Totalitarianism was a form of government used widely around Europe. It consisted of an absolute dictatorship in which the government has full control and individual rights are ignored. This was first used by Stalin. When Stalin’s plan to increase farm production and industrialize failed, Stalin knew that he needed full control over all aspects of the Soviet State to establish order and organization. Stalin’s totalitarianism greatly supported nationalism and used propaganda, censorship and terror to gain support from the Soviet State. Citizens were to obey the nation at all costs and Stalin made it impossible for individuals to mistreat or threaten his power. This aggravated the people because their ideas were ignored. Anyone that did not support the type of government, that Stalin was seeking to have, was killed. People were unable to voice their opinions and were held down by a strong force. The totalitarian state was to ensure that communist views were engraved in the minds of individuals and made sure that no one opposed the views of the government. Like in Russia, Italy after WWI practiced a totalitarian government. Following WWI, Italy was facing many economic problems. Mussolini was the start to Totalitarianism in Italy. He was a strong oppose of communism, aggressively supported nationalistic views, and disapproved democracy because he believed that democracies made parties divide up the state. Mussolini gained support after WWI when he rioted and attacked socialists and communists. Many in Italy at the time opposed communist and socialist views so it was easy for Mussolini to gain support. A revolt he led to suppress a communist revolution resulted in him becoming prime minister. Once in power, a Totalitarian Italy was created. He turned Italy into a Fascist state, which meant all of Italy was anti-socialist, anti-communist and supporters of nationalism. Many individual’s ideas were ignored; government controlled all aspects of people’s lives. He, like Stalin, also censored the press to make individuals believe everything the government was doing was good for the country. He led people to think that nothing bad was going on in the country. Anyone who opposed the government was banned from the state and everyone was forced to obey the statement "Everything in the state, nothing outside the state, nothing against the state." People were warped by the government views and forced to believe certain things that they did not necessarily support. Individuals became upset with the fact that they had no voice in their own government. Like in Italy and Russia, Germany Nazism took over the country and all political parties were banned except for their own German Nationalist Party. After WWI, Germany was in distress from their defeat and blamed the government for their loss. Also a terrible inflation caused many Germans to not trust their government. Adolf Hitler came to rise. He copied many ideas used by Stalin and Mussolini to build a communist state in Germany. Hitler, like Stalin established a fascist Germany. The Gestapo, or secret police, arrested anyone suspected of opposing Nazi rule. Hitler used anything he could get his hands on to gain a following and honor the goodness they were supposedly doing for the country. This was enabling the government to influence popular opinion in form of propaganda and false news messages and tricked the common people. Hitler went to extremes and started killing people who opposed the government and had total control over everything the people did. He even blamed the Jews for their loss in WWI and set out to kill each and every one. To improve the economy and end employment, Hitler forced upon Germany massive building programs and put harsh controls on process and wages. Hitler led a Fascist totalitarian state and forcefully dominated the people.
Although totalitarianism preserved order, it did not enable people to think of new and creative ideas that would not be opposed by the governments. Totalitarianism had a big impact on technology and science. Scientists would be restricted to invent certain things like the Jewish people in Germany were unable to invent because all ideas were rejected. Totalitarianism defeated knowledge and left nations with no freedom to explore and develop scientifically.
Although totalitarianism preserved order, it did not enable people to think of new and creative ideas that would not be opposed by the governments. Totalitarianism had a big impact on technology and science. Scientists would be restricted to invent certain things like the Jewish people in Germany were unable to invent because all ideas were rejected. Totalitarianism defeated knowledge and left nations with no freedom to explore and develop scientifically.