1. The Rise of Totalitarianism

2. World War I and the Russian Revolution triggered off a Global Civil War
At issue: crisis and transformation of the global system
A long series of intense political struggles within states and between states. Main groups of actors:
political forces seeking revolutionary changes, oriented towards socialism (the Global Left),
forces aiming to destroy the Global Left and save capitalism through abolishing liberal democracy (the Global Right), and
forces seeking to save capitalism through social and political reforms which would undercut the Global Left (the Global Centre)

3. The Global Left:
The Soviet Union, regarded as the base of world revolution;
A network of communist parties organized in the Comintern;
National liberation movements in the Global South, seeking the overthrow of Western empires – and regarding the USSR as a key ally

4. On the defensive, trying to adapt to the new situation
The Global Right
Various right-wing forces, shattered by World War I and the Russian Revolution
On the defensive, trying to adapt to the new situation
Conservatives adrift
The rise of Radical Right – fascism
Combining nationalist, militarist, socialist and antidemocratic ideas
The new word: “totalitarianism” (Mussolini)
Fascism allows the Right to go on the offensive
But until the 1930s, the offensives are of local, not global, significance

5. Mussolini addresses a Fascist Party crowd, 1934:
Compare the style with that of former Moscow Mayor Luzhkov, 2008:

6. The Global Center
Liberals, reform-minded socialists, labour and other social movements struggling for democratization and social reforms
The 1920s as a period of uncertainty
Emergence of a liberal world order instead of a world revolution?
Stabilization of global capitalism, revival of globalized markets
Disarmament, League of Nations
Peaceful coexistence between the West and the Soviet Union

7. 1929
The start of the Great Depression
Capitalism shattered, class conflicts on the rise everywhere
Revival of the ideas of world revolution
The Global Left goes on the offensive
Radicalization of right-wing forces
Political polarization
Retreat of liberal democracy
In international relations – growing anarchy, return to traditional power politics

8. USSR and Germany
Cooperation in the 1920s: realpolitik practiced by the two “rogue states”
But also: open Soviet support of German Communists
1929
In the Soviet Union, NEP is replaced by forced industrialization and a drive to full-fledged totalitarianism
In Germany, the Great Depression undermines democracy and sets the state for Nazi takeover
In both cases: a crisis and a heavy statist response to the failures of the market economy
The rise of Stalin: General Secretary since 1923, concentration of power in the 1920s, the growth of personality cult in the 1930s
The rise of Hitler: leadership of the Nazis since 1923, increasing political influence in the 1920s, appointment as Reichskanzler in 1933

9. 2 forms of totalitarianism – fascism and Stalinism

10. Similarities
Total subjugation of society to the state
State control of the economy, suppression or heavy regulation of market forces
Abolition of political and civil liberties
The party-state symbiosis
Cult of the Leader
Mass political terror and repression, key role of secret police
Militarization of society, preparation for war
New culture of war

11. Differences
Germany:
to prevent a revolution
to overcome the Depression
to reverse the results of WWI
racism as the core of Nazi ideology
USSR:
to preserve Communist Party rule
to defend the country from hostile environment
to foster world revolution
class struggle as the core of Soviet ideology

12. 1931-32: Japanese troops occupy Manchuria, China

14. Nazi Germany in colour:

17. http://www. youtube. com/watch

18. January 20, 1933: Franklin D. Roosevelt is inaugurated as US President:

19. From Roosevelt’s inaugural address, January 20, 1933:
“Rulers of the exchange of mankind's goods have failed through their own stubbornness and their own incompetence, have admitted their failure, and have abdicated. Practices of the unscrupulous money changers stand indicted in the court of public opinion, rejected by the hearts and minds of men. True they have tried, but their efforts have been cast in the pattern of an outworn tradition. Faced by failure of credit they have proposed only the lending of more money. Stripped of the lure of profit by which to induce our people to follow their false leadership, they have resorted to exhortations, pleading tearfully for restored confidence....The money changers have fled from their high seats in the temple of our civilization. We may now restore that temple to the ancient truths. The measure of the restoration lies in the extent to which we apply social values more noble than mere monetary profit”.

20. Roosevelt decides to recognize the USSR
Motives: geopolitical
Containing Germany and Japan
Sends a signal in October 1933, Soviet Foreign Minister Maxim Litvinov arrives in Washington for talks
3 issues:
Russian debt from WWI
Suppression of religious and legal rights in USSR
Soviet aid to American Communists
A “gentleman’s agreement” is reached
Nov. 1933: diplomatic relations are restored

21. The geopolitical triangle: Axis powers (Germany, Italy, Japan), USSR, Western democracies (WDs)

22. Germany’s expansion,

24. Fascism and Communism as sworn enemies Both sides tried to win allies
Hitler: I am crushing communism and protecting Western civilization (ideological). It was in his interest to downplay geopolitics
Stalin: I am trying to stop Hitler’s aggression (geopolitical). It was in his interest to downplay ideology
Both succeeded to some extent:
Hitler managed to overthrow the Versailles constraints, rebuild Germany’s military power, and expand German borders
Stalin gained US recognition and a degree of respectability in the West with his advocacy of “collective security” agreements against fascist powers

25. Stalin’s first choice:
Policies of collective security (alliance with democracies to stop Hitler)
After the failure of this option -
A non-aggression pact with Hitler to stay out of the coming war and extend Soviet borders westward

26. The Spanish Civil War
Can democracy be sacrificed to defeat the Left?
Foreign intervention on both sides
Splits between forces of the Left, blunders of the Left
Victory of the Right, abetted by liberals