Izvori totalitarizma

The book is structured in three parts: Antisemitism, Imperialism, and Totalitarianism, each analyzing the key historical and social processes that enabled the rise of totalitarian systems.

Arendt explores the historical development of antisemitism, especially in 19th-century Europe, as a key element that prepared the ground for totalitarianism. She focuses on the Dreyfus affair in France as an example of institutionalized discrimination and social polarization, emphasizing how modern bureaucracy and social atomization facilitated the spread of hatred of Jews.

The second part deals with European colonial expansions from the late 19th to the early 20th centuries, linking imperialist ideologies with racism, bureaucratic domination, and dehumanization. Arendt shows how imperialist practices, such as colonial exploitation, created models of governance that were later adapted to totalitarian regimes.

In the final part, Arendt defines totalitarianism as a new form of government that differs from traditional dictatorships. It is characterized by absolute control, terror, propaganda, and the destruction of individuality. Nazism and Stalinism are depicted as systems that manipulate the masses, abolish the rule of law, and use ideology to create the illusion of an inevitable historical process. Arendt emphasizes the role of feelings of helplessness and loss of community in mass societies, which facilitates the rise of totalitarian movements.

"The Origins of Totalitarianism" is a key work for understanding the dynamics of authoritarian regimes and the dangers of dehumanization. Arendt introduces concepts such as the "banality of evil" (later developed in other works) and emphasizes the importance of pluralism and political participation for the preservation of freedom. The book has become a foundation for the study of totalitarianism, influencing political science, sociology, and philosophy. Her analysis remains relevant to contemporary debates about populism, authoritarianism, and the loss of democratic values.

"A few years before 1933, Hannah Arendt knew that what I had considered impossible would happen. When she arrived in 1933, she knew how far-reaching the change would be." - Karl Jaspers