The Origins of Totalitarianism: Part Three - Totalitarianism

Imagine a world where the solid walls of society's classes crumble, leaving behind a vast sea of individuals adrift and disconnected. This is the world that gave birth to the masses, atomized and isolated, stripped of the social ties that once anchored them. The old class systems, which had provided meaning and political identity, dissolved under the pressures of war, economic turmoil, and social change, creating a vacuum filled not by organized groups, but by millions of individuals who felt politically neutral or indifferent. This breakdown of class and party systems shattered the traditional political landscape, allowing new forces to rise from the ruins.

These masses were not mobs; they were not united by shared interests or communal bonds. Instead, they were a collection of isolated souls, each feeling expendable and disconnected from society. This isolation bred a unique psychology: a loss of self-interest and identity, a readiness to sacrifice oneself for causes that promised belonging and purpose. The masses were vulnerable to ideologies that offered total explanations and absolute certainty, even if those ideologies demanded blind loyalty.

Consider how this phenomenon played out in the aftermath of the First World War. The social fabric of many European countries was torn apart, with inflation, unemployment, and political instability fueling despair. The formerly articulate and politically active classes faded, replaced by silent majorities who had lost faith in the old parties and systems. Into this void stepped movements that did not seek to represent interests or negotiate compromises but demanded total allegiance and promised radical transformation.

One striking example was the way these movements recruited from the politically indifferent, those who had never participated in party politics before. Their methods bypassed reasoned debate, favoring emotional appeal and, ultimately, terror. The loyalty they inspired was unique: it persisted even when members became victims of persecution themselves, a fanaticism beyond idealism or rational conviction.

Such loyalty was not born out of hope for personal gain but out of a profound sense of selflessness and loss of individual identity. The masses were willing to be consumed by the movement, to become nothing but cogs in a vast, unending machine. This total loss of self was the psychological foundation upon which totalitarianism built its power.

As we move forward, we will explore how these movements organized themselves to harness this raw human material, turning isolated individuals into instruments of domination. The journey from the breakdown of class society to the rise of totalitarian organization reveals a chilling transformation in the nature of power and control.