Transcript Rejections of Liberalism

Rejections of Liberalism
SOCIAL STUDIES 30
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUSiCEx3e-0
Government Systems
 Four basic questions have to be explored when
studying any government system:
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By whom and by which criteria should leaders be chosen?
How should the decision making process be organized to
implement and enforce decisions?
What political institutions should be created, and what
functions and power given to them?
How should the political process be organized and in whose
interests should decisions be made?
 Although democracies and authoritarian regimes
are very different, they both exist to protect the
security and economic interests of a society.
Government
System
Democracy
Dictatorship
Nietzsche
 felt that although democracy created equality, it
crushed the spirit of superior people for the sake of
mediocre
 Adolf Hitler reworded Nietzsche to: "it is madness
to think and criminal to proclaim that a
majority can replace the accomplishments of
a genius."
Machiavelli
 Believed that a ruler should inspire fear but at the
same time should be mindful of maintaining support
of the people, if only to prevent foreign powers from
encouraging rebellion by the people.
Definition of Dictatorship
 synonyms:
 authoritarian, totalitarian, absolute monarchy, autocracy
 Within a dictatorship, people are told what to do
and are expected to obey
 degrees of dictatorship range from benevolent
dictator (one who looks after his people) to
totalitarian/megalomaniac (all facets of society are
controlled by the state/individual and no
dissension is allowed)
What is a
dictatorship?......Authoritarian/Totalitarian rule
 In a totalitarian state, political power and authority
are concentrated in the hands of one leader or a
small group of people and exercised in a dictatorial
manner—power over society is exercised by a
few....the elite
 People are encouraged to identify with the leader or
one group rather than with the ideals or principles of
a type of government.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWv6x
3oXRY4
Totalitarian Regimes
 These regimes respond to perceived destabilizing
changes in society. This can be:
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Radical
move towards the far left; immediate change; equality; rejection of
traditions (economic and political) of the past; public ownership
 former USSR, China, North Korea, Cuba
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Reactionary
move towards the far right; revert to the way society was; elitist;
inequality (economic and social); usually ultranationalistic
 Nazi Germany; military dictatorships
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Government
Dictatorship
Citizens
Citizens
Democracy
Government
VIDEO
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Y57OOKXS
Characteristics of Dictatorship
 use of force and violence
 direction of popular discontent 
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scapegoating
tokenism
control of media
controlled participation
limits on dissent
lack of accountability
provision for changes to the system
indoctrination
propaganda
Use of force and violence
 A strong military and secret police
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exist to keep the government in
power. (NKVD-KGB, Gestapo)
Military can be called upon to
intervene in political affairs.
Secret police use various methods to
seek out and arrest suspected
dissenters and enemies of the
government.
The fear of violence is often used to
maintain power.
The threat of violence can be real or
perceived.
GULAGS – SOVIET FORCED LABOUR PRISONS
Directing Public Discontent - Scapegoating
 Blaming an identifiable group
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of people for the misfortunes
of society.
These identifiable groups of
people can be an ethnic group,
entire nation, etc.
This is generally used to
distract attention away from
the true causes of misfortune.
It can also be used fabricate
misfortune that may not
actually exist in the society.
Often, dictators find
scapegoats for poor economic
or social conditions.
Controlled participation
 Political participation is limited to involving
people in activities such as elections and
referendums designed to demonstrate support for
the government and is policies.
 There are no real choices, so elections, if any, are
only symbolic.
 Political competition is restricted or eliminated to
ensure that all opposition to the government, even
within the party, remains weak and divided.
Tokenism
 Often, different groups on society are given a
limited amount of power or rights to make them
seem included.
 Though it seems like these groups (usually
minorities) have power, they do not and or often
manipulated for the good of the dictator.
Control of media
 All major forms of media are controlled by the
authoritarian regime.
 This ensures that the dictator has a favorable
image.
