Totalitarianism Definition
Totalitarianism Definition: The "total" in totalitarianism provides
the best clue to its meaning. The term 'Totalitarianism' refers to
the type of government that attempts to assert absolute and total
control over the public and private lives of its citizens.
Totalitarianism is a form of government that puts absolute power in
the hands or a group of people in a political party such as fascism
or communism. Totalitarian governments are often led by a
single individual such as a dictator.
Totalitarianism: Totalitarian
governments between WW1 and WW2
Totalitarian governments were able to take control in the
period between WW1 and WW2 because:
● Existing governments were
weak and lacked strong leadership giving rise to the opportunity
for dictatorships to emerge
● Countries were subject to
serious economic problems
● The terms of the
1919 Treaty of Versailles caused anger and resentment and
the League of Nations failed
● The leaders and dictators
of Totalitarian governments initially provided strength and a
sense of security to people and gave a direction for the future
Examples of Totalitarianism Countries
between WW1 and WW2
Examples of Totalitarianism countries with kinds of governments that
became totalitarian between WWI and WW2 were:
●
The Fascist governments in Italy
and Spain that included dictatorships adhering to nationalism,
imperialism and and militarism
● The Nazi government of
Germany, that included a dictatorship, combined fascism with
racism
● The USSR Communist form of
government that included
dictatorship and adhered to socialism and state control
● The Military Dictatorship
in Japan that combined fascism with tradition by which the
Emperor of Japan remained the head of state - refer to
Japanese Militarism
Totalitarianism Characteristics and
Common Beliefs: What do Totalitarian Governments have in common?
Although the WW1 - WW2
totalitarianism governments adhered
to different political systems, such as Fascism, Nazism, Communism
and Militarism, they had many beliefs and practices in common. The
key traits and characteristics of totalitarianism are as follows:
●
The Centralized state control of
totalitarianism denied basic liberties and personal freedom and
demanded absolute loyalty from the people expecting personal
sacrifice for the good of the state
● Totalitarianism
encompassed a highly aggressive form of nationalism by which the
nation is more important than the individual
● The ideology of
totalitarianism determined and
glorified the goals of the state and justified government
actions
●
Totalitarianism countries and governments
enforced the will of the state by one-party rule, censorship,
propaganda, indoctrination and persecution
● State control of society
and culture under a
totalitarianism regime was extreme and regulated the Arts,
Literature, Education, Religion, Youth Groups, Business, Labor,
Housing and Personal Life
●
Totalitarianism countries used a strong
military force and secret police to enforce their policies. In a
totalitarian state the police operated without the constraints
of laws and regulations
● All of the countries
adhered to an aggressive and expansionist foreign policy
● All of the
Totalitarianism
countries
withdrew, or were expelled from, the League of Nations
Totalitarianism: What is the difference
between Totalitarianism and Dictatorship?
What
is the difference between Totalitarianism and Dictatorship? In
Totalitarianism a government takes total, centralized state control
and regulates nearly all aspects of public and private life and
behavior. Dictatorships are ruled by a single, dynamic individual
(dictator) who seizes control over the state and individuals and
governs without the consent of the people. A dictatorship is a
system that does not adhere to democracy.
●
Totalitarianism: Totalitarian
governments are those that exert total control over the people they govern
● Dictatorship: Dictators govern
without the consent of the people, dominate the government and
have no limits to their authority
● Democracy: A Democracy is
the political system by which
those who govern are selected by the people
Many dictatorships are also
totalitarian.
Examples of Totalitarianism Dictators
(WW1 - WW2): Hitler, Mussolini, Franco and Stalin
Examples of Totalitarianism
Dictators who rose to power between WW1 and WW2 were Adolf Hitler,
Benito Mussolini, General Franco and Joseph Stalin.
● Benito Mussolini
(1883-1945) established himself as dictator of Italy and assumed
the title of "Il Duce" meaning "The Leader". Mussolini founded
the ideology of Fascism. Mussolini sought to restore the power
and the glory of the Roman Empire
●
Adolf Hitler (1889 – 1945) established himself as
dictator of Germany and assumed the title of "Fuhrer" meaning
"Leader". Hitler was the leader of the National Socialist German
Workers' Party, better known as the Nazi Party. Nazism shared
many features of Fascism but also featured racism. Hitler sought
to restore the glory of the German Empire by establishing the
"Third Reich"
● General Francisco Franco
(1892-1975) established himself as the Fascist dictator
of Spain and assumed the title of "El Caudillo" meaning "The
Leader". General Franco received support from the fascist
dictatorships in Italy and Germany but generally kept out of WW2
● Joseph Stalin (1878 –
1953) established himself as the Dictator of the Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics (USSR) and the Communist Party of the Soviet
Union
Totalitarianism in 1984: George Orwell's
Novel 1984 (Nineteen Eighty-Four)
The famous novel "1984" also
published as "Nineteen Eighty-Four" was written by George Orwell and
first published on 8 June 1949. In his famous book George Orwell
describes the terrors of
Totalitarianism and a Totalitarian government of the future. Orwell
portrays a world in which personal freedom and privacy have vanished
as television cameras survey the every move of citizens, even in
their own homes "Big Brother". George Orwell illustrates the world
in 1984 that is characterized by the horrors of Totalitarianism and
a highly aggressive form of nationalism with censorship,
manipulation, surveillance, propaganda, indoctrination and
persecution. George Orwell's 1984 portrays a terrifying world that
was made possible through modern technology...
Totalitarianism for kids - President Franklin Roosevelt Video
The article on the Totalitarianism provides detailed facts and a summary of one of the important events during his presidential term in office. The following
Franklin Roosevelt video will
give you additional important facts and dates about the political events experienced by the 32nd American President whose presidency spanned from March 4, 1933 to April 12, 1945.
Totalitarianism and Dictators
●
Interesting Facts about Totalitarianism for kids and schools
●
Examples of the Totalitarianism
between WW1 and WW2
●
Examples of
Totalitarianism countries and governments
●
Franklin Roosevelt
Presidency from March 4, 1933 to April 12, 1945
●
Fast, fun facts about the Totalitarianism system of government
● Examples of Totalitarianism countries
& Totalitarianism governments
● Examples and Definition of
Totalitarianism countries for schools,
homework, kids and children |