The Role Of Totalitarianism In Governments

The source believes that totalitarianism should be used regularly in governments in order to achieve goals. They have seen from history that totalitarianism results in great changes to a country. The USSR, for example, became rapidly industrialized under communism. The author ignores the fact that with this great power came great destruction to the lives of the citizens. Totalitarianism is an ideology that believes that the government should have complete control over nearly every aspect of its citizens’ lives. The source would agree most with Hobbes idea of a strong central power or “leviathan”. They would disagree with Locke’s idea that people are rational, reasonable, and able to make decisions for themselves. When the source says objectives, …show more content…
Hobbes would agree with this idea. He believed that people should give up their rights to the central power in return for protection. Every day, in some form, people give up their individual rights and self-interest for the common good. This is why people wait in line for their turn at the coffee shop, understand when others with greater needs go before them in the emergency room even though they arrived first, and evacuate a building when there is an alarm. In these circumstances, people have their own interests and desires, but are willing to set them aside for the good of those around them. This logical can be applied to the government. When there is a crisis such as a war, natural disaster, or pandemic, people expect the government to step in to ensure that despite the circumstances, they will do their best to continue to provide protection without compromising its goals. In a democratic society, the goal is protection of the individual in accordance with the will of the …show more content…
The ideas presents are contrary to liberalism, but may be embraced under certain circumstances. The danger of totalitarianism is that it can be difficult to stop. If used with a specific purpose, the support of the people, and a set time frame it can quickly fix problems that previously seemed impossible to overcome with the traditional democratic process. Two major dictators Stalin and Hitler are known for their use of totalitarianism. Their use of it was also a misuse and abuse of it. The ideas they put forward as the dreams of their country were generally not the dreams of the citizens. Rather, they were the personal dreams of the dictators. They took liberalism and completely rejected it. When totalitarianism is embraced, the citizens forfeit their individual rights and freedoms. While a temporary situation of putting them aside to resolve a dangerous situation such as a natural disaster, health crisis, war, or mass casualty event is acceptable, an extended term without rights for citizens is a catalyst to a further rejection of liberalism. As soon as the government takes away something from its citizens, it can be difficult for them to give it back. It also opens the door to take away more and more rights. Totalitarianism is dangerous, but in some cases it is necessary to protect citizens and allow the government to pursue their goals as