... Totalitarianism demands, in fact, the continuous alteration of the past, and in the long run probably demands a disbelief in the very existence of objective truth. ibid.
A totalitarian society which succeeded in perpetuating itself would probably set up a schizophrenic system of thought, in which the laws of common sense held good in everyday life and in certain exact sciences, but could be disregarded by the politician, the historian, and the sociologist. Already there are countless people who would think it scandalous to falsify a scientific textbook, but would see nothing wrong in falsifying an historical fact. It is at the point where literature and politics cross that totalitarianism exerts its greatest pressure on the intellectual. The exact sciences are not, at this date, menaced to anything like the same extent. This partly accounts for the fact that in all countries it is easier for the scientists than for the writers to line up behind their respective governments. ibid.
For Orwell, after his experience in the Spanish Civil War, totalitarianism had become the enemy. He saw the coming war in Europe as a conflict between two distorted ideologies: Nazi fascism and Stalinist communism. Arena: George Orwell IV: The Lion & The Unicorn, BBC 1983
The strongest argument against totalitarianism may be a recognition of a universal human nature; that all humans have innate desires for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The doctrine of the blank slate ... is a totalitarian’s dream. Steven Pinker
The ultimate end of any ideology is totalitarianism. Tom Robbins
Totalitarianism is patriotism institutionalized. Steve Allen
Liberalism is totalitarianism with a human face. Thomas Sowell
People who live in the post-totalitarian system know only too well that the question of whether one or several political parties are in power, and how these parties define and label themselves, is of far less importance than the question of whether or not it is possible to live like a human being. Václav Havel, The Power of the Powerles, 1986
We had all become used to the totalitarian system and accepted it as an unchangeable fact and thus helped to perpetuate it. In other words, we are all – though naturally to differing extents – responsible for the operation of the totalitarian machinery. None of us is just its victim. We are all also its co-creators ... Those who rebelled against totalitarian rule and those who simply managed to remain themselves and think freely, were all persecuted. We should not forget any of those who paid for our present freedom in one way or another. Václav Havel, New Year’s address Prague 1 January 1990
Orwell’s 1984 convinced me, rightly or wrongly, that Marxism was only a quantum leap away from tyranny. By contrast, Huxley’s Brave New World suggested that the totalitarian systems of the future might be subservient and ingratiating. J G Ballard
It’s a pleasure to be in a country that isn’t ruled by its people. Prince Philip to Paraguay dictator General Stroessner
Pyongyang, North Korea July 8th 1994: In North Korea a nation is in mourning. Their dictator for the past 48 years Kim Il-sung is dead. But the myth of Kim’s divinity concealed a darker truth: behind the facade was a brutal ruler. The regime imprisoned, tortured and killed tens of thousands. Dictators Rulebook s1e1: Kim Il-sung, National Geographic 2018
1910: Japan colonises the country … decades of suffering are about to begin. ibid.
By 1948 the Soviets are convinced Kim has a firm hold on the country and they begin to pull out. ibid.
Kim invades South Korea … a major miscalculation. ibid.
Kim takes out suspected opponents: 2,500 in just four years. ibid.
By the mid-60s Kim Il-sung has created a culture of fear that enveloped 12 million North Koreans. ibid.
The caste system weeds out enemies of the state. ibid.
2003: Following a swift and lethal invasion, American-led forces now occupy Iraq. One of the most brutal regimes of the 20th century has come to an end. Dictators Rulebook s1e2: Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein ruled Iraq with an iron fist for over 30 years. To maintain power for so long he used fear, intimidation and violence … He believed he was invincible. ibid.
He becomes an enforcer for the [Ba’ath] Party … a man unafraid of violence. ibid.
Just five days after taking office Saddam calls a meeting of the Revolutionary Command Council, Iraq’s secret governing elite … Saddam forces the remaining government officials to personally execute their arrested colleagues. ibid.
1991: The America-led coalition sets out to make Saddam pay for his invasion of Kuwait. ibid.
He is found in a hole in the ground just ten miles from his birthplace. ibid.
Europe 2018: From the UK to Germany, Sweden to Greece, extreme right-wing politics are on the rise fuelled by xenophobia and a promise to fight for the rights of white Europeans. Dictators’ Rulebook s1e3: Benito Mussolini
Italy’s Benito Mussolini: has been dismissed as a buffoon, a small-time tyrant who ruled in the shadow of Hitler and Stalin. But he was no-one’s disciple … He called it fascism. ibid.
‘Again and again he keeps getting in trouble for knifing people.’ ibid. Matthew Feldman
He uses an essential tool of dictatorship: creating an enemy. ibid.
The fascist army is publicly unleashed on the communists. ibid.
Mussolini and a handful of fascists are elected to parliament. ibid.
1924: Fascist thugs are posted outside of polling stations throughout the country. ibid.
It is time to build an empire … Mussolini orders his generals to burn Ethiopian villages and to use poison gas on civilians. ibid.
2017: A mass grave is revealed; it is but one of two thousand mass burial sites across the nation. This is the legacy of General Francisco Franco, victor of the Spanish Civil War. After taking control of the country in 1939 he consolidates his hold on the nation. Dictators Rulebook s1e4: Francisco Franco
The Spanish people move to establish a republic. And weeks later a general election is held: the majority of seats are won by left-leaning parties. ibid.
November 1933: Spain swings to the right as a coalition of conservative parties wins the next election … The right-wing government turns to Franco who welcomes the chance to restore order. ibid.
The pendulum swings and the right-wing government is ejected … A military coup is the ultimate gamble. ibid.
Franco intensifies his attack on civilians. ibid.
December 20th 1989: 27,000 US troops descend on Panama City. It’s the biggest American invasion since the Vietnam War. Ambition: to capture one man: Panama’s military dictator Manuel Noriega. US soldiers scour Panama City hunting Noriega but he’s nowhere to be found. Noriega’s turbulent six-year rule has been marked by violence, deception and excess. Dictators Rulebook s1e5: Manuel Noriega, National Geographic 2018
By the mid-1970s Noreiga is the most important asset the US has in Central America. But little do they know he’s not just spying on the Cubans in the US, he’s spying on the US and the Cubans. ibid.
He strikes a deal with Pablo Escobar, the leader of Colombia’s Medellin drug cartel. ibid.
Soon, Noriega is not just running drugs, he’s running arms for the Americans. ibid.
June 11 1975: Ugandan dictator Idi Amin is right where he wants to be: at the centre of an international diplomatic crisis. A British citizen living in Uganda, Denis Hills, is about to publish a book critical of Amin. Enraged that his authority has been questioned, Amin wants Hills to face a firing squad. The British know this is no idle threat. Idi Amin has been in the business of capital punishment for years. Dictators Rulebook s1e6: Idi Amin
Idi Amin rose to power from humble beginnings and won the affection of millions of Ugandans and struck fear in the hearts of his many opponents. ibid.
The man who was once a lowly footsoldier in the colonial army now controls the military … With his loyal army behind him he stages a coup. ibid.
The secret police make thousands of arrests … His torture chambers become legendary. ibid.
Amin orders the expulsion of Uganda’s entire Asian population, some 55,000 people. ibid.
Tanzanian forces enter the capital; Amin’s war has proved to be a fatal mistake. ibid.
Amin boards a military helicopter and flees the country. ibid.
It’s evident today that corporations raise and spend huge amounts of money on the political campaigns of presidents and congressmen. These corporations also spend huge amounts of money hiring former government officials to lobby Congress to pass laws that mainly benefit their interests. Corporate Fascism: The Destruction of America’s Middle Class, 2011
Is a corporation really a citizen? ibid.