The Reemergence of Totalitarianism: How It Takes Hold

The Reemergence of Totalitarianism Philosopher Giovanni Amendola coined the term totalitarianism. It means a government holds total power over a group or party. Hannah Arendt argued the appeal is pegged to ideology. Tyranny offers a single uplifting answer to every problem and promises a beautiful future. That paradise only arrives if everyone conforms and believes the brave leader. The faithful must turn a blind eye and shut their ears. Logic and reason are not permitted. You will hear lines like, “What you’re seeing and what you’re reading is not what’s happening.” So how does it take hold? Through the exploitation of sentiment. Totalitarianism seizes control in phases. First, a precondition. A large class becomes alienated, isolated, and resentful as society and culture shift around them. Second, that group rejects the current system. They believe it no longer serves them, or they are told the system actively works against them. They become a minority. Third, the alienated start listening to opportunists. They absorb the propaganda. They want the establishment torn down and the status quo eliminated. Fourth, the opportunists install a lead candidate. The demagogue validates their grievances and amplifies their cause. He gives them belonging and meaning. He offers false promises of returning lost fortunes. He sells hope to people drowning in plight. Fifth, everyone else with a vote ignores the disenfranchised and fails to recognize the threat the candidate represents. Sixth, the candidate spreads misinformation and outrageous lies that sound just believable enough. “I alone can fix it.” A grandiose vision of the future, where the pure and the faithful claim their birthright. The lies always include a villain. A specific race, religion, or set of individuals who are destroying the way of life and disenfranchising the base. Demagoguery and propaganda carry the message through iconic slogans. People who feel isolated will follow blindly. Slogans include: “People’s Democracy,” “One Empire, One Leader,” “America First,” “Peace, Land and Bread,” “Kingdom of Freedom,” “Make America Great Again,” “One Country, One Leader,” and countless others. The candidate also runs stealth tactics. Backdoor deals with outsiders. Secret allies who spy, run improper investigations, and dig up dirt on opponents. In the next phase, the candidate wins. Legally. Through a democratic process. With the country divided and the false promises banked, he takes power and immediately rewrites history to justify what comes next. He focuses on the base. He threatens opponents with retribution from his voters if they do not fall in line. Politicians who realize their party has been hijacked retire from political life in droves. Seventh, the regime pushes its propaganda through one aligned channel. Every other source is called fake. The regime moves to eliminate them democratically by changing laws, revoking press credentials, and offering exclusive access only to faithful outlets. Eighth, the new leader issues orders that defy the law and insists the purpose is safety and security. Mandates disproportionately target dissenters and the leader’s chosen enemies. Some decrees get questioned, blocked, or paused by higher courts. Not for long. The regime uses laws to target groups and detain them in cages. Lawfully. After a few judicial wins and losses, the regime picks up speed. The new reality settles in. Everything is fixed by the leader alone. Never mind that the previous administration’s policies are still taking hold across the economy. The regime holds regular rallies to showcase success and target opposition. Chants. Banners. Decrees. The directive must come first. Country, duty, honor. Some crimes by the leader have already surfaced. His party stays silent and obedient. It is the new way of things. The leader runs without a filter. He openly attacks opponents, wishes them ill, and suggests harm should come their way. Near the end, the regime has manipulated the masses so thoroughly that crimes go unpunished.