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"The Origins of Totalitarianism", 2004.
An investigation of the responses to Hannah Arendt's "The Origins of Totalitarianism" and her theory of 'the masses' .
1,864 words (approx. 7.5 pages), 14 sources, APA, $ 59.95
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Abstract
This paper examines a chapter from Hannah Arendt's "The Origins of Totalitarianism" in which she theorises about the composition of and relevance of the masses in totalitarian regimes. It looks at how her definition of 'masses' does not include specific classes or citizens, but incorporates the section of the population that does not belong to a class or any other kind of social group. It also discusses how many of the first critiques of the book, first published post World War II, were negative and how more recent texts have seen Arendt's work in its historic context, i.e. as an important piece of post war, totalitarianism historiography.
From the Paper
"A Classless Society appears in the third section of the Origins entitled Totalitarianism. In this chapter, Arendt theorises about the masses - the people who followed Hitler and Stalin unquestioningly. The masses are politically indifferent or disillusioned men, who had become isolated due to the disintegration of the class system, who did not belong to any professional or social organisations, and who had become atomised, lonely individuals. Arendt claims that this atomisation occurred 'naturally' in Germany but that in Russia, Stalin created an atomised society 'by the skilful use of repeated purges' that eliminated social groups who appeared to be stable and therefore threatening to his regime. As Canovan points out, this suggests that while certain
'natural' circumstances led Hitler to totalitarianism, Stalin deliberately anticipated totalitarianism, or perhaps he was merely fulfilling his (Hegelian) historic role."
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Totalitarianism?s Controversial Notions, 2005.
Analysis of Hannah Arendt's work, "The Origins of Totalitarianism".
1,790 words (approx. 7.2 pages), 2 sources, MLA, $ 57.95
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Abstract
This paper analyzes Arendt's conception of totalitarianism as presented in her work, "The Origins of Totalitarianism", and discusses her notion of society's capacity for collective tyranny and violence. The paper points out that Arendt based this notion on the belief that the political phenomenon is a social or mass-created phenomenon that forms a code of ethical conduct apart from the individual. The paper further explains that, according to Arendt, this political phenomenon is then capable of creating a mental environment and force that produces horrific collective actions that no individual would precipitate on his or her own. Finally, the paper explains the implications of Arendt's theory, which essentially shifts responsibility for acts of tyranny and brutality from the leadership to the victims of the acts, as well as the ensuing controversy her theory elicited.
From the Paper
"Since the publication of her 1951 work on The Origins of Totalitarianism, Hannah Arendt has received much criticism as a philosopher and an historian for her theory of the human, historical development of notions of society or what Arendt terms ?the social.? From the social organizations of the salon, which were loose and diffuse, and based on ideological alliances, human beings evolved in their organization, she suggests, to alliances upon material interests in the forms of classes. But the nationalist and imperialist movements of the 19th century perverted these previous mental and material social alliances in history, to create the manifestation of ?the masses? that enabled totalitarianism to take hold in Germany, Russia, and other areas of the world."
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The Totalitarian System in Literature, 2002.
Compares Hannah Arendt's text, "The Origins of Totalitarianism" to two novels: "The Captive Mind" and "The Joke".
3,400 words (approx. 13.6 pages), 3 sources, $ 124.95
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Abstract
This paper shall examine the specifics of the totalitarian system in relation to Hanna Arendt's classic text, "The Origins of Totalitarianism". This shall be done through comparing this text to those of "The Captive Mind" by Czeslaw Milosz and "The Joke" by Milan Kundera.
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Totalitarianism and Modernity, 2006.
A critical review of the idea, espoused by Hilton Kramer in his book "Reflections on the End of the Century", that totalitarianism is simply modernism gone bad.
1,189 words (approx. 4.8 pages), 2 sources, MLA, $ 40.95
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Abstract
This paper argues that Hilton Kramer's concept of totalitarianism as simply the natural result of modernity is all wrong. The paper maintains that, while technology may have helped certain totalitarian regimes advance their causes, it is much more than just over-the-top modernity. The paper asserts that totalitarianism is instead a disease of an individual soul, a sundering of a human from his humanity in such a way that a concept of modernity is carried out with ruthless exactitude and disastrous results.
