Totalitarianism

1. The rise of totalitarianism.
Fascism and nazism

2. - In the years between the two world wars, some
people in Europe thought that democracy and
the liberal system had failed because of:
- The outbreak of WW I
- The Great depression
- Some countries (especially Germany and Italy)
adopted totalitarian regimes with one party that
had total control over society.
- However, after the Great depression democracy
remained in France, the United Kingdom, the
Netherlands and the Scandinavian countries.

3. Who supported the totalitarian
regimes?
• Workers of the middle classes who had
experienced the decrease in their standard of
living due to the Great depression.
• Important business men who did not want
communism to spread in their country.
• Unemployed people.
• The conservative sectors of society who did
not agree with democracy (including many
members of the military).

4. What is a totalitarian state?
• In a totalitarian state there is only one political
party (nazi party in Germany, fascist party in
Italy), and there is not democracy or elections.
• The party and the state was led by a leader: Hitler
in Germany (the führer) and Mussolini in Italy (Il
Duce). Being obedient to the leader was out of
the question.
• There was no freedom of speech.
• The opposition to the leader or the party was
considered as treason to the State, so violence
was widely used to repress the protesters who
did not agree with the totalitarian state.

5. • Propaganda was widely used. Education was
controlled by the State.
• Symbols, songs and uniforms were used to unify
the followers.
• The totalitarian regimes were anti-communist
and anti-capitalist, although later they accepted
capitalism.
• The country came first; the individual,
arterwards. Totalitarians were ultranationalist.
• The country needed to expand territorially so
that the nation could survive. Thus, the country
had to have a strong army.

6. Fascism in Italy
• Reasons for the rise of fascism in Italy:
- dissatisfaction with the territories Italy
received after WW I.
- high unemployment, and rise of the
comunist party. This frightened the rich, who
feared communism to spread. Thus, they
supported Mussolini because he promised order
(although using violence).

7. Benito Mussolini was the
leader of the Italian fascists.
He created a group of
paramilitary groups (the
blackshirts) to repress the
workers’ protests, and the
communist who supported
them.
King Victor Emmanuel III also
supported Mussolini.

8. In 1922, Mussolini and his black shirts marched over
Rome to press the king to appoint him prime
minister. And the king accepted.

9. Once in power, Mussolini established a fascist state:
- freedoms were restricted.
- political parties were banned.
- trade unions and any opposition were repressed
violently.
- the State directed the economy.

10. Nazism in Germany
• After WW I, the German empire disappeared.
A democratic republic was created: the Weimar
Republic (1918-1933).
• But Germany was deeply affected after WW I:
- the country’s economy was stagnant
because of the repairs the country had to pay.
- the Great depression made the economic
situation worsen.
- many people felt humiliated after the
country had accepted the Treaty of Versailles.

11. The nazi parti
• The National Socialist
German Worker’s
party (or ‘the nazis’)
criticised the
situation of Germany
after WW I.
• Some of its members
(the SA) marched in
the streets, and
usually used violence
to scare the
population.

12. The nazi party
• Adolf Hitler (who had been born in Austria)
became leader of the German nazi party in 1921.
• Hitler managed to attract the attention of
unemployed people, the rich and urban workers.
• He was a racist who maintained that the country
should get rid of any person of Jewish or non-
aryan origin, and he defended a totalitarian state
with a strong central government which would
force all citizens to adhere to the nazi ideology.
• He criticised the Weimar republic, and democracy.

13. How did the nazis reach power?
• The nazis had not received much
support before 1929.
• However, the Great Depression
hit Germany and impoverished
the population.
• That’s the moment when Hitler
managed to attract the most
votes.
• In the elections of 1932, the nazi
party received millions of votes.
Hitler was appointed chancellor
of Germany in January 1933.

14. The nazis in power
• The Weimar republic and democracy were abolished.
• A fierce dictatorship was established. Political parties
and trade unions were banned.
• Fundamental rights were eliminated.
• The Jews were discriminated and persecuted.
According to Hitler’s mad ideas, the Jews were
responsible for the situation of economic crisis
Germany was experiencing.
• Any opposition was repressed by the political police
(the Gestapo). Censorship was established.
• Education was controlled by the state. Propaganda
was reinforced against the Jews and the communists.

18. The economy during the nazi period
• During the nazi totalitarian
state, the economy was
controlled by the
government.
• The government promoted
the production of cars
(Volkswagen), weapons and
the metallurgy.
• The economy improved,
although workers had to
suffer cuts in their rights and
salaries.