Totalitarianism
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Totalitarianism is a system in which the government has such total power that it controls every major aspect of life in that nation. The government decides all matters including – politics, education, law and order, the economy, religion, the armed forces, art, literature, music and entertainment. In this essay it will be proved that through forming police states and controlling mass communication, education and the economy, totalitarianism was achieved in the nations of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy.
In order to maintain a level of control, totalitarianism is based on a one party political system having the right to govern. No opposition parties are allowed and the leader becomes a very powerful dictator. The defining characteristics of totalitarianism adhered to closely by Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy were – to enforce a police state and to have control over education, the economy and communication to the people.
To maintain control in a totalitarian fashion, the education in each of these countries was controlled by the governments. Both school systems were used to train the youth to support their governments. German students were drilled in German nationalism, devotion to Hitler and in theories that proved Germans were a master race.
Similarly the fascists set out to control people’s minds and behaviors. School children began by reciting the fascist creed. Italian students were positioned to view Mussolini as a living god. This is evidenced in the response by Mussolini when asked about the Pope by a young Italian pupil – “The Pope? He is one of my helpers. He looks after the dead. I look after the living. To him the kingdom of souls. To me the kingdom of living.” Mussolini (1922).
Similar to both, were the expectation that children were to join youth movements from an early age. In these groups, the boys completed military training groups and were drilled on that nations beliefs. Furthermore, girls were drilled in motherhood and to believe their duty was to have children for the nation. It is shown below how a Italian eyewitness describes how she felt about the Italian Youth organizations (1933) “I remember how thrilling it was. I loved the constant marching and singing, with flags and bunting everywhere. I wanted so badly just to join the �Little Italian Girls.’” .
Control over the economies for both nations was evident as a way to enforce totalitarianism in each regime. When Hitler came to power in 1933, there were six million unemployed Germans. By 1935, Germany had almost no one out of work. Hitler achieved this by introducing a four year plan whereby wages, working hours and industries were stringently controlled by the government. Import tariffs were introduced to protect the German industry. Trade unions were savagely suppressed, their leaders beaten or killed.
Mussolini’s attempt to solve economic problems and to control the economy was achieved in a different way. He turned Italy into a corporate state.
Easily identified in each country were the governments’ controls over mass communications. By controlling communication and removing freedom of speech, governments could easily influence opinion. This was achieved by censoring the media in all forms. Propaganda within Nazi Germany was highly effective. Nazi propaganda penetrated the minds of millions of Germans and helped the party to win votes. This ideology is shown below in one of Hitler’s campaign posters, the poster reads – “Our last hope, HITLER.” (1933) This poster was used during the great depression and was aimed at workers faced with unemployment. It displays an obvious use of propaganda.
The Nazis realized the importance of the radio and newspapers as a means to communicate with the masses.
Likewise, the Italian Ministry of Popular Culture made sure that newspapers, cinemas, theatres, books