totalitarianism

noun [ˌtoʊˌtæləˈtɛɹiəˌnɪzəm]

pronunciation

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary, open source

Totalitarianism is a model of rule that seeks full control over public and private life through one party, state ideology, coercion and propaganda.

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Definitions

In political theory: a system or doctrine that claims nearly unlimited state and party power over social, economic and cultural life, without effective checks from law, opposition or independent institutions.

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In historical and political debate: a type of twentieth-century regime marked by an ideological monopoly, mass mobilisation, a cult of the leader and systematic terror against opponents.

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As a pejorative charge: extreme curbing of liberty and state intrusion into privacy, also beyond the narrow frame of historical regimes.

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Examples

The historian compared mechanisms of totalitarianism across twentieth-century states, pointing to a shared pattern of control and propaganda.

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The textbook explained that totalitarianism differs from ordinary dictatorship by the wider reach of interference in citizens' daily lives.

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The columnist warned against rhetoric that calls every limit on freedom totalitarianism, because the term then loses precision.

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In the panel they set totalitarianism beside authoritarianism in order to separate full social mobilisation from a mere curb on opposition.

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Usage

In everyday English totalitarianism is often a strong charge against any hard government. Academic and historical prose should reserve the word for regimes and doctrines that aim to control nearly all of social life, or should state plainly that a figurative sense is meant. Without that caveat a historical account mixes with moral judgment or with a loose pejorative shortcut. Naming the topic as a model of rule, a concrete regime, or a style of governing keeps the register clear.

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Webster (1913) glosses Total as whole, entire, complete, tracing it through French total and Late Latin totalis back to Latin totus. Nearby entries include Totality, Totalize and kindred forms. That edition has no separate headword totalitarian or totalitarianism: those political labels arrived later. Skeat's TOTAL entry matches the same pedigree and records the derivative total-i-ty.

source

Editorial team; facts: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, 1913; W. W. Skeat, An Etymological Dictionary of the English Language, 1910, open source

Common collocations include Stalinist totalitarianism, Nazi totalitarianism, the fight against totalitarianism, victims of totalitarianism and a totalitarian system. A supporter is a totalitarian (also an adjective). Careful writing sets totalitarianism apart from authoritarianism: the second often names strong unaccountable power with limited political freedoms, while the first adds a claim to full ideological control, mass mobilisation and intrusion into private life.

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English totalitarianism is built on the confirmed root total plus the suffix -ism, parallel to French totalitaire and the adjective totalitarian. Older public domain dictionaries used here record the root family but not the political lemma itself. Editorial definitions on this site are written from that factual base, never as a copy of a modern encyclopaedia gloss.

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Word forms

Regular English noun, usually uncountable; the plural totalitarianisms is rare and refers to different kinds or national versions of the doctrine.

word forms

przypadek	forma
singular	totalitarianism
plural	totalitarianisms

Word forms: Editorial team

Collocations

Stalinist totalitarianism

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Nazi totalitarianism

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fight against totalitarianism

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victims of totalitarianism

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totalitarian system

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Synonyms · Antonyms

Synonyms absolute state control, ideological absolutism

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Antonyms liberal democracy, political pluralism

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Etymology

English totalitarianism rests on Latin totus (whole, entire) and Late Latin totalis. Skeat under TOTAL traces French total and Late Latin totalis to Latin totus and lists the derivative total-i-ty. Webster (1913) defines Total as whole, entire, complete with the same etymology and lists Totality and Totalize. Neither dictionary has a separate lemma totalitarian or totalitarianism. The political name arose in the twentieth century (compare French totalitaire and English totalitarian) by adding -ism to the root total; older public domain sources used here lack that political lemma.

source

W. W. Skeat, An Etymological Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed., Oxford 1910, open source

also

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, 1913, open source

Related words

totalitarian , adjective; also noun for a supporter
total , adjective and noun: whole, entire (root of the family)
totality , noun: the whole amount (same Latin root totus)
totus , etymologically related Latin adjective: whole
authoritarianism , thematically related noun

Related entries

Questions and answers

What does totalitarianism mean?

It names a model of government in which power aspires to control nearly all of social, economic and private life. In historical debate it covers regimes with an ideological monopoly, mass mobilisation and terror. In casual speech it is also a harsh label for extreme limits on freedom.

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Where does the word totalitarianism come from?

The base is Latin totus (whole) via Late Latin totalis and French total. Skeat and Webster describe that path under TOTAL. The political lemma totalitarianism arose in the twentieth century via totalitarian plus -ism; older PD dictionaries have Total and Totality, not this political name.

source

W. W. Skeat, An Etymological Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed., Oxford 1910, open source

How is totalitarianism different from authoritarianism?

Authoritarianism usually means strong, unaccountable power with limited political freedoms. Totalitarianism goes further: it presses for complete ideological monopoly, organised mobilisation of the masses and deep interference in private life. How sharp the contrast looks still depends on the particular text.

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How is totalitarianism inflected in English?

It is a regular English noun, usually uncountable. The rare plural totalitarianisms refers to different kinds or national versions of the doctrine. Related forms include totalitarian (adjective and noun) and totalitarianise or totalitarianize as verbs in some varieties of English.

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