similarities between communist government and totalitarian government
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A number of authors have carried out comparisons of Nazism and Stalinism in which they have considered the similarities and differences of the two ideologies and political systems, what relationship existed between the two regimes, and why both of them came to prominence at the same time. During the 20th century, the comparison of Nazism and Stalinism was made on the topics of totalitarianism, ideology, and personality cult. Both regimes were seen in contrast to the liberal-democratic Western world, with an emphasis on the similarities between the two.[1]
The political scientists Hannah Arendt, Zbigniew Brzezinski, and Carl Joachim Friedrich as well as historian Robert Conquest were prominent advocates of applying the totalitarian concept to compare Nazism and Stalinism.[2][3] On the other hand, historians like Sheila Fitzpatrick and Michael Geyer highlight the differences between Nazism and Stalinism.[4] Historian Henry Rousso defends the work of Friedrich et al. while noting the concept is both useful and descriptive rather than analytical, with the conclusion the regimes described as totalitarian do not have a common origin and did not arise in similar ways.[5] Historians Philippe Burrin and Nicholas Werth take a middle position between one making the leader seem all-powerful and the other making him seem like a weak dictator.[5] Historians Ian Kershaw and Moshe Lewin take a longer historical perspective and regard Nazism and Stalinism not so much as examples of a new type of society but as historical anomalies and dispute whether grouping them together as totalitarian is useful.[6]
Other historians and political scientists have also made comparisons between Nazism and Stalinism as part of their work. The comparison of Nazism and Stalinism has long provoked political controversy,[7][8] and in the 1980s led to the historians' dispute within Germany known as the Historikerstreit.[9]