy and corrupt old order to be replaced by a new, racially pure, utopian society. According to most authorities, North Korea and the East African state of Eritrea are the worlds only two nations recognized as still having totalitarian forms of government. There are several characteristics that are common to totalitarian regimes, including: To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. READ: Communism in the Soviet Union (article) | Khan Academy Established under King Leonidas I, Spartas educational system was essential to its totalitarian society, in which every aspect of life, down to the rearing of children, was dedicated to maintaining the states military might. See more Encyclopedia articles on: Political Science: Terms and Concepts. In Ancient China, the Qin Dynasty (221207 BCE) was ruled by the philosophy of Legalism, under which political activity was virtually prohibited, all literature was destroyed, and those who opposed or questioned Legalism were executed. What is media created by the government to make citizens behave a certain way? Cult of Personality: Examples | What is a Cult of Personality? The leader stays the same. Except for Spain and Portugal, fascism was effectively gone from Europe with the end of World War II. Hoping to replace Winston Churchill (though his wife, Diana Moseley, nee Mitford, was a cousin of Churchill's and one of the famous Mitford sisters), Moseley ended up at Holloway prison in London, considered, along with his wife, a potential traitor, and enemy of the state. Totalitarianism is a political system in which the state holds total authority over the society and seeks to control all aspects of public and private life whenever necessary. Both forms of government discourage individual freedom of thought and action. While there is only one platform, participation in the political system, especially voting, is mandatory. The Origins of Totalitarianism study guide contains a biography of Hannah Arendt, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Historically, the primary function of fascist regimes has been to maintain the nation in a constant state of readiness for war. Ruling class propaganda artfully scripts unquestioned loyalty to the leader in the minds of the people, who are influenced to believe that the personal welfare of individuals is subordinate to the interests of the nation or predominant race. What award did Hitler receive while in the military? Rather than trying to allay that fear, totalitarian rulers encourage it and use it to ensure the peoples cooperation. This was not the case though for the citizens of Russia. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you succeed. Citizens are made to be aware that they are under constant surveillance. Examples of centralized rule dating further back in history that can be described as totalitarian include the Mauryan dynasty of India (c. 321c. Renouncing all traditional forms of political orientationliberal, conservative, or populistthe totalitarian ideology demands a virtually religious and unconditional personal devotion to a single charismatic leader. excepted. Ignorance is strength.. When none of them did, he emerged as a dictator, gaining the title of Head of the Government. What Is Totalitarianism? Mussolini had previously been a socialist but was ostracized after announcing his support in favor of Italy joining World War I. Totalitarianism is a type of government and a political system that forbids all opposition parties, criminalizes individual and group opposition to the state and its claims, and imposes an extreme, if not total, degree of control and regulation over public and private life. Because pursuit of the goal is the foundation for the totalitarian state, achievement of the goal can never be acknowledged. These terms refer to two somewhat different political manifestations found in dictatorships, although they are often (mistakenly) used interchangeably. "What Is Totalitarianism? Because pursuit of the goal is the only ideological foundation for the totalitarian state, achievement of the goal can never be acknowledged. Create and find flashcards in record time. Totalitarianism is typically distinguished from dictatorship, autocracy, or tyranny by its goals of replacing all existing political institutions with new ones and elimination of all legal, social, and political traditions. While most totalitarian regimes have confined their activities within the geographical boundaries of the nations they controlled, fascist regimes have often harbored imperialistic ambitions. All nations have an official type of government as designated in the U.S. Central Intelligence Agencys World Factbook. In 1966, Chairman Mao declared the Chinese Cultural Revolution, 10 years of class warfare marked by the destruction of countless cultural artifacts and the rise of Maos adoring cult of personality. Despite his nearly God-like popularity, Maos Cultural Revolution resulted in the deaths of thousands to millions of people. Totalitarianism | Definition, Characteristics, Examples, & Facts Thus, the correct answer is option C. Totalitarianism is a type of government and a political system that forbids all opposition parties, criminalizes individual and group opposition to the state and its claims, and imposes an extreme, if not total, degree of control and regulation over public and private life. In addition, constitutional democracy and totalitarianism, as forms of the modern state, share many characteristics. True or false: Hitler and Mussolini were effective collaborators. Please select which sections you would like to print: Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. After rising to power in 1922, Mussolinis Fascist police state eliminated virtually all constitutional and political restraints on his power. | Communism History & Examples. Definition and Examples." In a police state, the police operate according to known and consistent procedures. When they call themselves 'democracies', qualifying it by the adjective 'popular', they are not contradicting . The German constitution of the Weimar Republic was never abrogated under Hitler, but an enabling act passed by the Reichstag in 1933 permitted him to amend the constitution at will, in effect nullifying it. She has a Master's degree in History. A charismatic leader can use these longings to his advantage, gaining power by promising to lift the nation out of crisis and achieve new heights. Though characterized by the total control of the state over its citizens' lives, totalitarianism is not exclusive to any one political ideology: in history, it has been manifested in fascist, communist, monarchist, and other types of governments. lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. Totalitarian states suppress traditional social organizations, whereas authoritarian states will tolerate some social organizations based on traditional or special interests. That support was not spontaneous: its genesis depended on a charismatic leader, and it was made possible only by modern developments in communication and transportation. Brush up on your geography and finally learn what countries are in Eastern Europe with our maps. This essay will look at just how totalitarian Stalin's Russia was. Lesley has taught American and World History at the university level for the past seven years. This website helped me pass! "What Is Totalitarianism? What Was the USSR and Which Countries Were in It? Fascism vs. Totalitarianism | Overviews, Differences & Examples, Orestes of Alexandria: Mythology, Overview, Working Scholars Bringing Tuition-Free College to the Community. Currently ruled by Kim Jong-un, North Koreas government is considered one of the most repressive in the world by Human Rights Watch, maintaining power through brutality and intimidation. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). In 1935, Italy was declared a totalitarian state by the Doctrine of Fascism: The Fascist conception of the State is all-embracing; outside of it no human or spiritual values can exist, much less have value. use of coercion or suppressive tactics to control. Abstract. In contrast, totalitarian regimes rely mainly on government propaganda machinery to publicize the cause of the nation and spread half-truths or false stories about the failures of other systems and the successes of the regime. Totalitarianism is often distinguished from dictatorship, despotism, or tyranny by its supplanting of all political institutions with new ones and its sweeping away of all legal, social, and political traditions. Set individual study goals and earn points reaching them. Some famous examples of totalitarianism are Stalin's Soviet Union, Adolf Hitler's Germany under National Socialism, the Kim Dynasty of North Korea, Benito Mussolini's Italy, and Chairman Mao Zedong's Communist China. totalitarianism: | Infoplease The Fourteenth Amendment, as now applied to the States, protects the citizen against the State itself and all of its creaturesBoards of Education not A country torn apart during the same period by civil war, world wars, famine, revolution, cold war sanctions and life under the rule of a man many declare the epitome of totalitarianism, Joseph Stalin. Totalitarianism attempts to do this by asserting total control over the lives of its citizens, whereas authoritarianism prefers the blind submission of its citizens to authority. The concept of totalitarianism was developed in the 1920s by Italian fascists. Both feature centralized power and usually a single dictator with absolute power. the emperor's new clothes character analysis . However, Mussolini himself planned to gain power through legitimate means. Infoplease is a reference and learning site, combining the contents of an encyclopedia, a dictionary, an atlas and several almanacs loaded with facts.
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