 The state can own the media outlets, or can strictly
control content….censorship
Limits on dissent
 Dissent is limited by closely monitoring people’s
views and activities and repressing opposition to
government.
 There are also laws that ensure that citizens cannot
express their disfavor with the government.
Lack of accountability
 Decision making and political power; actions are not
conducted according to the rule of law.
 Leaders are not required to be accountable to the
people for their policies and actions.
 This often leads to widespread corruption,
mismanagement, repression of civil liberties, loss of
human life, and persecution of minorities.
Provisions for change to the system
 Because of the concentration of power in the hands
of a leader or small elite, provisions allowing for
peaceful transition of power rarely exist. The death
of the dictator is frequently followed by a violent
power struggle.
Indoctrination
 The media function to popularize
the beliefs, viewpoints, and policies
of the leader the
government…change history
 Access to media sources by the
public is restricted .
 Education is strictly controlled and
monitored in an attempt to gain the
support of youth and to teach ideas
and values favored by the
government.
 Often government-sponsored youth
groups exist to provide activities for
youth, but also to encourage
support for the government.
Biology For 5th Grade Girls
The Laws of Nature and Humanity
I.
We have established that all creatures,
plants as well as animals, are in a
continual battle for survival. Plants
crowd into the area they need to grow.
Every plant that fails to secure enough
room and light must necessarily die.
Every animal that does not secure
sufficient territory and guard it against
other predators, or lacks the necessary
strength and speed or caution and
cleverness will fall prey to its enemies.
The army of plant eaters threatens the
plant kingdom. Plant eaters are prey for
carnivores. The battle for existence is
hard and unforgiving, but is the only
way to maintain life. This struggle
eliminates everything that is unfit for
life, and selects everything that is able to
survive.
--Nazi Science Book
Propaganda
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Propaganda is defined as a systematic form of persistent persuasion
that attempts to influence the emotions, attitudes, opinions, and
actions of specified target audiences for ideological, political or
commercial purposes through the controlled transmission of onesided messages (which may or may not be factual) via mass and direct
media channels
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Propaganda attempts to evoke an emotional response that can be
mobilized to achieve a nation’s goals. In general it attempts to deliver
a focused message through:
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Selective use of information
Appeals to emotions….national pride
Use of symbols
Parades/rallies
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VIDEO
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How one becomes a
dictator?
Crisis Theory
 A belief that all events in history are triggered by
various crises, such as war and economic
depression.
 This produces such intense feelings of resentment,
frustration, insecurity, and outright fear that people
are willing to accept drastic political solutions.
 This concept would explain the origin of many
dictatorships.
Great Man Theory
 theory that "great" leaders possess characteristics
or traits not found in the rest of the population.
 This concept is based on the belief that great
leaders are not made but born with unique
characteristics which allow them to rise to
the occasion during difficult periods in
history to overcome obstacles and lead their
nation successfully.
Charismatic leadership
 A person that has the ability to capture the attention
and gain the support of people through the force of
their personality. (cult of personality)
http://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=jIF6hO
y5LNg
Military Coup
 Many of the world’s governments are military
dictatorships. In most of these counties the
leaders gained their positions by a coup d’etat
 For a coup to be successful, the leaders must gain
the support of the majority of the military officers.
 The essential elements of a successful takeover
have included seizing the presidential palace,
disrupting communications and transport systems,
controlling media outlets, setting up roadblocks,
and arresting important political figures.
Types of Dictatorships
 Authoritarian Governments
 Absolute monarchy
 One-person autocratic rule
 Oligarchy
 Military dictatorship
 Minority tyranny
 One party states
Absolute monarchy
 monarch achieves power by heredity
 Divine right
 Emir of Kuwait
 Saudi Arabia
 Louis XIV - 1780s
Autocracy – One Person/One Party
 One-person or political party = autocratic rule
 Based on the personality of the leader
 The regime is maintained by force
 Some political institutions may exist, but they are
usually dominated and controlled by the leader or
party.
