History 1404E Study Guide - Fall 2018, Comprehensive Midterm Notes - Kingdom Of Italy, Adolf Hitler, Totalitarianism
History 1404E
MIDTERM EXAM
STUDY GUIDE
Fall 2018
Totalitarianism & Undercurrents & Anxieties of Europe in the 20th Century
What is Totalitarianism?
“Totalitarianism is not only hell, but… also the dream of paradise”
Milan Kundera, The Book of Laughter and Forgetting
★Classical Totalitarianism Theory says that fascism and Communism are the
same, there is no difference. Two sides of the same coin, different versions
★But we have somehow declared one better or worse than the other
★Giovanna Amendola
★Italian journalist and politician
★Coined the term “totalitarianism”
★Meant is as a critique
★Meant to say they are different and dangerous
★Hard to come up with a definition of totalitarianism, because certain
characteristics such as elections shared with democratic systems
★Often go by “we’ll know it, when we see it”
Question to think about: Do the definitions fit?
Dictatorship:
★In ancient rome, Dictators would be put into power when there was a
national emergency and when emergency was over, the power would go back
to normal
★Definition: “ A political regime in which democracy, liberal individual rights
and genuine parliamentary rule are absent”
★Is further divided into totalitarianism and authoritarian
Totalitarianism:
★Typology
★Extraordinary powers of the leader
★Importance of an exclusionist ideology
★Us Vs. Them, no middle ground
★Single mass party
★Secret police and the use of terror
★Communications Monopoly
★One message rather than different conflicting ideas
★Determination to restructure society
★Want to change everything
★State above the individual
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Totalitarianism & Undercurrents & Anxieties of Europe in the 20th Century
Authoritarian Regimes Vs. Totalitarianism:
Further Classifications of Totalitarianism:
★Totalitarianism as a Political region
★Strong vs. Weak totalitarianism
★Strong: Deals with change, directs changes,
★Weak: Regime is reactive, reacting to internal and external
events
★Eroding Totalitarianism
★System is breaking down in one or more places
★Ex: North Korea
★Post-Totalitarianism
★Classify themselves as totalitarianism and use the rhetoric, but don't
believe in it
★Use it as a means to stay in power
★Ex: The Soviet Union after the death of Stalin
★Ex: China supposedly communist yet biggest capital economy
★New Totalitarianism/Third Totalitarianism
★Islamic terrorism is sometimes described as the third totalitarianism
Totalitarianism
Authoritarian
- Put up by Mass Revolution
- Put up by military coups
- Needs people to get involved in politics
- Needs people to stay uninvolved in politics
- Want to change everything
- Want to preserve tradition
- Intrusive, concerned with all aspects of life
- Less intrusive, no desire to control all
aspects of life
- Extremely Violent
- Less violent than totalitarianism
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Totalitarianism is not only hell, but also the dream of paradise . Milan kundera, the book of laughter and forgetting. Classical totalitarianism theory says that fascism and communism are the same, there is no difference. Two sides of the same coin, different versions. But we have somehow declared one better or worse than the other. Meant to say they are different and dangerous. Hard to come up with a de nition of totalitarianism, because certain characteristics such as elections shared with democratic systems. Often go by we"ll know it, when we see it . In ancient rome, dictators would be put into power when there was a national emergency and when emergency was over, the power would go back to normal. De nition: a political regime in which democracy, liberal individual rights and genuine parliamentary rule are absent . Is further divided into totalitarianism and authoritarian. Secret police and the use of terror.
