The Rise of Totalitarianism

The end of World War I brought about many significant changes across the world. One such change was political in nature: the rise of a totalitarian system of government. It is a form of government where the state is in complete control over the nation, its people and all societal structures, including the military and the press. Several countries shifted to totalitarian governments following the end of the First World War, including Japan, Germany, Italy, Spain and Russia. Each government had varying elements of totalitarian principles, but the ideologies were united in that all leaders valued the state over the citizens.

There are several key traits of most totalitarian regimes. There is always a ruler, usually known as a dictator, who holds complete control and power over the nation. He is a sole figure who has one ruling party that is the only political entity allowed to exist within the country legally. The government uses strict tactics to control life for its citizens. Most everything is very harshly regulated, including business practices, education, and art, and the freedoms that have come to be seen as commonplace in today’s United States rarely existed. Dictators frequently used propaganda in order to control the masses and the media and to manipulate the people to elicit the desired response (Arendt, 1973).

There are many different branches of totalitarianism, including communism and fascism. Fascism relied on a heavy sense of loyalty to the country. The end of World War I brought about a difficult time for many nations, leaving them vulnerable to the rise of such rulers. Dictators played upon the desire to put the nation ahead of the individual citizens in order to achieve desired outcomes. Often, fascist dictators were charismatic and inspiring, leading citizens to believe in their mission and vision for the nation. Totalitarian governments often put a heavy focus on developing a strong and revered military (Arendt, 1973).

While totalitarian regimes popped up across the globe following the end of World War I, one of the best-known examples is Germany and the reign of Adolf Hitler. Hitler assumed power in 1933 and ruled for the next twelve years. While the new government in Germany was undoubtedly totalitarian in nature, it was more specifically a fascist political system with the Nazi Party serving as the nation’s sole legitimate political party. Hitler first became involved in the political sphere in 1919, but it was more than a decade until the atmosphere in Germany was ripe for such a significant shift in government. The Great Depression was felt in Germany during the beginning of the 1930s, and Hitler emerged as a leader who would guide the country out of its economic disaster. He was, by many historical accounts, a very inspiring, charismatic individual (Hitler Comes To Power, n.d.), who took advantage of a country whose citizens had a bleak outlook on the future. Hitler’s version of fascism had several key elements. He promised an economic fix for a country devastated by the depression, promoted loyalty and nationalism, was dedicated to the development of a powerful military, spoke out against communism and, most infamously, was extremely anti-Semitic.

Nazi Germany under Hitler exemplified many key traits of totalitarianism. Censorship of the press was a defining characteristic of Hitler’s government, and the dictator himself even wrote about how it was used in “Mein Kampf,” noting that propaganda was effective in order to persuade the people and that repetition was key to finally convince the masses of whatever it was Hitler wanted them to believe (2009). This became particularly effective as Hitler waged his campaign against Germany’s Jewish population. Police force was often used for those who refused to conform to the censorship and propaganda. Using these totalitarian principles, Hitler was able to successfully rule Nazi Germany through World War II and his ultimate suicide in 1945.

References

Arendt, H. (1973). The Origins of Totalitarianism. Orlando: Harcourt.

Hitler, A., & Ford, M. (2009). Mein Kampf (English language Ford translation edited ed.). Camarillo, California: Elite Minds.

Hitler Comes to Power. (n.d.). United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Retrieved March 22, 2014, from http://www.ushmm.org/outreach/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007671