THOSE DREADED ISMS DEMOCRACYAUTHORITARIANISMTOTALITARIANISM.

THOSE DREADED ISMSTHOSE DREADED ISMSDEMOCRACYDEMOCRACY

AUTHORITARIANISMAUTHORITARIANISM

TOTALITARIANISMTOTALITARIANISM

NATIONAL IDEOLOGIESNATIONAL IDEOLOGIES

• Ideology: A system of beliefs/ideas that involve the basic ideas, goals, and characteristics of a nation state.

• These give insight into a nation’s values, its “personality”, and the relationship between the ruler(s) and the ruled.

• If one of the following labels--Democracy, Authoritarianism, and Totalitarianism--is applied correctly to a nation state, it can generally provide some clear insights into the nature of that state and enable one to reasonably predict its behavior in a given situation.

Why a nation state?

• Mankind’s instinct to organize, to seek stability, order, and security so he can pursue “the good life” without interference from others.

• And, to have government take on those things he can’t do alone.

• Remember--that in both Anarchy and Fascism, polar opposites on the political spectrum, there is no freedom at all.

Remembering the spectrum…

• If the prevailing perception of a nation’s founders is that man is inherently “good”, then the government will be more democratic.

• If the perception is that man is inherently “bad”, then the government will be less democratic.

DEMOCRACY

• A system in which the people, directly or indirectly, participate in all the decisions that affect their political, social, and economic lives.

• Also, from a historical perspective, a new idea.

• Freedom House http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=363&year=2011

Characteristics:

• Maintains the belief that man is good.

• The State serves the individual.

• Stresses Cooperation and Compromise among competing power groups.

• No need for excessive force to rule people.• Majority Rules/Protection for Minority

views.• Government of, by, and for the People.• Humans are Free to pursue the “good life”.• Change is permanent--Dynamic societies.• Multi-Party System (Variety and Flexibility)

• Demands high degree of citizen involvement and responsibility.

• Belief in Human Rights, Justice, Brotherhood, and Equal Opportunity for all citizens.

• A Philosophy of the Left.

Democracies Today

AUTHORITARIANISM

GENERAL

• System in which the people have little or no say in their political lives but have some freedoms in their economic and social lives.

• Prior to the democratic movements of the last decade, the most numerous type of government found in the world.

• A philosophy of the “right”. Tend to be conservative.

• Often have a ruling elite--military or propertied.

CHARACTERISTICS

• Maintains belief that man is bad.• Usually non-democratic--people don’t choose

rulers. (Dictatorships/Kings/Juntas)• Strong police/security force.

• Usually has one political party only.

• Usually has limited liberties.

• The individual serves the state.

• Change is very slow--rural nations.

• Government by the elite--oligarchy, monarchy, and aristocracy.

• Found sometimes in high poverty nations with high illiteracy rates.

• Minorities are often persecuted.

KIRKPATRICK DOCTRINE

• United States could cooperate with authoritarian nations with bad human rights because they were more capable of reform and less dangerous than totalitarian ones.

• Of course, those right-wing anti-communist nations were our friends and pro-Soviet regimes were the “bad” totalitarian ones.

REAGAN WINS COLD WAR

• Was it support of Contras, mujahadeen, Marcos, et al or did we simply outspend (Star Wars)?

DEVELOPMENTAL AUTHORITARIANISM

CRITICISM

• Maybe developmental authoritarianism doesn’t work at all.

• India has had impressive growth since the 1990’s began. They have achieved this with a democratic government.

TOTALITARIANISM

• Coined by Mussolini to describe Fascist Italy.

• System in which the people have no say in any part of their lives.

• Complete control by the government (the State) of the people’s Political, Social, and Economic lives.

GENERAL

• Most people in human history lived under this system.

• Philosophy of the Far Right.

• Found in nations run by the military or propertied elite.

• Beyond a police state/dictatorship.

CHARACTERISTICS

• Belief that man is bad.• Strong security forces

to preserve order.• Individual serves the

state at all times--pawn of the State. State sacrifice is expected.

• State is supreme--All Knowing--always correct.

• One political party--no opposition allowed.

• Rule by the elite who know what is best.

• Conformity is the rule. Society is regimented.

Khmer Rouge

• Expects and demands total obedience to the state. No dissent.

• Change is opposed and very slow, if any.

• Inequality is built into system.

• Government is centralized and bureaucratic.

• Use of propaganda to brainwash people.

CONTEMPORARY STATES?

• George Bush’s “Axis of Evil”

CULT OF PERSONALITY

GENOCIDE