Final answer:
According to Franklin Roosevelt, the great problem of the 20th century was tyranny. This was the era when disillusionment with democratic systems post-World War I and during the Great Depression led to the rise of totalitarian dictatorships in Europe, exemplified by the fascist states of Italy, Spain, and Germany, among others.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Franklin Roosevelt, the great problem of the 20th century was tyranny. The early 20th century was marked by a global shift toward authoritarian regimes, a move largely attributed to the massive disillusionment following World War I and during the Great Depression. Countries such as Italy, Spain, and Germany, under the guise of solving crises, turned away from parliamentary democracy and embraced fascism—an ideology that prioritized nationalism and often racial purity, and relied on a totalitarian form of governance where the state controls all aspects of life.
These totalitarian dictatorships were seen as both a cause and a consequence of the era's tumultuous socio-economic conditions. Leaders promised to restore order and provide for basic needs, often aggressively silencing opposition and undermining democratic processes. Ultimately, these regimes played significant roles in driving the world toward World War II, with the Axis powers' aggressive military expansion and egregious erosions of freedom and human rights exemplifying this tyranny.