Before World War II, three political ideologies were popular: totalitarianism, communism, and fascism. These ideologies have some similarities, but they also have significant differences.
Totalitarianism is a political ideology in which a highly centralized and authoritarian government seeks to control every aspect of an individual's life. Totalitarian governments are characterized by a single party exercising complete control over the state, with the party's leader wielding ultimate power. Totalitarianism seeks to establish a society in which the state has complete control over all aspects of life, including the economy, politics, and culture. Totalitarianism was most famously practiced by Joseph Stalin in the Soviet Union and Adolf Hitler in Nazi Germany.
Communism is a political ideology that advocates for a classless society in which the means of production are owned and controlled collectively by the state or the people. The goal of communism is to eliminate social and economic inequality and to build a society in which everyone has equal access to resources and opportunities. Communist governments are characterized by a single party exercising complete control over the state, with the party's leader wielding ultimate power. Communism was most famously practiced by Joseph Stalin in the Soviet Union and Mao Zedong in China.
Fascism is a political ideology in which nationalism, corporatism, and authoritarianism are emphasized. Fascists believe in their country's superiority over others and advocate for a strong, centralized state ruled by a single party. Fascism emphasizes discipline, order, and obedience while seeking to eliminate political opposition and dissent. Fascist governments are characterized by a single leader wielding absolute power, and they frequently use violence and repression to maintain control. Fascism was most famously practiced by Benito Mussolini in Italy.
To summarize, while totalitarianism, communism, and fascism share some characteristics, such as a highly centralized and authoritarian government, they also have significant differences. Totalitarianism seeks to control every aspect of a person's life, while communism advocates for a classless society and fascism emphasizes nationalism and authoritarianism. Each of these ideologies was responsible for widespread human rights violations and had a significant impact on world history.