Totalitarianism and dictatorship are both anti-democratic political systems, but they are not the same. Though they are often confused, this article will help to clarify the differences between totalitarian and dictatorial regimes.
Key Takeaways
- Totalitarian regimes are characterized by a single party rule, whereas dictatorships are characterized by rule of a single person.
- In dictatorships, there is no consent of the people to rule them, whereas in totalitarian regimes, people accept one party rule as a better form of governance.
- Dictatorship is defined by where the power comes from, whereas totalitarianism is defined by the scope of the government.
Totalitarian states are those where there is a single party rule, often for religious reasons or because it is considered to be a good form of governance. Totalitarianism was a term coined as fundamentally different from dictatorship during the times of fascism in Italy. In a totalitarian political system, there is a single party in the country that controls the state, with no limit to the authority of the party. The intention of the party is to regulate the lives of the citizens, with a great deal of interference in both the private and public lives of the people of the country. This interference is justified in the name of nationalism and accepted as such by the people.
Dictatorship, on the other hand, is an autocratic political system of governance in the hands of a single person whose word is the last word and above all laws. There is no rule of law, and the rules are made and broken as per the whims of the dictator. Dictatorship is opposite to rule of law and the rule of the people, as the government runs without the consent of the citizens. Dictatorships are often characterized by brutality and despotic rule, suppressing the rights of the people of the country.
In summary, the difference between totalitarianism and dictatorship lies in the source and scope of power. In a dictatorship, power is concentrated in the hands of a single person or a chosen few, while in totalitarianism, power remains in the hands of a single political party as an extreme case of collectivism.