General Suharto --Indonesia
Oligarchy
 Led by an elite group
 May be family, ethnic minority, or a social group
 The elite rules in order to further its own interests at
the expense of the majority.
Military dictatorship/junta
 power seized by force in a
coup d’etat
 Military personal control
all decisions
 All key political positions
are controlled through a
military council (junta)
 Chile (1973-1990);
Uganda (1971-86);
Myanmar (1958-2011)
Minority tyranny
 minority rules over majority without respect
to majority rights
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Apartheid in South Africa (1948-1994)
Two Most Influential Ideologies To
REJECT Classical Liberalism
COMMUNISM
FASCISM
These are both totalitarian regimes that rejected liberalism
Totalitarianism defined
 e.g.: fascist Italy under Mussolini, Nazi Germany
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under Hitler, Communist USSR under Stalin
ruler has total control over all aspects of human life
communications technology makes total control
possible
state controls access to information, monopolizes
all communication systems
state systematically indoctrinates its citizens
economy totally regulated
Change in Society
Common features of totalitarian regimes
 Extensive use of propaganda
 Coercive power
 Promotion of conformity to state
 Organization (local, regional, national)
 Controlled/forced participation (e.g. youth groups)
 Secret police using terror
 Indoctrination through education
 Censorship of media
 Redirecting popular discontent (scapegoating)
Commonalities between fascism and communism
 New technologies made totalitarianism possible and
allowed rulers to maintain an extreme degree of
control over their populations
 Turned away from the individual and away from
limited democratic governments
 Both had one party rule (no other political parties
allowed)
 Both favored a collective, all-powerful state
Both used a hierarchical structure
Single charismatic party leader
Obedience to
and support for
the party was
not-negotiable
Top party members
(national)
Lower party members
(regional & local)
Masses of people in the nation
FASCISM VS. COMMUNISM
FASCISM
COMMUNISM
 Draws support from lower
 Draws support from working
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classes & business.
Makes decisions in the interest
of the state.
Focuses activities on the
state.(national)
Corporate state (private
enterprise)
Elitism
Ultranationalism(ethnocentric)
racist
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classes.
Makes decisions in the interest
of the working class.
Desire to help working class
around the world.
(international)
State ownership of the means
of production.
Nationalities unimportant
(equally)
Review
 Place each of the following
terms on a spectrum:
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Communism
Fascism
Centre
Right
Left
Moderate
Liberal
Conservative
Welfare state
Socialism
Laissez-faire
Marx
Stephen Harper
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USSR
Nazi Germany
Adam Smith
Barack Obama
China
Cuba
Reactionary
Radical
Command economy
Labour unions
Welfare capitalism
Capitalism
Equality
Inequality
Individualism
Collectivism
Communism
 Read the attached notes on communism. Be sure to
highlight key points and terms.
 When finished, complete the activity on the next
slide.
Activity
 You may use the notes on Communism and chapter 5
to complete these two activities:
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In your Journal, answer the “Pause and Reflect” question on
page 171 (15 minutes)
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With a partner, identify four ideas put forth by either Marx,
Lenin or Stalin that reject the principles of liberalism. Be
specific and explanatory with what the idea was and why it is a
rejection of liberalism.
Review Nazism
 Working individually, identify how each of the
following developments in Nazi Germany was a
rejection of the principles of liberalism:
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Enabling Act
Night of the Long Knives
Nuremburg Laws
Establishment of the Hitler Youth
Holocaust
Pause and Reflect
 As a class, discuss the “Pause and Reflect” boxes on:
 Page 174
 Page 182
 Page 183
Investigation
 With a group of 2-3, complete the Investigation on
page 184
 Be sure the answer all three questions and make sure
each member of the group has a copy.
Summary
 On your own, complete the following review
activities
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Page 194, Explore the Issues
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questions 1, 2b, 4
Page 195, Respond to Ideas
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Question 2