What Is Totalitarianism?

May 19, 2023

Totalitarianism is a political system in which the government has complete control over all aspects of society, including the economy, culture, education, and the private lives of citizens. In a totalitarian system, the government exercises absolute power and seeks to control every aspect of people’s lives, often through the use of propaganda, surveillance, and violence. Totalitarian regimes typically suppress individual freedoms and dissent, and they often rely on a cult of personality around the leader or ruling party. Examples of totalitarian regimes include Nazi Germany, Stalinist Russia, and North Korea.