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TRANSCRIPT
Democracy versus Totalitarianism 1
Which is Better, Democracy or Totalitarianism?
Zain Ali
WRI 102
Mr. Zytoskee
9th April 2013
Democracy versus Totalitarianism 2
Advantages of Totalitarianism
Totalitarianism is a form of government which exercises on control by one supreme
leader. This supreme leader has the right to make any decision which he or she feels is good
for the country. As the name suggests, it is based on total control by an undisputed and
unquestionable leader. Totalitarianism, by definition, seems a very harsh form of government
where it is believed that the people have no freedom and are slaves to the government. The
concept of freedom is what drives the people to choose democracy instead of
tTotalitarianism. The truth is democracy does not grant people freedom, only the law can do
that. Totalitarian rule is also based on equality where everyone is equal in terms of wealth
and social status. This is one of the beauties of a totalitarian rule because when everyone is
equal, negative behaviour such as jealousy, hatred, greed and the concept of corruption is
eliminated from the society. Totalitarianism is a much better form of government compared
to democracy because it is based on the idea of equality and decisions are made much faster
in a totalitarian government then a democratic one.
People may argue that tTotalitarianism does not allow people to choose for them as all
the decisions are made by the government, whereas the situation is adverse in a democratic
rule. This may be true, but democracy also has many restrictions to it as well. America is
known for having blocked websites like YouTube and Facebook many times whenever they
saw fit. Democracy has rules similar to the jungle, which is to eat or be eaten. The poor
remain poor and the rich are getting richer. Murder and greed prevails in a democratic
government. Ibn Khaldun once wrote that humans would start living like animals unless
controlled by a supreme authority (as cited in New York, 1964). Equality in a totalitarian
government removes these negative attitudes since everyone is equal and no one has power
over the other.
Democracy versus Totalitarianism 3
Ancient Greek and Roman civilizations also adopted a totalitarian rule. These
civilizations lasted longer and were more successful than any democratic government.
Progress happens much faster in a totalitarian government than in a democratic one. The US
health bill is an excellent example of a democratic crisis. It took months before the bill was
actually passed by Barack Obama on the 21st of March 2010 (Time, 2010). If this decision
was a matter of life and death, it would have been a lost cause. In a totalitarian government,
this decision would have been made in a matter of seconds. China is an excellent example of
a developing country which is under a totalitarian rule. Statistics show that China’s Gross
Domestic product is 7298.097 billion US dollars. whereas India, which is a democratic
country, has a GDP of 1847.982 (Trading Economics, 2013). When these results are
compared China’s GDP exceeds India’s by three hundred and ninety five percent. Both
developing countries have a similar population with China inching ahead of India and both
are developing countries. This shows that in a totalitarian rule such as China’s the people
work like brothers and sisters for the betterment of their country, whereas in India, which has
a democratic system, people are at war with each other, crime rates are increasing by twenty
five percent each year (Zee News, 2011) and less progress is being made. People are too busy
with their own problems tothat they do not have the time to think about their countries’
future.
A new concept which has evolved over time is Soft Totalitarianism. This form of
government is evident in countries like tThe United Arab Emirates. This government is
similar to totalitarian governments but people in these countries are not exactly equal in terms
of wealth like in a totalitarian rule, and the situation is not similar to a democratic rule where
the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. A supreme leader still exists who makes the
decisions, but this decision is first consulted with the leader’s advisors before being passed,
this is to ensure that the decision favours everyone and helps in the development of the
Democracy versus Totalitarianism 4
country. United Arab Emirates is also a very successful country with a low population
compared to other countries and their balance of payments is a surplus. It has grown from an
area of sand dunes to be the home of the world’s tallest building, biggest mall and other
astonishing feats in a matter of forty-one years, which are extremely difficult for countries the
size of UAE in a matter of forty one years. It is also one of the top tourist destinations
according to Booking.com chief executive (UAE Interact, 2013).
The speed of decision making and the concept of equality which removes jealousy,
crime and other behaviours which might cause chaos are just some reasons why
totalitarianism is better than democracy. The new concept of Soft Totalitarianism has proved
to be far more successful than democracy and the UAE is proof of that. John Adams once
said: “Democracy... while it lasts is more bloody than either aristocracy or monarchy.
Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There is
never a democracy that did not commit suicide.” (1814).
Reference
http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1973989,00.html
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/china/gdp
http://www.uaeinteract.com/news/default3.asp?ID=20
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/india/gdp
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/democracy.html
KRITZECK, J (1964) Anthology of Islamic Literature, from the rise of Islam to modern
times. New York,
Democracy versus Totalitarianism 5
1964. Cf. pp. 274-84.