Library:The Origins of Totalitarianism
| The Origins of Totalitarianism | |
|---|---|
| Author | Hannah Arendt |
| First published | 1951 |
| ISBN | 978-0-15-670153-2 unverified |
| Role | Analysis |
| Domains | History Politics & Elections |
| Tactics | Propaganda Technique Fabrication |
The Origins of Totalitarianism is a 1951 book by Hannah Arendt.
Summary
Hannah Arendt, a German-Jewish political theorist who fled Nazi Germany, published this study of Nazism and Stalinism in 1951. It is divided into three parts: antisemitism, imperialism and totalitarianism.
Propaganda and terror
Arendt argues that totalitarian movements use propaganda to win followers before they take power, then replace persuasion with indoctrination and terror once in control. Their propaganda presents a closed, consistent fictional world that explains everything, which can be more attractive to isolated people than a confusing reality.
Contempt for facts
A central theme is the movements' indifference to factual truth. Arendt describes audiences who come to believe everything and nothing, accepting that any statement may be a lie, and who admire leaders for their cleverness when lies are exposed. Her analysis of how conspiracy myths such as the Protocols of the Elders of Zion were used as organizing fictions is especially relevant.
Relevance to Bullshitopedia
Arendt's account of how lies, conspiracy myths and loneliness combine remains a foundational text for understanding political deception and is frequently cited in discussions of "post-truth" politics.