Totalitarianism in the 20th Century

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer notes that most historians consider totalitarianism to be a uniquely 20th century phenomenon that gained ascendancy during the period between the two World Wars when several such regimes led by Hitler, Mussolini, Franco and Stalin reigned supreme. This paper reflects upon the totalitarianism of Hitler's Nazism and Stalin's Communism and examines the conditions that contributed to the popularity of totalitarianism in inter-war Europe. The writer also analyzes why the phenomenon was a specifically 20th century development. The writer concludes that with the decisive defeat of Germany in the Second World War and the ultimate eclipse of Communism in the Soviet Union in the 1980s, it seems that the rise of totalitarianism was a temporary phenomenon that could not survive the end of the 20th century.

Outline:
Why Totalitarianism Became Popular in the Post WW I Period
Stalin's Communism
Hitler's Nazism: the Ultimate Totalitarian Ideology
Why Totalitarianism was a Specifically 20th Century Phenomenon?
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"The post-World War I period was one such time in recent history. The First World War had caused untold destruction in the countries where it was fought and the reparations imposed on Germany by the victorious Allied powers as well as the one-side Versailles Treaty further exacerbated the situation. All these factors led to severe social, political and economic crises in Europe. When the liberal democratic governments in most of the European countries failed to effectively tackle the severe economic and social problems such as the Great Depression of the 1930s, a belief that the existing social and political structure was unworkable gained ground and the concept of alternate forms of government started to attract a receptive audience."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Roger Scruton. "The Root of Totalitarianism." Centre for Political Thought (1998). Available from http://www.omp.org.pl/scruton_tot_ang_ang.htm [Accessed 23 April 2008]
• Steven Kreis. "The Age of Totalitarianism: Stalin and Hitler." (2004). Lectures on Twentieth Century Europe: The History Guide. http://www.historyguide.org/europe/lecture10.html [Accessed 23 April 2008]
• Bruce F. Pauley, Hitler, Stalin, and Mussolini: Totalitarianism in the Twentieth Century.( 2nd ed. Wheeling, IL: Harlan Davidson, 2003), 122-123

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