totalitarististen

Totalitarististen is a Finnish grammatical form of the adjective totalitaristinen, meaning “totalitarian.” It is used to describe a plural noun in the genitive case, for example totalitarististen hallintojen (the regimes of totalitarian systems) or totalitarististen aatteiden (of totalitarian ideologies). The base term totalitaristinen derives from totalitarismi and denotes characteristics associated with totalitarianism, such as centralized power, single-party rule, suppression of political plurality, extensive state control of the economy and media, censorship, and coordinated propaganda or mass mobilization.

In Finnish scholarly and political science writing, totalitaristinen and its inflections are employed to discuss regimes, ideologies, and practices that aim to regulate nearly all aspects of public and private life. The term is often contrasted with authoritarian models, though some observers describe regimes as having hybrid or contested features. Language use may vary by context, with some authors preferring totalitaarinen (more common in everyday Finnish) for certain nuances.

Historical usage typically refers to 20th‑century regimes widely described as totalitarian, such as Nazi Germany, Stalinist Soviet Union, and various phases of Maoist China. Debates continue about the applicability of the label to particular states or periods, and the choice of terms can reflect analytic emphasis or political perspective.

See also: totalitarismi, totalitaristiset järjestelmät, autoritaarisuus, yksipuoluejärjestelmä.