Transcript Totalitarianism

BELLRINGER
Imagine you live in a world where the
government decides what you wear, what
school you go to, what job you will get, and
what you watch/do for entertainment.
How do you think life would be like for you?
Describe it. Would you like it here? Do you
think a government has/could ever get this
much power?
The “Scoop” about
Totalitarianism
As told through mass media
Totalitarianism
 Totalitarianism: is a
form of government that
aims to control all
aspects of society
including the political,
economic, social,
intellectual, and cultural
lives of its citizens.
Why did I underline TOTAL in
totalitarianism?
How do totalitarian
governments come to power?

Totalitarian states rise to
power first by dramatizing
the instability and
problems of the old
government. Totalitarian
regimes come to power
by offering to correct and
improve upon the society
by providing plans and
programs for a more
secure and better society.
How Totalitarian regimes come to
power?

In other words, to
gain power, the
regime might exploit
popular fears and
prejudices. They offer
a revolutionary break
from the past.


A.) provide scapegoat
for past wrongs
B.) promises a future
of peace and plenty
*Keep A and B in mind
especially when we look
at Hitler
The “Scoop” about totalitarianism
S.
C.
O.
O.
P.
The 5 Elements of a
Totalitarian State
Totalitarian Element #1
Supreme leader of single party
1.) Ruled by an
autonomous supreme
leader (typically known
a dictator): Leader is
typically charismatic,
perceived as wise and
paternal (caring).
Propaganda posters of Stalin
during his reign.
How do you
think Stalin
would have
perceived in
these posters?
Totalitarian Element #2
Controls Society
2.) Government
controls all
organizations,
including:
schools,
entertainment,
the arts, labor
unions, religion,
and the
economy.
Totalitarian Element #3
Owns the Media
3.) Government controls the
means of information.
 As such it can use the
television, radio, press, and
education as a tool to
support their regime.
What is this called when
government tries to influence
people through media?
Propaganda
_______________
Totalitarian Element #4
Obedience to state and leader
4.) Totalitarian governments
demand and enforce Total
conformity of its citizens,
to the ideas and beliefs of
the state and its leader.
Conformity is achieved
through the use of:
a.) organization of the
government
b.) Fear
C.) Terror.
Nazi Germany 1930’s
Totalitarian Element #5
Police to ensure compliance
5.) Use of police
(secret police).
This secret police
serves the leader
Gestapo, secret police
and totalitarian of Nazi Germany
state by
monitoring and
controlling citizens
to follow the laws
of the state.
Finding features of Totalitarianism
in Movies and literature


To help you better understand some of
the various features of a totalitarian state
I would like us to watch a few movie clips
As you watch/read, please try to identify
some of the 5 elements of a totalitarian
state that we just discussed. In other
words
SCOOP IT!!!
What to do:


Once the clip/excerpt is
over, take about a minute
or 2 to write down all the
elements of totalitarianism
that you could find.
After, we will discuss some
of our findings as a class.
Be prepared to discuss.

What you are looking for:



A.) The various elements of
a totalitarian state that we
just discussed (SCOOP)
B.) How the totalitarian state
rose to power? What the
society was like before the
totalitarian regime? How did
the leader say their
totalitarian regime would
solve the problem?
C.) What society was like in
the video? How would you
personally feel to be living in
that world?
Wall-e
V for Vendetta
(2005)

“People
shouldn't be
afraid of their
government.
Governments
should be afraid
of their people.”
― Alan Moore, V
for Vendetta
Hunger Games
Equilibrium 2002

DuPont: In the first years of the 21st
century, a third World War broke out.
Those of us who survived knew mankind
could never survive a fourth; that our own
volatile natures could simply no longer be
risked. So we have created a new arm of
the law: The Grammaton Cleric, whose
sole task it is to seek out and eradicate the
true source of man's inhumanity to man his ability to feel.
Code Geass
Lelouch Rules the World
CONCLUSION
 As
we look in the rise of
Totalitarian Governments and the
regimes of Hitler, Joseph Stalin,
Mussolini, and others remember
the 5 SCOOP elements of a
Totalitarian State.