Difference between authoritarianism and totalitarianism?

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chris1989
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15 Sep 2024, 11:33 am

I get quite confused when I hear about these terms when referring to dictatorial regimes and political systems. I thought they kind of meant the same thing but I don't know if they really do. I mean which regimes are authoritarian and which are totalitarian ?



funeralxempire
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15 Sep 2024, 12:41 pm

The terms exist on a spectrum and you won't always find consensus on where the one ends and the other begins.

Russia currently would probably count as an example of authoritarian, PRC might be a solid example of totalitarian.


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roronoa79
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15 Sep 2024, 9:35 pm

The two are kinda-sorta synonyms, but there is often so much overlap between the two that it can get confusing.

"Authoritarian" at an individual level refers to a tendency towards being bossy. An authoritarian person is someone who expects obedience and believes there should be punishments for those who disobey them.
Eg: "The film's director had an off-putting authoritarian attitude."
Such a person might only apply this standard to themselves; that is, they expect others to obey THEIR authority, but they themselves disregard other authority figures.
Eg: "My authoritarian boss constantly disrespects his own boss, yet expects total loyalty from those under him."

Authoritarian can also refer to people who advocate for authoritarian relationships and social structures. They believe it is beneficial for a group to be obedient to authority for its own sake, regardless of whether they are the ones in charge or not:
"Dwight Shrute is an authoritarian: he obeys authority for its own sake so he will be rightfully rewarded with authority of his own."

"Totalitarian" focuses less on obedience and more on control. It also tends to be more limited to describing power structures, whereas I feel like authoritarian can be used more loosely (in my experience--don't quote me).
A totalitarian ruler is almost always authoritarian, but an authoritarian ruler is not necessarily totalitarian. You can't satisfy the desire for control unless you command obedience.
An authoritarian ruler could expect total obedience from those beneath them, but they might not want total control over everything. They might be pretty lax in non-hierarchical settings; they might not want the responsibility that comes with maintaining total control; they might recognize that they aren't qualified to give orders in every situation.
"My boss is a bit authoritarian when he's ordering you around, but most of the time he tries to maintain a hands-off approach to management."

Totalitarianism in government refers to a government which attempts to control all aspects of life. Power is completely centralized into the hands of a very small few.
Authoritarianism in government can be very repressive, but it might not try to have total control over things like with totalitarianism. A medieval king, for example, had significant power, but he rarely had totalitarian control over the nobility or the church.


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