Hello there. I was wondering if someone could please tell me whether or not you could call a government totalitarian and communism? We're studying Sparta (from ancient Greece) and our teacher said it was totalitarian and later she said it was communist-like. Am I allowed to just call the government totalitarian communism? Is there/could there have been such thing?
Yes. The Soviet Union was both totalitarian and comunistic. A totalitarian government is one that is ruled without input from the people. Here's a definition of totalitarian from Dictionary.com:
"1. of or pertaining to a centralized government that does not tolerate parties of differing opinion and that exercises dictatorial control over many aspects of life."
Communism is more of an economic system than a government. Communism emphasizes taking from each person what they can give and giving to each person what they need. Under communism the central government plans the economy -- down to which factory or farm will produce which goods. The government owns all means of production.
oh, but can't you call communism government?
Hello! When analyzing political systems, it is important to understand the distinct characteristics and definitions of various terms.
Totalitarianism is a form of government where the ruling authority exercises absolute control over all aspects of public and private life. It typically involves a single leader or a small group of people having unlimited power, and political dissent is often suppressed.
Communism, on the other hand, is an economic and political ideology where the means of production are owned and controlled by the community as a whole. It envisions a society without social classes, where everything is shared according to individual needs.
Now let's apply these definitions to Sparta. While Sparta had certain aspects that could be considered totalitarian, such as its strict and hierarchical social structure, it did not align with the ideology of communism. Sparta did not have a communal ownership of goods or production; instead, it was characterized by a system of collective ownership and distribution that prioritized military strength and discipline.
Therefore, it would be more accurate to describe Sparta as a totalitarian society, rather than a totalitarian communist one. It is important to use precise language when discussing political systems to avoid confusion and ensure accurate representation.
If you want to delve deeper into this topic, I suggest further research on the political organization and economic structures of ancient Sparta.