Differences between Authoritarianism and Totalitarianism
Authoritarianism is described as a form of government characterized by an emphasis on the authority of the state in a republic or union. It is a political system controlled by elected legislators who usually allow a certain degree of freedom.
It can be defined as a behavior in which a person or institution excels in the exercise of the corresponding authority. Authoritarianism can be characterized by the use of abuse of power and authority and is often confused with despotism.
In human relationships, authoritarianism can be manifested in national life, where a despot or dictator acts on millions of citizens, interfering even in family life, where the dominance of one person over another is found through the power of terror, financial economic and coercion.
Distinction Between Authoritarian and Totalitarian Government
The distinction between authoritarian and totalitarian regimes is that in authoritarianism, the government does not pretend to control the private lives of its citizens to the point of compulsively converting them into reeducated people to spend the rest of their lives over the regime.
Authoritarian regimes in Latin America maintain a strong repression from above against renowned dissident elements, but the civilian population in general generally remained at peace. In particular, the authoritarianism of the state prefers to alienate the population, offering public spectacles that detract from political concerns.
Thus, during these conflict situations, notorious events such as sporting events, for example, usually occur . Already in totalitarianism, the government tends to deify itself, through the implementation of a true one-party dictatorship.
This has never been seen in Latin America, with the sole exception of the system of Castro‘s socialism deployed in Cuba since 1959. There, the adoration of the Cuban people for Fidel Castro only found its fanaticism parallel in North Korea with Kim Il-Sung and his son and successor Kim Jong-il.
This was also the case with the Bolshevik-style communist regimes that sought to mold the consciousness of the youth to the model imposed by the youth. For example, in the former Soviet Union, primary schools taught children to sing songs with titles like “My Grandfather Lenin” in order to confuse family values with revolutionary values.
Hitler tried to imitate the communist model, with the establishment of “Hitler Youth“, but not with the same success. In totalitarian regimes, all the personal initiative of citizens must be channeled to the State, which does not recognize the existence of anything other than itself.
There are no other ideologies and other ways of thinking for the state except its own. This conception of government was criticized for the method to be adopted for the ultimate consequences.
