Totalitarianism: The Nature of Single-Party States

1. Totalitarianism: The Nature of Single-Party States • Crisis states – arises during periods of conflict, division or confusion in a society • Outcome of war, economic collapse, religious or ethnic strife, or deep social divisions and class conflicts • From these conditions come a sense of hopelessness or despair in the population, fear for the future or concerns over descending into chaos • Then, someone comes to save the day

2. Touchstone Documents • Read the Source Analysis • “Ponder” the Source-based Questions • Write another question you still have about totalitarianism • Gather to discuss

3. The Leader • Single-party states place great emphasis on the unique talent, intelligence, insight and courage of the leader • So dominant that the term “single-party state” is almost a misnomer! • Every case the leader personifies the party to the point of being virtually synonymous with it

4. Rise of Party = Rise of Leader • When studying the rise of a single-party state, we must also consider the significant role played by the growth in status of its leader • How to they grow in power inside the party? • And how does that party take over the government? • How do they gain & maintain support?

5. Review: Hitler’s Rise • Synonymous with the rise of the Nazi Party • Rise to power = political process! • Hitler took over the government at first through democratic means • Nazi Party gained majorities in Reichstag • Hitler offered chancellorship as head of Nazi Party • But then, as his (and the Nazi Party’s) power grew, began to use increasing terror & force to maintain support • Continued to be aided by his closest supporters

6. Discussion Point: Creating the “myth” • All totalitarian leaders in the 20th C have been men. Many of the stereotypical qualities of leadership summed up in the phrase “a man of action,”including courage, determination, commanding physical size and strength, are strongly identified as masculine attributes. • Also, all societies in which totalitarian leaders have come to power were more “traditional” • Would it be possible to have a female totalitarian leader?

7. The Leader • Condition of crisis permeating the state • Political? Economic? Social? • How does this “rising” leader aim to fix this crisis ??? • How does this leader get people to back him? • What is it about this leader that motivates and excited people to join him?

8. Ideology & Political Platform • Ideology – a statement of broad principles and vision of the future • Political platform – translating those broad concepts and ideals into tangible, coherent policies, programs, and actions • For example – if you choose Lenin, the “Bread” revolution was a practical platform to address the immediate need for change in power (people were starving! The czar had to go!); Marxist ideology professes power to go to the workers (peasants)

9. Delivering the Message & Taking Power • Methods used to “get the message out” • Propaganda !!! Slogans !!! Posters !!! • Also Education, Arts, Rallies • Taking power • Democratically (Hitler & Mussolini), but still used moderate violence and confrontation • By force (Castro, Mao, Lenin), with guerrilla warfare and military coup d’etat

10. Historical Context • Your presentation should address how the leader takes advantage of the crisis (historical context), putting forth a political platform that harnesses (professes) a broader ideology; it will be important to also address how did they get the message out? • Discuss “who gains power?” • For instance, why did Lenin and the Reds triumph over the Whites? • Review: Why did the Nazis gain power in Germany and not the communists?

11. The Elimination of the Opposition • The mistakes or shortcomings of opponents are crucial to the success of the new leader and the party in their attempt to seize and hold onto power • Address regime change & how the defeated party failed to respond effectively to the crisis • A power vacuum in created through which the new leader and his party rise to take control • Be sure to use good examples here! Tell the story, have it come alive for us!

12. Intrigue! Suspense! • Establishing & maintaining power, attracting support, repressing opponents, government controlling people – this is the “stuff” of your narrative! • Address governments operating philosophy – economy is a key component – what are the broader objectives of the regime? Improving living standards? Modernization? Industrialization? Improving defense? • These are your political, economic, social policies

13. Social Re-engineering (well, policies) • Totalitarian states have a definite “take” on what their country should look like! • In general, right-wing (conservative) states hearken back to the “good ole days” and romanticize a past to look forward to … • In general, left-wing (radical) states tend to support more progressive, egalitarian ideas and want to eliminate inequalities • Tell us about how your regime uses policies to revamp their countries to their ideal vision

14. Last, but not least … • Outline for us an answer to your Paper 2 question as it relates to the Single-Party State you researched • Make sure you stick with the major analytical themes of • Rise (origins) of single-party states • Establishment of single-party states • Rule of single-party states • Their regional & global impact

15. For Example … • If I were to answer the question: In what ways, and with what results, did one ruler use the following: religion, propaganda, and the arts? • Using Hitler, I would show examples of how he used Jews as scapegoats (his treatment of religion)