How did Canada Respond to the Rise
of Totalitarian Governments?
Unit 3
Mrs. Harnack
“All within the state,
none outside the state,
none against the
state ”
-That’s what Benito Mussolini
said...but in Italian...
Totalitarian Government
• A totalitarian government restricts individual
rights and makes everyone subordinate
(inferior) to the government.
• Totalitarian governments stay in power using
fear and oppression
• By the end of the 1930s, a number of
totalitarian states had arisen.
Totalitairanism--facism
• Italy and German were fascist
states.
• Fascism is a form of
totalitarianism that emphasizes
– National and
– Racial superiority.
“Aryan people are
handsome and
good.”
“Jews: always ugly and
evil. Movie poster for ‘The
Eternal Jew.’”
Yet another form of totalitarian
regimes…
• In the Soviet Union arose yet another form of
totalitarianism—a form of communism that
established an absolute, oppressive, singleparty government.
Urging people to support Communism
What is the poster’s underlying message?
Why would conveying this message be
important is dictatorship?
Joseph Stalin: Soviet Union Communism
Totalitarian regimes believe…
• That democracies are soft, decadent and
lacking moral strength
• Citizens of totalitarian countries are
persuaded through effective use of
propaganda
• That you need to set aside your personal
ambitions for the good of the state.
• This message helps discourage questions
about human rights and the state’s leadership
Use of propaganda…an example for
children
• "Der Giftpilz - The
Poison Mushroom"
• Printed in 1938
• ANTI-JEWISH NAZI
PROPAGANDA
http://www.pzg.biz/poster_poison_mushroom.htm
"Der Giftpilz - The Poison Mushroom"
• Published by Julius Streicher who would later be
hanged at Nuremberg for war crimes. His crime
practicing FREE SPEECH in a sovereign nation!
This is the most infamous anti-Jewish book that
Julius Streicher ever published. It was a racial
education manual for Adolf Hitler's Third Reich
German children concerning the "Jewish
problem". Once enlightened to the "Jewish
menace" the population would be able to
"protect" themselves and the nation.
Communism in the Soviet Union
• In the Soviet Union, the communist government
took control of many aspects of the economy,
such as banks, mines and old companies.
• They discouraged religion and used media as a
propaganda tool
• Stalin was ruthless and used force to squash any
opposition.
• During the 1930s millions of Soviet citizens were
executed, imprisoned, deported of starved to
death
Canada and Communism
• During hard times, communist ideas often
attracted people who were poor and
powerless.
• Communist Party of Canada was founded
secretly near Guelph, ON.
• Police harassed these any suspecting
communists, raided meetings, searched
offices, seized documents and arrested
leaders.
Fear of Communism in Canada?
• They feared Stalin and the unrest of the
Revolution in the Soviet Union
• Fear that it would threatened democracy
• Fear in recent immigrants and labour unions
(that they promoted communism and wanted
to overthrow the government)
• Fear often fed by politicians like Prime
Minister of Canada R.B. Bennett.
“What do they offer you in exchange for the
present order? Socialism, Communism,
dictatorship. They are sowing the seeds of unrest
everywhere. Right in this city such propaganda is
being carried on and in the little out of the way
places as well. And we know that throughout
Canada this propaganda is being put forward by
organizations from foreign lands that seek to
destroy our institutions. And we ask that every
man and woman put the iron heel of ruthlessness
against a thing of that kind.”
R.B. Bennett
The Rise of Fasicsm in Germany.
• During WWI Germany had been a monarchy
• After WWI, the Allies established a democratic
government in Germany
• The German did not love this new system that had
been forced on them—political parties did not have
solid support and the leaders were ineffective
Germany failed to prosper…
• Many Germans resented the war guilt clause
(Treaty of Versailles)
• Burden of paying for reparations=a struggling
Germany
• Hyperinflation in 1922 the value of the
Deutschmark was reduced to almost 0 and prices
rose +100x!!!
• Germany failed to prosper, poverty was wide
spread and people were fed up!
• When the depression started in 1929, the
situation became even worse...
• Work on the “Timeline of Rise of Totalitarian
Governments in Europe and Asia” package
– Read page 210-217 and use timeline to complete
question 1 on page 217.
– Continue to work on the handouts in the package
following their instructions.
– Attach additional T-chart to the back of the
package (for “was appeasement a mistake” sheet)
– DUE: _______________________________