Characteristics of Totalitarion Government

Totalitarian government refers to the government which is ruled by an absolute power, it might be an individual or a political entity which regulates every aspect of the people’s life in the country, and also holds all the power in political, economic, military sectors as well as judicial power in the country. The government enforced political power based on an official ideology. North Korea under the governance of Kim, the People’s Republic of China under Mao and Germany under Adolf Hitler are few examples of totalitarian states.

The four features of a totalitarian government are as follow:

(i)    It is an autocratic government – Totalitarian government is a single governing entity which has an ultimate monopoly control over the state. The absolute political control of the state is exercised by controlling all the political, economic, military and judicial power in the state, also the private life, social and moral value of the citizen or by attacking the interest of the other competitors’ political parties or independent groups.

(ii)  Complete control over the nation – The government has complete control over all aspects and facets of the society, including the social, beliefs, religion, values, attitudes or culture of the citizens, and also the private life of the people. Voting, for instance, is compulsory for every citizen.

(iii) The government maintains powers by coercion, secret police, military force, propaganda and the strict control over the mass media and use of terror tactics – The freedom of speech are restricted, and the citizens are not allowed to form any assembly or free discussion and criticism. The police operate without following or constraint to the laws and regulations in the state. The government controls the people by propaganda via the mass media, and also strict control over the publications of the mass media. When needed, the government will also use military force to make the people who disobey the policy of the government to accept the ideology of the government without considering the rights and liberties of the people.

(iv) Individual interests are always subservient to the interests of the state – the people are required to accept and obey the official ideology of the state.  The interest of the leader and the profit of the state are considered more important than the interest of the citizen. Any action which is not in conformity of the government or the leader, are considered illegal.