noun
totalitarianism
Totalitarianism (noun) means a form of government in which the state has complete control and ordinary people have almost no power, as under a dictator.
noun
1
A form of government in which the state has complete control and ordinary people have almost no power, as under a dictator.
"Mr. Yudin argues that Russia is moving out of authoritarianism – where political passivity and civic disengagement are key features – into totalitarianism, which relies on mass mobilization, terror and homogeneity of beliefs."
— Sabrina Tavernise, [Vladimir] Putin’s war in Ukraine shatters an illusion in Russia (2022)
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Etymology
Dates from 1938, formed from totalitarian and -ism, modelled on the Italian totalitarismo (1923, coined by Giovanni Amendola) and on German terms such as Totalstaat (1927, from The Concept of the Political, by Carl Schmitt).
Synonyms
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monocracy
Caesarism
authoritarianism
dictatorship
shogunate
totalism
tyranny
Stalinism
absolutism
despotism
Related words
Rhymes for totalitarianism
humanism
veganism
organism
shamanism
mechanism
hooliganism
microorganism
vegetarianism
republicanism
equestrianism
utilitarianism
authoritarianism
See all rhymes for totalitarianism →
Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of totalitarianism?
"totalitarianism" (noun) means a form of government in which the state has complete control and ordinary people have almost no power, as under a dictator.
What is another word for totalitarianism?
Other words for "totalitarianism" include monocracy, Caesarism, authoritarianism, dictatorship, shogunate, totalism.
