The Origins of Totalitarianism Book Summary

Book Summary

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Brief Summary

The threat of totalitarianism occurs when a large part of society becomes disenfranchised by its government.

The best way to prevent the rise of totalitarianism from happening is for all of society to be represented equally and to encourage free thinking. The protection of human rights and free will is essential to continue living in a democratic society.

About the Author

Hannah Arendt was born in Hanover, Germany in 1906. She studied philosophy at the University of Marburg, the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, and the University of Heidelberg.

As an author, Arendt has written extensively about the philosophy of human nature and the threat of totalitarianism. She was also a professor at the University of Chicago and the New School for Social Research in New York City.

Arendt moved to Paris in 1933 as Nazi policies began to be implemented. In 1941 she and her husband moved to the United States where she became the research director for the Conference on Jewish Relations.

In 1951 Arendt became a naturalized American citizen and remained in the United States for the rest of her life. Arendt died in 1975 aged 69 and left behind an extensive body of work that is still relevant today.

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Key Insights

The rise of totalitarian regimes in the 20th Century culminated in a conflict that would become known as World War Two. The emergence of totalitarianism in Germany and the Soviet Union threatened world peace and forever changed the nature of war.

But totalitarianism was not a novel concept at that point. And even after the defeat of Nazi Germany, the threat of totalitarianism was not gone forever. At different points in history, circumstances can give rise to this ideology in small or large movements.

To understand how totalitarianism becomes a mainstream ideology, you need to first look at its origins and the catalyst for its emergence. It is important to be aware of these facts so that you can be aware of how society can prevent history from repeating itself.

Totalitarianism and antisemitism are not new ideas.

The rise of totalitarianism in the 20th Century was not something that occurred overnight. The foundations for it lay in Europe’s past, going as far back as the 17th Century. Its ties to anti-Semitic behavior go back just as far.

The social and class divide in Europe is centuries old. As European society evolved from feudal states to monarchies, the Jewish community played an integral role. Throughout history, Jewish people have been employed as financial managers to the ruling classes.

Because of their status, Jews became economically stable. However, their wealth did nothing to help include them in European society and for centuries the Jewish community found itself resented by nationalist Europeans.

If you were a witness to the changes in Europe over the centuries, you would see the growing discontent with the Jewish population. Unfounded accusations and conspiracy theories about the Jewish grab for power spread throughout Europe. Despite their contributions to society Jews were seen as outsiders and looked down upon by almost all classes of Europeans.

This all sounds ominous enough, but it got worse. As nationalist movements grew in parts of Europe, they promoted the idea that their people were racially superior. By the time the Nazi Party rose to power in Germany, the antisemitism sentiment was at the core of nationalistic ideas.

Democracy only works when you represent everyone.

You are probably wondering how nationalist movements gain a foothold in government. After all, just because they promote racist ideas, you would think that most people as decent law-abiding citizens, would not buy into it. The reality is that the nationalist movement had a lot of help from existing state governments, even if it was unintentional.

Before World War Two, European governments were losing supporters and discontent was growing with their leadership. Simultaneously, resentment towards Jewish people grew. One of the reasons for the resentment was the fact that a majority of Jewish people remained wealthy. Other communities were impacted by fluctuations in economic stability in European nations and they blamed the Jewish people for their bad situations.

As the years went by, many of the poor communities felt ignored by the politicians, who focused their energies on the wealthier citizens of their nations. The disenfranchised masses were then vulnerable...