Totalitarianism
...aspect of life in that nation. The government decides all matters including – politics, education, law and order, the economy, religion, the armed forces, art, literature, music and entertainment. In this essay it will be proved that through forming police states and controlling mass communication, education and the economy, totalitarianism was achieved in the nations of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy.
In order to maintain a level of control, totalitarianism is based on a one party political system having the right to govern. No opposition parties are allowed and the leader becomes a very powerful dictator. The defining characteristics of totalitarianism adhered to closely by Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy were - to enforce a police state and to have control over education, the economy and communication to the people.
To maintain control in a totalitarian fashion, the education in each of these countries was controlled by the governments. Both school systems were used to train the youth to support their governments. German students were drilled in German nationalism, devotion to Hitler and in theories that proved Germans were a master race.
Similarly the fascists set out to control people’s minds and behaviors. School children began by reciting the fascist creed. Italian students were positioned to view Mussolini as a living god. This is evidenced in the response by Mussolini when asked about the Pope by a young Italian pupil - “The Pope? He is one of my helpers. He looks after the dead. I look after the living. To him the kingdom of souls. To me the kingdom of living.” Mussolini (1922).
Similar to both, were the expectation that children were to join youth movements from an early age. In these groups, the boys completed military training groups and were drilled on that nations beliefs. Furthermore, girls were drilled in motherhood...
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