totalitarianism

noun

Pronunciation: toʊˌtæl.ɪˈtɛə.ri.ə.nɪ.zəm

Definition

A system of government that is centralized and dictatorial and requires complete subservience to the state.

Examples

• The regime's slide into totalitarianism began with the suppression of independent media.

• Historians often study the rise of totalitarianism in the twentieth century to understand how democratic institutions can fail.

• Citizens living under totalitarianism often face severe restrictions on their freedom of movement and expression.

Synonyms of totalitarianism

Words with a similar meaning to totalitarianism:

• autocracy
• dictatorship
• despotism
• authoritarianism

Antonyms of totalitarianism

Words with the opposite meaning to totalitarianism:

• democracy
• liberalism

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