202503211658 - Totalitarianism
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Definition of Totalitarianism
Totalitarianism is a political system characterized by centralized authority, where a single leader or party holds absolute power and controls all aspects of public and private life.
The differences between Totalitarianism and Socialism
Under such regimes, opposition is suppressed, civil liberties are restricted, and the state exercises complete control over the economy, education, media, and even personal morality16. Totalitarian governments often employ propaganda, censorship, mass surveillance, and state-sponsored terror to maintain their grip on power79.
Characteristics and Examples
Key features of totalitarianism include:
- Suppression of Dissent: Political opposition is outlawed, and dissent is met with severe consequences26.
- Propaganda and Ideology: State-controlled media disseminates a singular ideology to manipulate public perception19.
- State Surveillance: Citizens are constantly monitored to ensure loyalty76.
- Personality Cult: Leaders are glorified as infallible figures27.
Historical examples include Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler, the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin, and North Korea under the Kim dynasty. These regimes have committed some of history's most egregious atrocities, such as the Holocaust and the Cambodian Genocide34. While totalitarian states often collapse due to internal resistance or external pressures, their legacy leaves lasting scars on societies8.
Citations:
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totalitarianism
[2] https://leverageedu.com/discover/general-knowledge/civics-and-polity-what-is-totalitarianism/
[3] https://www.britannica.com/question/What-are-examples-of-totalitarian-rule
[4] https://80000hours.org/problem-profiles/risks-of-stable-totalitarianism/
[5] https://www.journalofdemocracy.org/articles/china-totalitarianisms-long-shadow/
[6] https://www.thoughtco.com/totalitarianism-definition-and-examples-5083506
[7] https://www.britannica.com/topic/totalitarianism
[8] https://www.routledge.com/Understanding-the-Transgenerational-Legacy-of-Totalitarian-Regimes-Paradoxes-of-Cultural-Learning/Cherepanov/p/book/9780367135614
[9] https://www.loc.gov/collections/hannah-arendt-papers/articles-and-essays/totalitarianism-the-inversion-of-politics/
[10] https://www.vaia.com/en-us/explanations/history/european-history/totalitarianism/
[11] https://miracostahigh.org/ourpages/users/acaine/documents/CP World/Key Traits of Totalitarianism.doc
[12] https://study.com/learn/lesson/video/what-is-totalitarianism.html
[13] https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/totalitarian
[14] https://quizlet.com/64692014/wh-chapter-302-revolution-nationalism-section-2-totalitarianism-flash-cards/
[15] https://library.fiveable.me/key-terms/ap-hug/totalitarianism
[16] https://www.dictionary.com/browse/totalitarianism
[17] https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/totalitarian-countries
[18] https://www.cbsd.org/cms/lib010/PA01916442/Centricity/Domain/1864/Totalitarianism Case Study_Stalinist Russia.pdf
[19] https://istss.org/the-transgenerational-legacy-of-totalitarian-regimes-system-and-ecology-of-trauma-elena-cherepanov-phd-lmhc/
[20] https://www.karnacbooks.com/author.asp?AID=23869
[21] https://iep.utm.edu/totalita/
[22] https://www.vitalsource.com/products/understanding-the-transgenerational-legacy-of-elena-cherepanov-v9780429638503
[23] https://catalogue.nlb.gov.sg/search/card?id=0f7c128b-1a21-5036-8f18-87a04fdf770c&entityType=FormatGroup
[24] https://academic.oup.com/book/40615/chapter/348242235
[25] https://study.com/academy/lesson/totalitarianism-characterictics-facts-totalitarian.html
[26] https://www.britannica.com/question/What-is-totalitarianism
[27] https://mises.org/mises-wire/five-stages-totalitarianism
[28] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_totalitarian_regimes
[29] https://cgo-cce.org/en/2023/08/23/legacy-of-totalitarian-and-authoritarian-regimes-must-be-addressed-in-montenegro/
[30] https://fs.blog/hannah-arendt-totalitarianism/