2021 · Q100
Which one of the following statements is not correct about ‘Totalitarianism’?
General KnowledgeIndian Polity and Governance
- AIt is not akin to autocracy and authoritarianism.
- BIt usurps political freedom of the individuals, but it doesn’t usurp personal freedoms.
- CIt implies abolition of civil society.
- DIt is usually identified with a one-party state.
Explanation
Totalitarianism is defined precisely by the state's claim over both public and private life - it seizes the personal freedoms of individuals along with their political freedom, abolishes civil society, and is usually identified with a one-party state. The statement that it usurps political freedom but leaves personal freedoms intact is therefore the not-correct one. In the classic Friedrich-Brzezinski framework totalitarianism is treated as distinct from mere authoritarianism, so the first option stands as a correct characterisation.