TOTALITARIAN IDEOLOGIES, ECONOMIC, SOCIAL

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TOTALITARIAN IDEOLOGIES, ECONOMIC, SOCIAL
FOREIGN POLICIES, 1848-1956

• A2 MODULE 4

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TWO PARTS

• The Origins and Development of Totalitarian
  Ideologies, 1848-1956.
• Policy and Practice in Totalitarian Regimes The
  Soviet Union, 1929-1941.

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TOTALITARIAN IDEOLOGIES

• Content
• 1. The development of Communist and fascist
  ideologies and their links with current in the
  period 1848-1956 in relation to control of the
  economy intolerance of diversity sphere of
  influence and expansionism.

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• 2. The views of political theorists and
  totalitarian leaders, such as Marx and Engels on
  class struggle and world revolution Nietzsche on
  social Darwinism and the will to power Mussolini
  on fascism Hitler on race and Lebensraum
  Stalin on economic planning and Socialism in One
  Country.

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• 3. Themes and concepts which influenced later
  developments, such as ideas of unification and
  nationalism militarism pan-slavism Weltpolitik
  and imperialism.

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KEY QUESTIONS

• 1. To what extent did totalitarian ideologies
  emerge from ideas current in the nineteenth
  century?
• 2. How similar were concepts of economic control
  in authoritarian and totalitarian regimes in the
  period 1848-1956?
• 3. How similar were concepts of territorial
  expansion in authoritarian and totalitarian
  regimes in the period 1848-1956?

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THE SOVIET UNION, 1929-1941

• Content
• 1. The control and development of Soviet industry
  and agriculture in the period 1929-1941 the 5
  year plans and collectivisation.
• 2. The aims and achievements of Soviet foreign
  policy in the period 1929-1941.

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KEY QUESTIONS

• 1. Why, how and how far did totalitarian leaders
  control and develop economic activities?
• 2. What were the aims of the foreign policies of
  totalitarian leaders, and how far were they
  achieved?
• 3. In what ways, and to what extent, were the
  economic and foreign policies of totalitarian
  leaders inter-related?

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• In the short period after the war to end war
  and make the world safe for democracy Europe
  was torn apart by civil conflicts and
  parliamentary democracy went into eclipse. When
  the left, or more often, the right triumphed, the
  traditions of freedom, tolerance and the rule of
  law were swept aside by totalitarian regimes
  whose iron grip extended across every organ of
  government and every aspect of social life,
  winning acquiescence or stifling opposition by a
  combination of propaganda and police terror.

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LEFT VERSUS RIGHT

• Derived from National Assembly of French
  Revolution in 1789.
• Debate over the royal veto.
• One group felt that the will of the people should
  prevail on questions of reform. They sat on the
  left of the speakers chair.
• On the right sat the group which supported royal
  power.
• In the centre were moderate and uncommitted men
  condemned as weak by left and right.

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MODERN LEFT VERSUS RIGHT

• The modern stereotype has evolved from 1789.
• The left is characterised as radical, democratic
  and reforming.
• The right is characterised as resistant to such
  changes.
• The centre holds the balance.