Totalitarianism, 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 life through coercion and repression. Examples of such centralized totalitarian rule include the Maurya dynasty of India (c. 321–c. 185 bc), the Ch’in dynasty of China (221–206 bc), and the reign of Zulu chief Shaka (c. 1816–28). The totalitarian states of Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler (1933–45) and the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin (1924–53) were the first examples of decentralized or popular totalitarianism, in which the state achieved overwhelming popular support for its leadership. This support was not spontaneous; its genesis depended on a charismatic leader; and it was made possible only by modern developments in communication and transportation.
Totalitarianism is often distinguished from dictatorship, despotism, or tyranny by its supplanting of all political institutions with new ones and its sweeping away of all legal, social, and political traditions. The totalitarian state pursues some special goal, such as industrialization or conquest, to the exclusion of all others. All resources are directed toward its attainment regardless of the cost. Whatever might further the goal is supported; whatever might foil the goal is rejected. This obsession spawns an ideology that explains everything in terms of the goal, rationalizing all obstacles that may arise and all forces that may contend with the state. The resulting popular support permits the state the widest latitude of action of any form of government. Any dissent is branded evil, and internal political differences are not permitted. Because pursuit of the goal is the only ideological foundation for the totalitarian state, achievement of the goal can never be acknowledged.
“sweeping away of all legal, social, and political traditions..”
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKxDdxzX0kI[/youtube]
“…subordinate all aspects of the individual’s life to the authority of the government.”
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhPQMU3rEus[/youtube]
“…totalitarianism is characterized by strong central rule that attempts to control and direct all aspects of individual life through coercion and repression.”
White House creates ‘nudge squad’ to shape behavior
The federal government is hiring what it calls a “Behavioral Insights Team” that will look for ways to subtly influence people’s behavior, according to a document describing the program obtained by FoxNews.com. Critics warn there could be unintended consequences to such policies, while supporters say the team could make government and society more efficient.
While the program is still in its early stages, the document shows the White House is already working on such projects with almost a dozen federal departments and agencies including the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture.
“…subordinate all aspects of the individual’s life to the authority of the government.”
“Barack will never allow you to go back to your lives as usual…”
“…totalitarianism is characterized by strong central rule that attempts to control and direct all aspects of individual life through coercion and repression.”
Schools now banning birthday cupcakes for Michelle Obama’s nutrition mandates
In a move a parent has likened to being “food Nazis,” school districts across the country are beginning to ban a long established tradition in schools to comply with the strict nutritional guidelines championed by First Lady Michelle Obama.
In Washington, the Edmonds School District announced students will no longer be able to bring birthday cupcakes to classrooms because the treats are not healthy for the young students based on federal nutrition guidelines.
“…sweeping away of all legal, social, and political traditions..”
Hours earlier, Democrats announced that they would take the first steps early next month to try to change the First Amendment’s free speech protections…
“…sweeping away of all legal, social, and political traditions..”
An Independence Day parade in Norfolk, Neb. has sparked a renewed controversy involving freedom of speech and freedom of expression. The parade featured a float that depicted a figure that bore the likeness of Barack Obama, who was standing at the door of an outhouse. The words inscribed on the outhouse stated, “Obama Presidential Library.”
The Nebraska Democratic Party cried foul, claiming that the display was racist. But the float’s creator stated that the figure in the float represented himself, and his depiction of the Obama Presidential Library as an outhouse represented his anger concerning Obama’s handling of the VA hospital scandal.
The complaint of the Nebraska Democratic Party was enough to culminate in a visit by an official from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the NAACP. The NAACP in particular was not amused by the display and stated that the float’s creator failed to adequately express the intended message.
“…totalitarianism is characterized by strong central rule that attempts to control and direct all aspects of individual life through coercion and repression.”
They are however using that very same tactic to shut down a wide range of legal businesses they don’t like. They are doing it to gun and ammunition dealers. They are doing it to the porn industry. They are doing it to payday lenders. They are doing it to Colorado marijuana retailers. In every one of these cases the administration is seeking to close down legal businesses by using its regulatory powers to stop banks from doing business with them. It’s called “Operation Choke Point” and it’s a joint effort by the Departments of Justice, Treasury and a handful of other agencies to effectively shut-down industries that the Obama administration doesn’t like.
How do they accomplish that? By contacting the banks servicing those businesses and “encouraging” them to stop doing business with the frowned upon businesses. Although the businesses are perfectly legal, the banks, recognizing that the price for not adhering to those “suggestions” would be a regulatory nightmare from which they might not be able to survive, acquiesce.
The problem however is that the government doesn’t have the legal right to coerce businesses out of business arbitrarily just because they don’t like them. That’s the whole point of the Constitution in the first place, particularly the 10th Amendment: “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” Government can not legally rule by executive fiat. But somehow Barack Obama thinks he can.
“…sweeping away of all legal, social, and political traditions..”
Trolling for Dirt on the President’s List
Three weeks ago, an Obama campaign website, “Keeping GOP Honest,” took the extraordinary step of publicly naming and assailing eight private citizens backing Mr. Romney. Titled “Behind the curtain: a brief history of Romney’s donors,” the post accused the eight of being “wealthy individuals with less-than-reputable records.” Mr. VanderSloot was one of the eight, smeared particularly as being “litigious, combative and a bitter foe of the gay rights movement.”
“The natural progress of things is for liberty to yeild, and government to gain ground.”
– Thomas Jefferson
Even of one were to give Obama all of the benefit of the doubt, the path the country is on will lead to its destruction. This country was built on individual initiative and opportunity. Everyone was free to pursue happiness and try to forge success. Equal outcome regardless of effort is poison to any system of government but it is one of Obama’s goals. As has long been known, power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Soon you will be free only to do whatever Barack Obama wants. We are well along the road to totalitarianism and Obama told us he was going to take us there. An awful lot of people weren’t listening.
DrJohn has been a health care professional for more than 30 years. In addition to clinical practice he has done extensive research and has published widely with over 70 original articles and abstracts in the peer-reviewed literature. DrJohn is well known in his field and has lectured on every continent except for Antarctica. He has been married to the same wonderful lady for over 30 years and has three kids- two sons, both of whom are attorneys and one daughter on her way into the field of education.
DrJohn was brought up with the concept that one can do well if one is prepared to work hard but nothing in life is guaranteed.
Except for liberals being foolish.