From the Paper
"Hilton Kramer, who usually critiques arts and culture, has nonetheless published a significant body of work on cultural issues that have transcended that superficial arena to become sociological issues of abiding importance, such as, for example, the Holocaust. In 1999, Kramer wrote convincingly about "the end of this murderous and unrepentant century, in which a greater number of human beings has been violently put to death in the name of criminal political ideas than in any other century of recorded history" (1999, p. 4). He laments, also, that there was no hint of change on the horizon, and he contended that "our technological capabilities have long ago outdistanced our powers of moral discrimination" (1999, p. 4), a statement that suggests that he, at least, believes that totalitarianism-the "criminal political ideas"-are far more serious than a mere miscarriage of science. Science-modernity-is neutral until men of ill will co-opt it to achieve nefarious goals."
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Totalitarianism Regimes, 2002.
A look at the common features of totalitarianism regimes in the twentieth century.
1,900 words (approx. 7.6 pages), 7 sources, $ 71.95
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Abstract
This paper examines the characteristics common to every totalitarian regime set by Carl Friedrich. The elements as well as the nature of totalitarianism is looked at. Three incidents of totalitarian regimes in this century: how they gained power and how they maintained it.
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The Origins of Totalitarianism, 2005.
A look at the influence of Friedrich Nietzsche on modern European totalitarianism.
1,187 words (approx. 4.7 pages), 1 source, MLA, $ 40.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses how the ideas of Friedrich Nietzsche were in the center of European totalitarianism. It looks at how the actions, including the Holocaust and collectivization of Russia, of those in control of Europe at this time reveal a heavy influence from his works.
From the Paper
"Totalitarianism of the early 20th century is the product of the First World War and became in many ways Nietzsche's society based on rank. Those who were ready, those who had a will to power, seized the opportunities offered by the post war era. They came to power because, according to Nietzsche, it was the will of man and therefore it was inevitable. "This world is the will to power-and nothing besides! And you yourselves are also the will to power-and nothing besides" (Perry, 276). Once in power these men continually sought to expand their authority. Nietzsche better that any other modern intellectual of the time understood man to be driven by nothing but power and satisfied only by expanding that power. "What is happiness?-The feeling that that power increases- that a resistance is overcome" (Perry, 276)."
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Karl Marx and Totalitarianism, 2002.
A discussion on why Karl Marx's theories leads inevitably to totalitarianism.
1,900 words (approx. 7.6 pages), 3 sources, $ 71.95
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Abstract
This paper argues that Karl Marx's theories necessitate totalitarianism. This is because the very notion of a classless and non-market society necessitates state terror and the negation of freedom. One cannot take away private property rights and still give freedom to a society. Economic freedom and political freedom are inter-connected.
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George Orwell's "1984": Totalitarianism and Nazi Germany, 1999.
A look at how Orwell critiques the totalitarian regimes of Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in his masterpieces.
1,429 words (approx. 5.7 pages), 1 source, $ 47.95
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From the Paper
"George Orwell has been a major contributor to anticommunist literature around the World War II period. Orwell lived in England during World War II, a time when the Totalitarianism State, Nazi Germany, was at war with England and destroyed the city of London. "I know that building" said Winston finally. "It's a ruin now. It's in the middle of the street outside the Palace of Justice. That's right. Outside the Law Courts. It was bombed in-oh many years ago.'" (Orwell 83). The main character's being reflects Orwell's own life experiences as a citizen in war torn England and how he uses this in 1984. George Orwell is famous for two major novels, which attack totalitarianism. The first is Animal Farm a satire describing the leaders of the Soviet Union as animals on an animal farm. The second novel is 1984 a story of dictators who are in complete control of a large part of the world after the Allies lost in World War II. The government in this novel gives no freedoms to its citizens. They live in fear because they are afraid of having bad thoughts about the government of Oceania, a crime punishable by death. By employing literary devices such as diction, foreshadowing, and symbolism, Orwell composes a novel "1984" which proves to be a gem in Orwell's collection of novels against totalitarianism."
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The Validation of the Totalitarian Theory, 2000.
