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Hannah Arendt

The Origins of Totalitarianism Paperback – March 21, 1973

by Hannah Arendt (Author)

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Hannah Arendt's definitive work on totalitarianism??―??an essential component of any study of twentieth-century political history.

The Origins of Totalitarianism begins with the rise of anti-Semitism in central and western Europe in the 1800s and continues with an examination of European colonial imperialism from 1884 to the outbreak of World War I. Arendt explores the institutions and operations of totalitarian movements, focusing on the two genuine forms of totalitarian government in our time??―??Nazi Germany and Stalinist Russia??―??which she adroitly recognizes were two sides of the same coin, rather than opposing philosophies of Right and Left. From this vantage point, she discusses the evolution of classes into masses, the role of propaganda in dealing with the nontotalitarian world, the use of terror, and the nature of isolation and loneliness as preconditions for total domination.

Print length

576 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich
Publication date

March 21, 1973
Dimensions

5.31 x 1.45 x 8 inches
ISBN-10

0156701537
ISBN-13

978-0156701532
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Hannah Arendt (1906–1975) is considered one of the most important and influential thinkers of the twentieth century. She is the author of numerous articles and books, including The Origins of Totalitarianism and the essay collection Men in Dark Times.

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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich; First edition (March 21, 1973)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 576 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0156701537
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0156701532
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.31 x 1.45 x 8 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #9,402 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #7 in Fascism (Books)
- #10 in European Politics Books
- #41 in History & Theory of Politics

Customer Reviews:
789 ratings

Customer reviews

5 star		77%
4 star		12%
3 star		6%
2 star		2%
1 star		2%

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Paul Hedquist

Vivid & Rigorous

Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2016

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Nothing worthwhile in life is ever easy and this read was time-consuming, intensive, and often difficult----but it's culmination in the last section on Totalitarianism was the "coup de grâce." Amazing in it's depth of examination of the elements and characteristics of totalitarian movements including, but not limited to: scientificality, constant motion, the myth of the inevitable law/course of history, isolation of the masses, terrorism as a system of governance, propaganda, indoctrination, the destruction of free will and all moral absolutes, and the circumscribing of the masses into one giant inevitable historical movement from which, for it's adherents, there is no physical----and more terrifyingly---no psychological escape. This is one of the best examinations of totalitarian movements ever written. After reading several great authors who made reference to "The Origins of Totalitarianism," I knew I had to read it. It didn't disappoint. However, be forewarned, unless you are an intellectual giant or have a passion for 18th-19th century European History, the first two sections on Antisemitism, Imperialism, the rise of the nation-state, and the Pan-Movements can be difficult to absorb and will test your attention span. But, Arendt's exploration and vivid descriptions of the characteristics of Bolshevism and Nazism as the two forms the same totalitarian movement was emotionally gripping and psychologically terrifying.

364 people found this helpful

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F. D. Hale

Published in 1951, I first read this in 1962 ...

Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2017

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Published in 1951, I first read this in 1962 in undergrad Poli Sci major class. It's scholarly, long, can be a tiring read. But anyone wondering why politics today is so polarizing will find startling parallels to powerful political movements observed beginning 100, 150, or more years ago. We're experiencing a similar revival today.

96 people found this helpful

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farington

Remarkable book

Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2019

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The subject of the first section of this book is anti-semitism, the subject of the second part is imperialism, and the third part deals with totalitarianism. My focus is on the third section, only. Reference to the book is being made these days by political commentators, claiming it's relevant to the "current situation", hence my interest in reading it. Having read it, I'd say that the book is much more nuanced and deep than the commentaries of most of those recommending it. I'd say the book's analysis is excellent for distinguishing the "current situation" from actual totalitarianism.

It's refreshingly thoughtful, full of complex insights into political life. If I were going to try to sum up Arendt's thesis, I'd say it's that totalitarianism takes place in a world in which social structures (e.g. class), institutions, and ultimately the individual, disappear, replaced by alienated masses ("Mass Man") who trade individuality for existence as mere instrumentalities of the totalitarian regime. The regime is a phenomenon of continuous movement--it is never finally achieved, it is based on perpetual striving for world domination and the change of history. It is driven inexorably by the uncompromising "cold logic" of ideology. Everything is directed by a supreme leader, who keeps all political and governmental structures below him in perpetual flux. The true organization of the State is carried out by the secret police (not the military), and the tool used for keeping the engine of State moving is terror. Everything turns on the ideological "stories" that the regime feeds the public, no matter what the true facts might be, and the public is indifferent to whether the stories are true or not so long as they are consistent with the ideology.

Arendt ultimately concludes that totalitarianism carries the seeds of its own destruction because of its attempt to annihilate the individual, an effort which may succeed to a point but which ultimately will fail. Her focus on the nature of the relation between self and society is what sets this excellent book apart from a standard political science treatise.

35 people found this helpful

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Jonny

This edition hard to read.

Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2016

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Very important book. This edition is printed in teeny tiny type with very little space between lines. Unless you are good at reading microtype, better look for a different edition.

140 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Kindle Customer

Photocopy, badly done.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 2, 2019

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Just a cheap photocopy of a library book, perhaps illegally copied, or stolen. Hardly readable, just terrible.

Roger

Understanding Anti-Semitism

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 24, 2018

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A Jewish understanding based on wide ranging research and personal experience.

One person found this helpful

Amazon Customer

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 18, 2017

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Explains a lot about today

Victor Alves

Received another edition, print is of poor quality.

Reviewed in Canada on June 19, 2020

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I've read parts of this book many years ago and wanted to own a copy to read/revisit it. After a bit of research I've ordered the Harvest Book version but received a Mariner books edition. Not what I was expecting. Overall it seems to be a good translation, but it's printed on a mass market paperback and the ink is very inconsistent. I'm disappointed by the quality of the print, especially considering that this is not the edition I've intended on ordering.

I'm giving a low rating not because of the book's content, which is of great important, but because of the print quality.

One person found this helpful

Kindle Customer

Masterpiece

Reviewed in Canada on January 10, 2019

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This book is one of the basic texts for its subject; required reading, you might say.
That said, I feel that I should warn potential readers that the book represents the opposite of "light reading ". Arendt's prose feels like swimming in glue.
For your trouble, Arendt provides timeless insights into totalitarianism. These are well worth the effort.

One person found this helpful

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