Now that we've discussed the definitions let's look at two totalitarian governments. State relinquishes control of armed forces to military leaders . No dissent or internal political differences are allowed. Notable examples of totalitarian states include Italy under Benito Mussolini (192243), the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin (192453), Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler (193345), the Peoples Republic of China under the influence of Mao Zedong (194976), and North Korea under the Kim dynasty (1948 ). In 1936, Mussolini agreed to join Nazi Germany as one of the Axis Powers of World War II. Lerne mit deinen Freunden und bleibe auf dem richtigen Kurs mit deinen persnlichen Lernstatistiken. I feel like its a lifeline. Which of these was not part of the Treaty of Versailles? You will receive your score and answers at the end. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you Definition and Examples, What Is Theocracy? Discover its characteristics and its examples, including Nazi Germany and the Stalinist Soviet Union. "What Is Totalitarianism? You might ask: what is the difference between totalitarianism and fascism? . What Is Totalitarianism? The concept of totalitarianism was developed in the 1920s by Italian fascists. What conditions led to the rise of totalitarianism? Write an essay of at least three to five paragraphs that analyzes the photos of Hitler and Stalin presented in this lesson. Chinese communist Mao Zedong, also known as Chairman Mao, ruled the Peoples Republic of China from 1949 until he died in 1976. The first fascist government to take power in history was the government of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. Occupations, Agreements & Appeasement: Causes of the Second World War, What is Autocracy? National identity tied to race or ethnic identity, Excludes others who are not members of this group, State control of the political process as well as individual freedoms, Individual freedoms are allowed with some restriction, Politicians are not answerable to the Constitution. There are several characteristics that are common to totalitarian regimes, including: To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. Socialism And Capitalism In Harrison Bergeron, By Kurt Vonnegut 1237 Words | 5 Pages "Harrison Bergeron," written by Kurt Vonnegut at the time of the Cold War, is a short story that takes place in a future world of the year 2081 where the Handicapper General and the law force the beautiful to wear masks, the intelligent to wear earpieces that disrupt their thoughts, and the athletic to . In addition, fascists view democracy and the electoral process as an obsolete and unnecessary obstacle to maintaining constant military readiness. 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. To some, the peace treaty humiliated the Italian state and a blemish on their national pride. "Totalitarianism, Authoritarianism, and Fascism." When none of them did, he emerged as a dictator, gaining the title of Head of the Government. with young people. True or false:Mussolini had a realistic view of his popularity. The fascists gained a clear majority in the elections of 1924 both through a mix of Mussolini's legitimate popularity and blackshirt intimidation. Stalin gained control by blackmailing many of the leaders in the communist government and eventually murdered his main rival, Leon Trotsky. To restore the Aryan race and to expand Germany. 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. Ignorance is strength.. Rather than trying to allay that fear, totalitarian rulers encourage it and use it to ensure the peoples cooperation. Corrections? Create and find flashcards in record time. ruling using one person or political party. Omissions? Examples of authoritarian regimes, according to some scholars, include the pro-Western military dictatorships that existed in Latin America and elsewhere in the second half of the 20th century. In a totalitarian state, the governments range of control over the people is virtually unlimited. Totalitarianism is a government that may be ascribed to many different regimes. Some defense mechanisms are illustrated in her behavior and actions. controlling all systems and forms of communication such as radio, television, and newspaper. Stop procrastinating with our study reminders. According to Human Rights Watch, the entire working life of many Eritreans is spent serving the government. This control extends to all political and financial matters as well as the attitudes, morals, and beliefs of the people. The personal economic incentives of capitalism are thus rendered impossible. The first characteristic of totalitarianism is its planned economy because an unregulated economy is a danger to totalitarian power, so every aspect of the state economy should be planned. There are several characteristics that are common to totalitarian regimes, including: Rule by a single party Total control of the military Total control over means of communication (such as. Political System Concept & Types | What is a Political System? 110 quizzes. 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. Though ardently opposed to true democracy, which ensures the protection of natural rights and civil liberties, fascist regimes have occasionally come to power via democratic means. The party leadership maintains monopoly control over the governmental system, which includes the police, military, communications, and economic and education systems. Quiz, Central European Revolutions of 1848: History, Causes & Effects Old religious and social ties are supplanted by artificial ties to the state and its ideology. Create the most beautiful study materials using our templates. 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The resulting popular support permits the state the widest latitude of action of any form of government. However, the political process, as well as all individual freedom, is controlled by the government without any constitutional accountability. Drawing on those experiences, fascist rulers strive to create a rabidly nationalistic culture of military citizenship in which all citizens are willing and prepared to take on some military duties during times of war, including actual combat. Rarely employed since the end of World War II in 1945, fascism is a form of government combining the most extreme aspects of both totalitarianism and authoritarianism. The National Fascist Party of Italy (PNF - Partito Nazionale Fascista in Italian) was officially formed in 1921, and many fascists favored forcibly taking power from the government. Let's have a look at this explanation. Who was the leader of Spain's fascist government? In this manner, authoritarianism stands in fundamental contrast to democracy. Totalitarian Vs. Authoritarian Governments. This essay will look at just how totalitarian Stalin's Russia was. To learn more about totalitarianism, click here: C. forcing children to show support for a government, This site is using cookies under cookie policy . 