Compare+and+Contrast+Totalitarian

=Totalitarian Rule: Hitler and Mussolini=

Totalitarian rule can be defined as form of government that theoretically permits no individual freedom and that seeks to subordinate all aspects of the individual’s life to the [|authority] of the government. Italian dictator [|Benito Mussolini] coined the term //totalitario// in the early 1920s to describe the new fascist state of Italy, which he further described as: “All within the state, none outside the state, none against the state.” By the beginning of [|World War II], “totalitarian” had become synonymous with absolute and oppressive single-party government. In the broadest sense, totalitarianism is characterized by strong central rule that attempts to control and direct all aspects of individual. [i] Comparing and contrasting totalitarian rule in Hitler’s Germany and Mussolini’s Italy up to 1939, the conclusion can be made that Hitler was more successful and powerful than Mussolini in this type of government. Hitler’s totalitarian rule in Germany can be categorized by these factors: a single-party state, the SS, persecution, education, youth, and propaganda. Mussolini’s less successful reign can be put into the same categories; however, his execution of power was weak in comparison to Hitler. Hitler began his political career when the German people elected him chancellor as a National Socialist on January 30, 1933. It was not on the crest of a wave of popular support but as the result of backroom political intrigue by Schleicher, Papen, and the president’s son, Oskar von Hindenburg. [ii] Hitler’s political stategy after his failed armed coup in the Beer Hall Putsch of 1923 was a policy of legality. He felt the only sure way to succeed was to work within the Weimar Constitution and to gain power by legal means. [iii] Hitler created the Enabling Bill that was technically legal, though barely so. Despite the constitutional hurdle, Hitler decided to propose to the new Reichtag the bill which would effectively do away with parliamentary procedure and legislation and which would instead transfer full powers to the chancellor and his government for four years. In this way the dictatorship would be grounded in legality. [iv] The Enabling Act of 1933 was the first step into creating a single-party state lead by Hitler and the Nazis and the constitutional foundation stone of the Third Reich. The Act also provided basis for a dictatorship and legally justified the intolerance and violence of the Nazis to gain power. [v]

Once Hitler solidified his power, he used the power of the SS to enforce his policy. If a person was not compliant, the role of the SS was to send that person to a concentration camp or killed. The most well known act of Hitler’s violence and cruelty is the Holocaust. Due to an order from Hitler, the SS was also responsible for killing around 200 SA members on the Night of the Long Knives. Hitler wanted to eliminate the untrustworthy SA leaders to please the conservative forces in Germany, furthering his following. [vi] The Night of the Long Knives was when the SS was recognized as the Nazi elite institution of terror. [vii] Above all, Hitler had secured his political standing in Germany. His decisions and actions were accepted, so in effect he had managed to legalize murder under his dictatorship. [viii]

Hitler’s totalitarian state was focused on education, the youth, and propaganda. He wanted to ensure his future power by educating Germany’s youth to be loyal Nazis. In schools, the curriculum was focused on Social Darwinism and Eugenics. Hitler also taught geography in a light that made the Treaty of Versailles appear unfair. He wanted total control of education, from kindergarten to university. This time was used as a toll for indoctrinating the young. Boys (10-18 years old) were sent to the Hitler Youth, girls (10-18 years old) to the Hitler Maidens. University professors were required to wear swastika and take an oath of allegiance to Hitler. [ix] Hitler used propaganda to promote Nazi ideals and make his party, Germany and himself appear the best.

Mussolini began his political career as a Socialist, but he was not totally convinced, though he held onto many of the socialist ideals. He felt more in tune with his Fascist party and was an opportunist who wanted to gain a power and a following. [x] In 1919, he formed the Milan fascio, which had no explicit program except a belief in action. [xi] He used propaganda to promote his new party and his ideas. He advocated universal suffrage, the abolition of the Senate, land for the peasants, improvement of worker’s conditions and a strong foreign policy. [xii]

Mussolini quickly used his power and violence to stop any opposition of other parties. The Fascists carried out a systematic terrorist campaign against the Socialist and Communist groups. During 1922 the Fascists and Communist fought bitter street battles against each other. [xiii] The Italian government supported the Fascists by supplying them with arms, which they used to take over small towns, also with approval from the government. [xiv]

Mussolini began his political journey in a similar way to Hitler. Mussolini also began as a socialist, and he expressed his views as a journalist, whereas Hitler wrote his down in the infamous //MeinKampf//. Mussolini’s Fascist party was able to win a political standing, however, Mussolini was not content yet. He was not satisfied the coalition government and he aimed to the ruler of a single-party totalitarian state. [xv]

