Final answer:
Following World War I, economic instability and the subsequent Great Depression led to disillusionment with liberal democracies and a shift towards fascism and totalitarian regimes, such as Mussolini's Italy and Hitler's Germany, offering promises of stability and national strength.
Step-by-step explanation:
Economic Instability and the Rise of Totalitarianism
The economic instability that followed World War I led to widespread political upheaval and the growth of alternative governments such as fascism and totalitarianism. Countries around the world faced economic depression after the war, which was exacerbated by the Great Depression of the 1929 stock market crash. Discontent with the status quo and a desire for stability made ideologies like fascism in Italy and Germany, and communism in the Soviet Union, appear as attractive alternatives to liberal democracy. The appeal of fascism and totalitarianism was rooted in their promises of national rejuvenation, order, and economic stability.
In Italy, Benito Mussolini capitalized on the distress of the Italian people by promoting national unity and militarism, eventually leading to his prime ministership and the establishment of a fascist state. Similarly, in Germany, the economic turmoil and perceived weakness of the Weimar Republic paved the way for Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party to seize power. This rise of authoritarian regimes culminated in World War II. The Soviet Union, under Joseph Stalin, showcased a different form of totalitarianism with its collectivization policies and oppressive control over both the economy and private life, leading to widespread suffering and death.
The desperation of people during this period, coupled with the failure of capitalist democracies to effectively address the economic crisis, led many to support these authoritarian regimes as a means to restore order and prosperity, leading to a drastic shift in the political landscape of Europe and the world.