Describing a political system in which the government has complete control over people’s lives and does not allow any opposition.
It comes from Italian 'totalitario', from Latin 'totalis' meaning 'entire' or 'whole'. The word was developed in the 20th century to describe regimes that tried to control every part of society.
In a totalitarian system, the government doesn’t just make laws—it tries to shape what people think, feel, and say. The word hides a chilling idea: not just power over actions, but over the entire person.
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