He began reorganizing the government from within by appointed fellow Fascists in high-ranking positions and creating new laws. He created the Voluntary Fascist Militia for National Security, and promoted the Grand Council of Fascism, the high authority within the party, into an organ of the state. [xvi] When Mussolini was questioned he used severe violence to terminate the problem. For example, the Socialist leader, Giacomo Matteotti, accused Mussolini of using force in the election of the Chamber of Deputies in 1924 and Mussolini had him killed immediately. [xvii] The parties in opposition to Mussolini's government withdrew from the parliament. This was called the Aventine Secession. The Aventine Secession strengthened Mussolini's determination to use force to eliminate his opponents. In 1926, a law on association outlawed all political opposition, and a secret police force was established to arrest political opponents. [xviii] From then on, it became increasingly difficult to oppose the Fascist regime. [xix]

On April 21, 1927 the Labour Charter solemnly expressed the ideas of Fascist Corporate State. According to the Charter, the government would bring both employers and employees of the same trade into one confederation. In 1934 twenty-two corporations were formed. Each corporation consisted of employers' and workers' representatives. The government also sent its representatives to participate in the administration of the corporations. All the corporations were put under the supervision of the National Council of Corporations, of which Mussolini was the Chairman. [xx] From 1929 to I939, Mussolini completed the building-up of the totalitarian state. [xxi] His foreign policy became a primary issue and he wanted to expand his power. To achieve his goal Mussolini first invaded Abyssinia in 1935. This was followed by the formation of Rome-Berlin Axis in November 1936. During the Spanish Civil War (1936-39) Mussolini also gave almost unlimited support to Franco. In 1940, Mussolini declared war on Britain and France. The Italian forces soon met with defeats in their encounters with the Allied forces and suffered heavy losses in their invasion of Libya and East Africa. [xxii]

After taking a look at how Hitler gained power and executed his power and the way Mussolini did, the conclusion can be made that Hitler’s totalitarian rule was more successful than Mussolini’s. Hitler had total control over his people, he was able to gain power through legality, and he was successful in expanded his nation. On the other hand, Mussolini’s rise to power was achieved by mostly violent means, he had to kill a lot of his own people to stay in power, and his attempts as winning new lands were unsuccessful. Hitler’s Nazism and Mussolini’s Fascism had many similarities up to 1939. Both governments were created and run by ruthless leaders with a strong national outlook for their countries following the outcome of World War II. [xxiii] Once Hitler and Mussolini gained power by their respective means, they quickly extended government control over the political, economic and social systems of their own country so it became a totalitarian state. In the affairs of foreign policy, both the Fascists and Nazis were motivated to expand to have further power. [xxiv] But there were a few significant differences. One, Mussolini’s Fascism wasn’t based on race, whereas, Nazism was anti-Semitic and promoted the Aryan race as above all others. Second, Nazism favored peasants because they were considered to be the most pure Germans. Fascism did not share this same view of peasants. [xxv] Third, Mussolini created a corporate State and Hitler only had complete government control over economic life. Fourth, Fascism was an opportunistic ideology; Mussolini did not have a clear-cut plan. [xxvi] Hitler had an extensive plan for many years and ruled by this plan, which can be seen as more victorious compared to Mussolini.

[i] "**totalitarianism**." __Encyclopædia Britannica__. 2009. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 09 Dec. 2009 < [] >. [ii] "**Germany**." __Encyclopædia Britannica__. 2009. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 09 Dec. 2009 < [] >.

[iii] Layton, Geoff. //The Third Reich 1933-45//. 3rd. London: Hodder Murray, 2005. 8. Print. [iv] Ibid. p.11 [v] Ibid. p.12 [vi] Ibid. p.19 [vii] Ibid. 21 [viii] Ibid. 21 [ix] Chung, TK. "Nazi Germany." //The Corner//. 2007. HW Poon, Web. 9 Dec 2009. . [x] Chung, TK. “Facsist Italy.” //The Corner//. 2007. HW Poon, Web. 9 Dec 2009. . [xi] Ibid. [xii] Ibid. [xiii] Ibid. [xiv] Ibid. [xv] Ibid. [xvi] Ibid. [xvii] Ibid. [xviii] Ibid. [xix] Laver, John and Wolfson, Robert. //Years of Change: European History, 1890-1990.// 3rd. London: Hodder Murray, 2001. 170. Print. [xx] Ibid. [xxi] Ibid. [xxii] Ibid. [xxiii] Ibid. [xxiv] Ibid. [xxv] Ibid. [xxvi] Ibid.