Totalitaarsed

Totalitaarsed is the Estonian word for totalitarian. It describes a political system where the state holds total authority over society and controls all aspects of public and private life wherever possible. In such regimes, individual freedoms are suppressed, and the government's ideology is paramount.

Totalitarian states are characterized by a single political party, often led by a dictator, that exercises absolute control. There is extensive use of propaganda to shape public opinion and maintain the party's power. Secret police and surveillance are common tools to enforce conformity and eliminate dissent. The economy is typically centrally planned and directed by the state. Education, media, and even personal relationships are subject to government control and manipulation.

Examples of regimes often described as totalitarian include Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler, the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin, and Mao Zedong's China. The core principle is the subordination of the individual to the state, with no room for opposition or independent thought. The concept emphasizes the all-encompassing nature of state power, distinguishing it from authoritarianism, which may allow for some limited private spheres. The goal of a totalitarian system is to fundamentally reshape society and human nature according to its ideology.