Brzenski's Six Features of Totalitarianism

     Totalitarianism is a systematic seizure of control over the top of the whole society.  It is complete and thorough leaving complete destruction of anything or anyone that does not comply enthusiastically.  It even rolls over the top of many believers.  It is a hard, cold, heartless system of governing.  It is complete and total in every respect.  The Webster dictionary describes totalitarian as “exercising control over the freedom, will or thought of others.  Brzezinski argued that old species of autocracy, “tyrannies, despotism and absolutisms…are partial” in contrast to the new phenomenon of totalitarianism.  The totalism of this kind of regime, “seeks to get hold of the entire man, the human being in his totality”  (1964).  This theory is known for its total domination that seeks to reshape humankind completely to come into line with the totalitarian ideology.  For a totalitarian dictatorship that means to control the life, thoughts and attitudes of its citizens.   In order to accomplish such a large and heady aspiration, the government uses all possible means of control over its citizenry to abolish and alienate the old ways and traditions, to bring in line the new regime and a new kind of citizen. 

     Russian and German totalitarianism are very similar in many respects.  Communism and fascism have much in common. Both started with Socialism.  Both countries suffered severe conditions brought about by the great losses of war.  For Communist Russia it was WWI, and for Fascist Germany it was WWII.  The Revolution of 1917 may not have come to pass if it had not been for the war.  This is in complete agreement with Brzenski as he stated that both German and Russian totalism developed from “crisis governments” (1964). 

Brzenski lists six common features of totalitarian regimes:

·         An official ideology

·         A single mass party

·         A system of terroristic police control

·         A technological monopoly of control (all means of communication)

·         A complete monopoly of all means of armed combat

·         A central control and direction of the entire economy

This is at least very elementary information on the basics of what is totalitarianism.  But in order to understand the present and future, it is important to study the past.  Churchill stated "The further backward you look, the further forward you can see."  

"THE FUTURE KINGDOM OF SOCIALISM WILL BE A TERRIBLE TYRANNY OF CRIMINALS AND MURDERERS.  IT WILL THROW HUMANITY INTO A TRUE HELL OF SPIRITUAL SUFFERING AND POVERTY."  Fedor Dostoyevsky