In Defence of Totalitarianism Theory as a Tool of Historical Scholarship

Bibliographic Data

ID19477486
AuthorsPeter Grieder (University of Hull, corresponding author)
Year2007
Volume8
Issue3-4
Pages563-589
Publication date2007-09-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueTotalitarian Movements & Political Religions (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1469-0764 • E-ISSN: 1743-9647
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/14690760701571205
OpenAlexW2035545284
LanguageEN
Citations received4

Following recent attacks on the value of totalitarianism theory as a tool of historical scholarship, this article sets out to clarify its meaning and counter the main objections to its use. After refuting claims that the theory is too freighted with Cold War baggage to serve any academic purpose, the concept of an inefficient totalitarian state is posited. A distinction is then drawn between the genocidal‐charismatic totalitarianism of the Third Reich and the bureaucratic totalitarianism of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) and other East European Communist countries. Stalinist Russia is presented as a complex hybrid of the two. Both National Socialism and Marxist–Leninism are viewed as political religions. The article argues for a more flexible and pragmatic application of totalitarianism theory so that it can help explain change and collapse, address the alleged welfare achievements of the Soviet satellites and pay proper attention to the symbiotic links between state and society

Bureaucracy · Capitalism · Communism · Democracy · Epistemology · Marxist philosophy · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Scholarship · Socialism · Sociology · State socialism · European history and politics · Historical Geopolitical and Social Dynamics · Italian Fascism and Post-war Society · Law · Philosophy

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