Political Ideologies of the Interwar Years
Essential Learning:
ESSENTIAL LEARNING: Students will explain be demonstrate an understanding of the different
Curriculum Outcome:
political ideologies of the time period leading up to the Second World War: Communism,
Stalinism, Fascism, National Socialism, Democracy and Totalitarianism; and the development
of totalitarian states in Europe during the 20th Century.
CURRICULUM OUTCOME: Students will know, understand and be able to explain the differences
between the political ideologies of the interwar period.
The Political Spectrum
Definitions
Dictatorship: country, government, or form of government in which absolute power is
exercised by a dictator
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Socialism: a theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the
ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the
community as a whole.
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Political Ideologies of the Interwar Years
Communism: political doctrine advocating a social system based on the collective ownership of
property
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Stalinism: the principles of communism associated with Joseph Stalin, characterized especially
by the extreme suppression of dissident political or ideological views, the concentration of
power in one person and an aggressive international policy
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Fascism: a dictatorship emphasizing aggressive nationalism, militarism, and racism
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National Socialism: the principles and practices of the Nazi party in Germany
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Democracy: government in which the people hold supreme power, usually through their
elected representatives (representative democracy)
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Totalitarianism: absolute control by the state or a governing branch of a highly centralized
autocratic or authoritarian government
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Political Ideologies of the Interwar Years
Characteristics of Totalitarianism
1.
An official ideology to which general adherence was demanded, the ideology intended
to achieve a ‘perfect final stage of mankind‘.
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2.
A single mass party, hierarchically organised, closely interwoven with the state
bureaucracy and typically led by one man.
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3.
Monopolistic control of the armed forces.
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4.
A similar monopoly of the means of effective mass communication.
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5.
A system of terroristic police control.
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6.
Central control and direction of the entire economy.
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Political Ideologies of the Interwar Years
Politics Explained: Cows Explain Politics Simply
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Match the political label too the “Cow” descriptions provided.
Dictatorship
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Feudalism
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Totalitarianism
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Socialism
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Communism
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Pure Communism
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Stalinism
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Fascism
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Nazism
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Militarianism
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Pure Democracy
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Representative Democracy
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American Democracy
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Capitalism
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Bureaucracy
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You have two cows. Give them to the government. The government gives you milk.
You have two cows. The government takes both and shoots you.
You have two cows. You sell one and buy a bull OR you slaughter the cows & compete
with McDonalds.
You have two cows. At first the government regulates what you can feed them and
when you can milk them. Then it pays you not to milk them. After that it takes both,
shoots one, milks the other and pours the milk down the drain. Then it requires you to
fill out forms accounting for the missing cows.
You have two cows. You have to take care of them, but the government takes all the
milk.
You have two cows. Your lord takes some of the milk.
The government shoots you, takes the cows and feeds one to the army and the other to
the police.
You have two cows. The government takes them and denies they ever existed. Milk is
banned.
You have two cows. The government takes both and drafts you.
You have two cows. Your neighbours pick someone to tell you who gets the milk.
You have two cows, give one to your neighbour.
You have two cows. Your neighbours help you take care of them, and you all share the
milk.
You have two cows. Give the milk to the government.
You have two cows. Your neighbours decide who gets the milk.
The government promises to give you two cows if you vote for it. After the election, the
president is impeached for speculating in cow futures. The press dubs the affair
“Cowgate”.
Political Ideologies of the Interwar Years
DICTATORSHIP: You have two cows. The government takes both and shoots you.
FEUDALISM: You have two cows. Your lord takes some of the milk.
TOTALITARIANISM: You have two cows. The government takes them and denies they ever
existed. Milk is banned.
SOCIALISM: You have two cows, give one to your neighbour.
COMMUNISM: You have two cows. Give them to the government. The government gives you
milk.
PURE COMMUNISM: You have two cows. Your neighbours help you take care of them, and you
all share the milk.
RUSSIAN COMMUNISM: You have two cows. You have to take care of them, but the
government takes all the milk.
FASCISM: You have two cows. Give the milk to the government.
NAZISM: The government shoots you, takes the cows and feeds one to the army and the other
to the police.
MILITARIANISM: You have two cows. The government takes both and drafts you.
PURE DEMOCRACY: You have two cows. Your neighbours decide who gets the milk.
REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY: You have two cows. Your neighbours pick someone to tell you
who gets the milk.
BUREAUCRACY: You have two cows. At first the government regulates what you can feed them
and when you can milk them. Then it pays you not to milk them. After that it takes both, shoots
one, milks the other and pours the milk down the drain. Then it requires you to fill out forms
accounting for the missing cows.
AMERICAN DEMOCRACY: The government promises to give you two cows if you vote for it.
After the election, the president is impeached for speculating in cow futures. The press dubs
the affair “Cowgate”.
CAPITALISM: You have two cows. You sell one and buy a bull OR you slaughter the cows &
compete with McDonalds.