An examination of totalitarianism under Joseph Stalin, leader of the Soviet Union in the 1920's until 1953. Extensively researched.
5,945 words (approx. 23.8 pages), 13 sources, MLA, $ 141.95
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Abstract
This paper examines whether totalitarianism is a reality or a concept which is purely fictional. The author discusses the concept and development of totalitarianism in Soviet society and the state, the development of totalitarian ideology, the power of the Communist Party, NKVD and their effects on society, political infrastructure and daily life. Stalin's reign is the most oft-cited example of totalitarianism and is extensively analyzed.
From the Paper
"From 1928 to 1945, a system of government developed in the Soviet Union which many scholars have termed totalitarian. Josef Stalin, the General Secretary of the Communist Party, initiated policies and campaigns throughout this period which provided him with an unprecedented amount of control over such a large nation as the USSR. The first step was taken in 1928, when the forced collectivization of the countryside was begun. Rapid industrialization followed, mobilizing the urban population, so that the entire nation was put to the task of building a socialist utopia. In December of 1934, the Leningrad Party leader, Sergei Kirov, was assassinated. Whether Stalin was involved in his death or not, it is undisputable that he took advantage of his comrades death by initiating a purge which affected all levels of society, from the poor to the privileged, those in and out of the government, the military, and even the secret police, which was the main tool of carrying out the purges. Purging continued to some extent in 1939 and afterwards when the Soviet Union went to war with Poland, Finland in 1940, and Nazi Germany from 1941 to 1945. In this time Stalin's control over the government bureaucracy and the people came to a climax, at which it remained until his death in 1953."
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Totalitarian Governments, 2004.
An analysis of totalitarian governments.
2,300 words (approx. 9.2 pages), 7 sources, MLA, $ 70.95
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Abstract
This paper examines the conditions that contribute to the evolution of totalitarian governments and presents the variables that distinguish totalitarianism from other forms of government. The paper also identifies and discusses specific totalitarian countries that provide case studies of the rise of totalitarianism.
From the Paper
"There is no single cause that leads to totalitarianism although its theoretical roots have been traced to the political theories of Plato, Hobbes, Rousseau and Marx at different times. Some theorists have even suggested that the rapidity, with which totalitarian governments have arisen in modern times, indicates that ?there is something in human nature to which they correspond and on which they draw for their moral energy.? (Scruton 1998) That ?something,? according to Scruton is an overwhelming sense of ?resentment? among the people which is exploited and stoked by a group of people (usually the elite) to embark on the path of a totalitarian government."
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The Totalitarian Regime of North Korea, 2006.
An overview of the totalitarian regime of North Korea.
1,944 words (approx. 7.8 pages), 5 sources, MLA, $ 61.95
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Abstract
This paper takes a look at the totalitarian regime of North Korea, discussing where it is headed. According to the paper, North Korea is an eroding totalitarian regime that has existed for approximately four decades. The paper discusses how North Korea is being held together by the corrupt but insightful leader Kim Jong-Il who is the successor to the founder of the regime and Kim's father, Kim Sung-Il, who died in 1994.
From the Paper
"Yet the last fact may make him seem odd, but everything the leader does is planned out well. On the world stage he uses everything he has to his advantage. To Kim Jong-Il losing face to foreign powers abroad is losing power at home. Given his hand, he is a brilliant poker player one might say, (Scobell 13). He does whatever it takes to keep a strong grip on the power he wields. The prestige of his name must be upheld. This involves many things. He hides his visits to other countries, as it is an Asian custom and belief that the subordinate nation makes the visits abroad. He has delegates come to the capital city of Pyongyang where one sees a facade of what the nation really is, an extension of his ego and poker face. Visitors come and see a busy industrial and cultural center that exists nowhere else in North Korea. In fact, some suspect the full time job of some employees is to ride the subway all day to aid such a modern appearance. The image is false of course as most of the nation lives in poverty, (Scobell 11)."
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Rousseau: Democrator Totalitarian, 2002.
An examination of the ideals of the political philosopher and theorist, Jean-Jacques Rousseau.
