Totalitarianism at Its Finest Essay Example

individual person, a specialized committee, or even a political party, depending on the specific arrangement.

The state exerts complete political control through the implementation of rules and regulations that reshape the private lives and morals of its citizens. This type of leadership has been observed in various countries, such as Italy under Benito Mussolini, Russia during Stalin's rule, Germany under Adolf Hitler's fascist regime (known as National Socialism), China under Mao Zedong Tse-tung's communist governance, North Korea under Kim II Sung, Syria under Hafez al-Assad, and Iraq under Saddam Hussein.

Russia during Stalin's Rule

Joseph Stalin rose to power after Lenin's death in 1924 and skillfully outmaneuvered his rivals. His objective was to transform Russia into a formidable industrialized nation, resulting in forced collectivization of peasant land and brutal killings targeting dissenters against his regime.

In order to achieve his objectives, Stalin established a totalitarian government that exercised complete control over every aspect of the lives of citizens. The government showed no regard for individual rights and demanded obedience while also promoting radical nationalism. Stalin utilized propaganda, terror, and censorship to enforce his desires on the population.

Despite the presence of secret police surveillance, newspapers praised Stalin and his regime. Stalin aimed to promote a communist revolution and achieve national prosperity through economic goals.

The Rise of Fascism in Italy

In the aftermath of World War 1, Italy confronted major economic and political difficulties. This resulted in unrest, ultimately leading to Benito Mussolini taking control and forming the Fascist Party.

The rise of fascism in Italy involved the glorification of the state, rejection of democracy, and promotion of aggressive nationalism. Fascists strongly opposed communism and Mussolini gained significant support from Italians in the

early 1920s. He organized the "March on Rome" in 1922 to prevent a communist revolution but his main goal was to pressure the government into appointing him as prime minister. After assuming power, Mussolini had control over both the military and educational institutions. He encouraged Italians to embrace his new slogan: "Everything in the state, nothing outside the state, nothing against the state." (Source: The rise of totalitarianism)

Italian fascism promoted propaganda and a cult of the duce, primarily through its focus on social and educational policies. It sought to shape women's role and promote family life, while also guiding the youth and advocating for racial policies.

This attracted a large number of individuals to their policies and appeared to be well-liked by them, particularly following the conclusion of World War 1, which resulted in a devastated economy (The rise of totalitarianism). Germany's government encountered numerous challenges after World War 1, as the people searched for someone to hold responsible for their loss. Extremists threatened rebellion, and inflation during this period eroded the Germans' trust in the government. Adolf Hitler assumed control of the government in the 1920s with a nationalistic, anti-communist, and Semitic Nazi party. He garnered support by blaming Jews for their defeat.

The popularity of the Nazi party grew during the 1930s due to the Great Depression. Against all odds, the party established a fascist state by exploiting the fear of communism. The leader emphasized the importance of hard work, sacrifice, and serving the state, which resonated with the masses.

He utilized the Gestapo to squash dissidents who opposed Nazi rule. Schools, press, and churches were utilized to promote their objectives. Hitler prohibited strikes, implemented extensive

construction projects, and exerted strict control over wages and prices (The rise of totalitarianism).

Totalitarianism Party And Its Tools

Under a Totalitarianism system of governance, the ruling elite subjects the entire society to a hierarchical structure where individuals are subordinate to those in a position of higher authority.

The text states that the supreme leader is not accountable to anyone else, and that any non-governmental social groups are either destroyed or reconstructed to serve the goals of the party and the state. Advanced science and technology are necessary for complete control over individuals. Totalitarianism has several features that enable effective governance, including technologically conditioned features, monopoly over mass communications and effective weapons, a terroristic police force, and a centrally controlled economy. These features will be further discussed to understand how they facilitate effective government (Source: Brucekelly.com: Totalitarianism).

Control Of Mass Media And Communications

The ruling party and the government have a monopoly on mass communications. They possess all the nation's channels, which are used to provide information, direction, and guidance on national matters to citizens. The centralized control and direction extend to newspaper magazines, publishing houses, radio and television broadcasting, motion pictures, and theater productions. All actors, writers, speakers, composers, and poets are enrolled in party-controlled organizations and licensed by the government. Party membership is often a requirement imposed by most countries. Individuals in these roles are expected to adhere to the party's line and interpret its policies, which are enforced through censorship.

The Secret Police

The secret police utilize scientific crime detection theories and modern psychology techniques to terrorize citizens. Unlike previous autocracies, these police employ institutions such as concentration camps, public confessions, and predetermined trials. Consequently, it is unlikely

that citizens will attempt to overthrow this form of government.

The only fear is the possibility of the secret police seizing power.

Monopoly Of Effective Weapons

Another attribute of all contemporary governments is their control and monopoly of armament. In these systems, there are no legal means to change the government, and popular uprisings like those in East Germany in 1953 and Hungary in 1956 have minimal chances of succeeding. The government possesses tanks, jet planes, flamethrowers, and other war weapons that give them a strong defense against revolutions (Brucekelly.com. Totalitarianism).

Control of the Economy

The economy is controlled by a totalitarian government that exploits its population for foreign conquest and global revolution. For instance, they prioritize a single crucial military project and concentrate all resources towards it. This government manipulates the economy to maintain control over the workers and make them reliant on the government by issuing work permits that are essential for employment.

The withdrawal of work permits can occur for minor offenses, such as speaking out against poor working conditions. These individuals are occasionally referred to as state slaves (Brucekelly.com. Totalitarianism). Totalitarianism is considered a dynamic process that emphasizes the significance of advancement and progress. The slogan "forward" is frequently used in totalitarianism to emphasize the importance of movement.

When countries are at war, they tend to adopt totalitarianism as a means to unite their citizens and effectively mobilize resources for victory. This involves consistency and clarity of policy, as well as a focus on law and order. An example of this is the case of Stalin in Russia (Nekrasas E.).

Conclusion

The essay extensively covered the topic of totalitarianism and its implementation in Italy, Russia, and Germany. Totalitarian governments possess

complete control over a nation's economy, law enforcement, and social order. All facets of the country's activities, ranging from social and political to economic and cultural aspects, are subordinate to the objectives established by the rulers of the state.