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. autocracy. True or False:Hitler became President of Germany in 1932. Who was the target of the Anti-Semitic laws passed between 1933-1934? Key Traits of Totalitarianism - Folsom Cordova Unified School District This quiz and corresponding worksheet gauge your understanding of the characteristics of totalitarianism. What did Hitler use as an excuse to take power from President Hindenburg? The interwar years saw similar economic and political instability in the German Weimar Republic and a weak democratic coalition government of many non-majority parties that failed to satisfy the people and gave way to extremist parties' rise. The classic example of a totalitarian state in Nazi Germany. . Let's contrast these complex definitions before moving on: Totalitarianism: A system of government in which all aspects of society, including culture, religion, economy, and the military, are controlled by the state and the state alone. With absolute power, Mussolini's government imposed many totalitarian laws throughout the 1920s and 1930s. 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. Thus, the social fabric is weakened and people become more amenable to absorption into a single, unified movement. During the years following the end of World War I, radical political movements swept across Europe following the fall of many of Europe's prominent monarchies and the political and economic instability brought on by the post-war years, even in the victorious countries. General characteristics of totalitarianism, https://www.britannica.com/topic/totalitarianism, The Basics of Philosophy - Totalitarianism, Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy - Totalitarianism, totalitarianism - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). In Nazi Germany and Stalins Soviet Union, whole classes of people, such as the Jews and the kulaks (wealthy peasant farmers) respectively, were singled out for persecution and extinction. I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. During the Holocaust between 1941 and 1945, Hitlers Einsatzgruppen mobile killing squads along with German armed forces murdered some six million Jews across Germany and German-occupied Europe. Definition and Examples, What Is Communism? 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. Need a reference? Established as the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea in 1948, North Korea remains the worlds longest-lasting totalitarian state. The Nazi party in Germany was influenced by Italian fascism and created a totalitarian state emphasizing racial identity and fascist ideology. West Virginia SBE v. Barnette (1943), Unwavering and total loyalty to both the regimes ideology and its leader are demanded. 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. Instead, he was the final arbiter in the interpretation of MarxismLeninismStalinism and changed his interpretations at will. Definition and Examples. This obsession spawns an ideology that explains everything in terms of the goal, rationalizing all obstacles that may arise and all forces that may contend with the state. https://www.thoughtco.com/totalitarianism-authoritarianism-fascism-4147699 (accessed May 1, 2023). The totalitarian state pursues some special goal, such as industrialization or conquest, to the exclusion of all others. As often attributed to totalitarian Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, Ideas are more powerful than guns. One distinctive feature of totalitarian governments is the existence of an explicit or implied national ideologya set of beliefs intended to give meaning and direction to the entire society. Why did fascism and totalitarianism rise following World War l? This website helped me pass! Will you pass the quiz? They spread because neighboring revolutions inspired people. What is the myth called that states that Jewish people caused Germany to lose the war? Definition and Examples, The Differences Between Communism and Socialism, What Is Civil Service? Perhaps the most fundamental difference between fascist and totalitarian regimes has been their attitudes toward multinational domination. Under totalitarian rule, traditional social institutions and organizations are discouraged and suppressed. Quiz, Karl Marx & Friedrich Engels: The Communist Manifesto, Karl Marx & Friedrich Engels: The Communist Manifesto The Fourteenth Amendment, as now applied to the States, protects the citizen against the State itself and all of its creaturesBoards of Education not Brush up on your geography and finally learn what countries are in Eastern Europe with our maps. Again, the terms totalitarianism and authoritarianism are often used interchangeably. There are five characteristics given in the lesson, so be sure that the poster contains all five. In totalitarian states, autocrats wield political power, such as dictators and absolute monarchs, who use all-encompassing campaigns of propaganda broadcast by state-controlled mass media to control the citizenry. All rights reserved. A totalitarian state is also typically led by a single dictator who holds absolute power. As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 88,000 Longley, Robert. Since gaining full independence in 1993, Eritrea has remained a totalitarian one-party dictatorship. Propaganda is widely used to support the governments totalitarian ideology of Juche, the belief that true socialism can be achieved only through universal loyalty to a strong and independent state. 185 bce), the Qin dynasty of China (221207 bce), and the reign of Zulu chief Shaka (c. 181628). Eventually, the more volatile followers of the movement won out, and in October 1922, the fascists marched on Rome, though Mussolini did not join them. Remember that a good essay always has a strong thesis statement. In the 21st century, no openly-fascist governments exist, though political parties in many countries do exist with fascist nationalist influences. Hitler came to power in 1933 after being elected by the German people. 