698 words (approx. 2.8 pages), 5 sources, MLA, $ 24.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses the question of whether Rousseau?s political philosophy is democratic or totalitarian in nature. No other theorist, before or after, can claim to have influenced the ideology and policy of both democratic and totalitarian regimes. Rousseau?s commitment to the democratic ideals of liberty, equality and political participation is emphasized throughout his work but although his ideas have been influential to democratic parties and regimes from the French Revolution onwards, they have also influenced totalitarian ideology including Adolf Hitler?s fascist regime.
From the Paper
"So why is a philosophy that is founded upon these democratic ideals regarded, by many, as being a major influence upon totalitarian ideology, even leading to the creation of Adolf Hitler?s fascist regime? The reason lies in Rousseau?s concept of the general will, which states that, ? the good of all is more important than the interests of any individual? (Wokler, 1985). This is not, as in a democracy, an endorsement of the will of the majority, but the duty of the collective body to ensure that, ?whoever refuses to obey the general will shall be constrained to do so? (Crocker, 1967)."
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Aristotle: Anarchist or Totalitarian?, 2002.
Examines the opinions of philosophical authors Jonathan Barnes and David Keyt on Aristotle's position.
3,740 words (approx. 15.0 pages), 5 sources, APA, $ 103.95
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Abstract
According to Jonathan Barnes, Aristotle's political philosophy runs rife with totalitarian principles. Not so, replies David Keyt, since Aristotle, perhaps never recognizing it himself, approached his political philosophy from a fundamentally anarchistic base. Was Aristotle essentially a totalitarian or an anarchist? This paper attempts to answer that question. First, it interprets Barnes' argument as presented in his 1990 essay ?Aristotle and Political Liberty.? It then moves onto an exposition of David Keyt's position as put forward in his 1993 paper ?Aristotle and Anarchism.? Thereafter, the paper returns to Barnes' essay and examines each numbered point. By combining his own arguments with Keyt's insights, the author of the paper refutes Barnes' position.
From the Paper
"This contention against slavery, Keyt suggests, "contains the seeds of philosophical anarchism," since its conclusion infers about slavery that no difference exists by nature between master and slave, and the rule of master over slave depends on force. The same can apply in the political arena: no difference exists by nature between ruler and subject, and political rule depends on force. Hence, "a wholesale challenge of political authority is but a short step from the wholesale challenge of slavery" (138). The main idea behind philosophical anarchism is that coercion is unjust, and "the rejection of political authority ... is not a first principle of the theory (of anarchism) but a corollary of its view about coercion and force" (138)."
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Totalitarian Regimes and the Threat of Genocide, 2003.
The following paper discusses Christopher R. Browning's "Ordinary Men Reserve Police Battalion 101" and "The Final Solution in Poland" with reference to the War Against Terror.
1,520 words (approx. 6.1 pages), 0 sources, $ 50.95
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Abstract
This paper supports Browning?s thesis that the despicable behavior of Hitler and his allies towards another race, as seen in World War II, is no aberration but is rather entirely possible and even probable in other places and times. The writer makes reference to Osama Bin Laden and the Taliban comparing the organization to a totalitarian regime.
From the paper:
?Drawing extensively on primary source material, including transcripts of investigations and war crime trials, Browning asks how ?ordinary men? could have carried out the horrific acts that are described in his book in such detail. His answer is disturbing, because he avoids facile generalizations that would provide a comfortable psychological distance between ?us? and ?them.?
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Totalitarian Regimes, 2001.
The following paper discusses Christopher R. Browning?s "Ordinary Men: Reserve Police Battalion 101" and the "Final Solution in Poland" with reference to the ?War Against Terror?.
1,910 words (approx. 7.6 pages), 0 sources, $ 60.95
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Abstract
This paper supports Browning?s thesis that the despicable behavior of Hitler and his allies towards another race, as seen in World War II, is no aberration, but is rather entirely possible and even probable in other places and times. The writer makes reference to Osama Bin Laden and the Taliban comparing the organization to a totalitarian regime.
From the Paper
?Drawing extensively on primary source material, including transcripts of investigations and war crime trials, Browning asks how ?ordinary men? could have carried out the horrific acts that are described in his book in such detail. His answer is disturbing, because he avoids facile generalizations that would provide a comfortable psychological distance between ?us? and ?them.?
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