Final answer:
The trend in human governance that has facilitated the rise of totalitarian regimes includes the consolidation of power by leaders during crises and the systematic suppression of dissent and independent thought.
Step-by-step explanation:
A trend in human governance that has allowed totalitarianism to find its most fertile ground is the consolidation of power by charismatic or domineering leaders who exploit times of crisis, such as economic downturns, wars, or social upheavals, to establish control. Totalitarian systems are characterized by the proliferation of the party into all arenas of life, including the state, the police, and elite groups, according to Hannah Arendt. The rise of Adolf Hitler in Germany and his transition from a democratically elected chancellor to a totalitarian dictator is a prime example of this trend. He used the turbulent post-WWI conditions to consolidate power and suppressed dissent, which is a common pattern observed in other authoritarian and totalitarian regimes that have emerged in the past and continue to do so.
Such regimes also use systematic violence and the creation of a culture of fear to enforce obedience and stifle independent thought, reducing individuals to mere extensions of the government. Additionally, the manipulation of elections, monopolization of media, and the use of threats against political opponents have been tactics utilized by authoritarian leaders to maintain the facade of legitimacy while actually eroding democratic processes and freedoms.