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Totalitarianism is a system of government under which the people are allowed virtually no authority, with the state holding absolute control. Check all that apply. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Traditional social institutions and organizations are discouraged and suppressed, making people more willing to be merged into a single unified movement. Learn more about the world with our collection of regional and country maps. Starting in 1939, from 275,000 to 300,000 German citizens with mental or physical disabilities were murdered. Under Hitler and Stalin, uncertainty was interwoven into the affairs of the state. While totalitarian states typically demand a practically religious loyalty to a single highly developed ideology, most authoritarian states do not. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. 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. Large-scale organized violence becomes permissible and sometimes necessary under totalitarian rule, justified by the overriding commitment to the state ideology and pursuit of the states goal. A good essay will also address the cultural, social, and religious aspects of totalitarianism in both nations, in addition to exploring the way punishment was used to solidify Hitler's and Stalin's power. Moseley considered himself a European and took many economic ideas from economist Milton Keynes. Totalitarianism is very different from Democracy. The fascist movement, which came from totalitarian government states during the 1920s-40s, originated first in Italy and then influenced similar movements in other European nations, most infamously in the case of Nazi Germany. It may be all, some, or none: A totalitarian regime has a highly centralized system of government that requires strict obedience. Economic Systems: Formal & Substantive Approaches, The Holocaust | Antisemitism & Genocide in Nazi Germany. Through genocide and mass murder, Hitlers totalitarian regime strove to turn Germany into a racially pure military superpower. StudySmarter is commited to creating, free, high quality explainations, opening education to all. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you succeed. It is considered the most extreme and comprehensive form of authoritarianism. Reparations caused the Mark to lose value. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/totalitarianism-definition-and-examples-5083506. totalitarianism, form of government that theoretically permits no individual freedom and that seeks to subordinate all aspects of individual life to the authority of the state. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Freedom is slavery. Following the murder of his political opponent Giacomo Matteotti, Mussolini was placed in a difficult position between trying not to alienate his remaining allies in the government and listening to his fascist subordinates, who encouraged him to be more even violent toward the opposition. The totalitarian state pursues some special goal, such as industrialization or conquest, to the exclusion of all others. Fig. In the early 1920s Italian fascist Benito Mussolini coined the term totalitario to characterize the new fascist state of Italy, ruled under his philosophy of, Everything within the state, nothing outside the state, nothing against the state. A few well-known examples of totalitarian regimes during this period include: Coming to power in 1928, Joseph Stalins secret police force had eliminated all potential opposition within the Communist Party by 1934. Omissions? Quiz, Independence Movements in Latin America: Examples & Impact The essence of totalitarianism can be found in its very name; it is a form of rule in which the government attempts to maintain 'total' control over society, including all aspects of the public and private lives of its citizens. (2022, October 1). Characteristics of Totalitarianism Cult of Personality When nations experience major turmoil or stress, people often look for structure, direction, and security. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. True or False: the term totalitarian may apply to any form of government. 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. Another famed example of a totalitarian regime is the leadership of the Soviet Union under Josef Stalin. Without the power or necessity to mobilize the entire population in pursuit of national goals authoritarian governments tend to exercise their power within more-or-less predictable limits. Stalin came to power following the death of Vladimir Lenin. Across Italy, fascist agitators known as blackshirts intimidated socialists and other political opponents. Abstract. While all power in an authoritarian government is held by a single dictator or group, the people are allowed a limited degree of political freedom. In a police state, the police operate according to known and consistent procedures. Fascism is characterized by the imposition of dictatorial power, government control of industry and commerce, and the forcible suppression of opposition, often at the hands of the military or a secret police force. Under a totalitarian regime, all citizens are subject to the absolute authority of the state. lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. censorship. The government/leader controls all of what the people can do and have. However, only with modern technology have governments acquired the means to control society; therefore, totalitarianism is, historically, a recent phenomenon. Identify your study strength and weaknesses. What is media created by the government to make citizens behave a certain way? The leader stays the same. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Using these definitions, evaluate which of these terms can appropriately be applied to this government. Fascism History, Ideology & Examples | What is Fascism? The two most notable characteristics shared by all totalitarian states are an overarching ideology addressing all aspects of life as the means of attaining the states final goal, and a single, all-powerful political party, usually led by a dictator. However, a nations own description of its form of government can often be less than objective.