{"id":8378,"date":"2013-10-29T21:52:19","date_gmt":"2013-10-29T21:52:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/?page_id=8378"},"modified":"2026-03-28T11:11:03","modified_gmt":"2026-03-28T16:11:03","slug":"totalitarianism-vs-authoritarianism","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/totalitarianism-vs-authoritarianism\/","title":{"rendered":"Totalitarianism vs. Authoritarianism"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t\t\t<div id=\"mmDeferVideoEncompass_UAgrp4-s1r8\" style=\"position: relative;\">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/circle-play-duotone.webp\" type=\"image\/webp\">\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/circle-play-duotone.png\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"> \n\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"eager\" id=\"videoThumbnailImage_UAgrp4-s1r8\" data-source-videoID=\"UAgrp4-s1r8\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/circle-play-duotone.png\" alt=\"Totalitarianism vs. Authoritarianism Video\" height=\"464\" width=\"825\" class=\"size-full\" data-matomo-title = \"Totalitarianism vs. Authoritarianism\">\n\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<style>img#videoThumbnailImage_UAgrp4-s1r8:hover {cursor:pointer;} img#videoThumbnailImage_UAgrp4-s1r8 {background-size:contain;background-image:url(\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/22-totalitarianism-vs-authoritarianism-1.webp\");}<\/style>\n\t\t\t<script defer>\n\t\t\t  jQuery(\"img#videoThumbnailImage_UAgrp4-s1r8\").click(function() {\n\t\t\t\tlet videoId = jQuery(this).attr(\"data-source-videoID\");\n\t\t\t\tlet helpTag = '<div id=\"mmDeferVideoYTMessage_UAgrp4-s1r8\" style=\"display: none;position: absolute;top: -24px;width: 100%;text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;font-size: small;border-top: 1px solid #fc0;\">Having trouble? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v='+videoId+'\" target=\"_blank\">Click here to watch on YouTube.<\/a><\/span><\/div>';\n\t\t\t\tlet tag = document.createElement(\"iframe\");\n\t\t\t\ttag.id = \"yt\" + videoId;\n\t\t\t\ttag.src = \"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/\" + videoId + \"?autoplay=1&controls=1&wmode=opaque&rel=0&egm=0&iv_load_policy=3&hd=0&enablejsapi=1\";\n\t\t\t\ttag.frameborder = 0;\n\t\t\t\ttag.allow = \"autoplay; fullscreen\";\n\t\t\t\ttag.width = this.width;\n\t\t\t\ttag.height = this.height;\n\t\t\t\ttag.setAttribute(\"data-matomo-title\",\"Totalitarianism vs. Authoritarianism\");\n\t\t\t\tjQuery(\"div#mmDeferVideoEncompass_UAgrp4-s1r8\").html(tag);\n\t\t\t\tjQuery(\"div#mmDeferVideoEncompass_UAgrp4-s1r8\").prepend(helpTag);\n\t\t\t\tsetTimeout(function(){jQuery(\"div#mmDeferVideoYTMessage_UAgrp4-s1r8\").css(\"display\", \"block\");}, 2000);\n\t\t\t  });\n\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t<\/script>\n\t\t\n<p><script>\nfunction vHw_Function() {\n  var x = document.getElementById(\"vHw\");\n  if (x.style.display === \"none\") {\n    x.style.display = \"block\";\n  } else {\n    x.style.display = \"none\";\n  }\n}\n<\/script><\/p>\n<div class=\"moc-toc hide-on-desktop hide-on-tablet\">\n<div><button onclick=\"vHw_Function()\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/toc2.svg\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"show or hide table of contents\"><\/button><\/p>\n<p>On this page<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<nav id=\"vHw\" style=\"display:none;\">\n<ul>\n<li class=\"toc-h2\"><a href=\"#Authoritarian_Definition\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">Authoritarian Definition<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"toc-h2\"><a href=\"#Totalitarian_Definition\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">Totalitarian Definition<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"toc-h2\"><a href=\"#Difference_Between_Totalitarianism_and_Authoritarianism\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">Difference Between Totalitarianism and Authoritarianism<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"accordion\"><input id=\"transcript\" type=\"checkbox\" class=\"spoiler_button\" \/><label for=\"transcript\">Transcript<\/label>\n<div class=\"spoiler\" id=\"transcript-spoiler\">\n<p>Hey there! Welcome to this Mometrix video on totalitarianism vs. authoritarianism.<\/p>\n<p>We understand that distinguishing the two can be a little confusing. So, today, I want to try and help clear things up for you.<\/p>\n<p>Today, I will define totalitarianism and authoritarianism. Then we will put them up against each other so we are able to see the difference more clearly.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s start off by defining the two.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Authoritarian_Definition\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Authoritarian Definition<\/h2>\n<p>\nAuthoritarianism is marked by submission to authority. It is the opposite of individualism and democracy. In authoritarian government systems, the political power is condensed into one authority figure or figures. Generally, they assume power and are not elected by the people. Their power is unrestrained, and they answer to no one.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Totalitarian_Definition\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Totalitarian Definition<\/h2>\n<p>\nA totalitarian government system is where the one in power, or the ones in power, see no limitation to their authority and seek to control every aspect of the public and private life in any way possible.<\/p>\n<p>So now let\u2019s compare the two. What is the difference between totalitarianism and authoritarianism?<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Difference_Between_Totalitarianism_and_Authoritarianism\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Difference Between Totalitarianism and Authoritarianism<\/h2>\n<p>\nOkay so, totalitarianism <em>is<\/em> authoritarianism. And then some. In an <strong>authoritarian system<\/strong> there are a few social and economical institutes that are outside of the government\u2019s control. So, the authoritarian system wants full political power, but does not go beyond that. The <strong>totalitarian rule system<\/strong>, on the other hand, wants power over EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING. They seek power beyond governmental rule and begin to intrude into the Ideology of everyone under their rule.<\/p>\n<p>One of the most familiar examples of a totalitarian ruler was Adolf Hitler. He went beyond political rule, and sought control over what people believed, and even what race he thought people should be. Another key difference is in the way they execute their ruling. The authoritarian ruler is more focused on individual power, while the totalitarian ruler is more of a charming ideologist who claims to have the best interest of the people or the state in mind.<\/p>\n<p>I hope this was helpful in distinguishing the difference! Until next time!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/government\/\">Return to Government Videos<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Return to Government Videos<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":90922,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":{"0":"post-8378","1":"page","2":"type-page","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"page_category-government-videos","7":"page_category-video-pages-for-study-course-sidebar-ad","8":"page_type-video","9":"subject_matter-social-studies"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8378","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8378"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8378\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":243622,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8378\/revisions\/243622"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/90922"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8378"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}