TOTALITARIAN LEADERSHIP
In a totalitarian society, the political, social, and cultural aspects are controlled entirely by the central government that is led by a single leader. A good example of a totalitarian leadership is the Soviet Union under the rule of Stalin. In the 1920s, after the death of Lenin, Stalin used his strength and power to put himself as the leader of the country. He realized that to control the state effectively, he needed to dominate the economy, people and their land completely. He also violated human rights by subjecting those who opposed his leadership to death (Magstadt, 2017). His form of leadership resulted in millions of people being killed, and others made to do harsh labor. Friends and family were made to spy on each other and report any case of disobedience. Additionally, he controlled the media and used propaganda to make the people believhttps://essaygroom.com/description-of-types-of-governments/e in his leadership.
An ideal citizen can be described as an individual who works towards the development of a country. He abides by the set of rules and regulations for the prosperity of the country. Also, he is aware of the things happening around him and the world as well. He does not disturb the peace in society as he lives amicably with others. Moreover, a good citizen should know his responsibilities in society. He should follow the laws of the state and participate actively in the community. The vital moral values of an ideal citizen include honesty, respect, empathy, and generosity. Honesty is essential toward being a good citizen; therefore, it is essential to be truthful and straightforward (Magstadt, 2017). Respect is one of the bases of interacting with people, and a good citizen should respect other people. Furthermore, an ideal citizen should be able to see the world as the other person and understand and share another person’s concerns and feelings. Also, an ideal citizen should be willing to share and help others.
Voter apathy is a situation whereby a group of voters lacks interest in taking part in elections. The impact of voter apathy is the low turnout of voters in cases where voting is non-compulsory. In countries where voting is compulsory, voter apathy may appear in the form of a high percentage of spoilt votes. Therefore, the main consequence of voter apathy is the unequal representation in the government (Pagliocchini, 2015).
Furthermore, different states control their citizens in different ways. For instance, the United States uses NSA’s high-tech to spy on the Americans to keep the country safe from terrorism (Ritholtz, 2013). On the other hand, China controls all the Internet activities to ensure that the secrets of the state are safe.
In conclusion, Stalin’s rule of the Soviet Union gives an excellent example of totalitarian leadership. He controlled the citizens by instilling fear on them and killing those who opposed his leadership. Moreover, an ideal citizen possesses the following fundamental values; honesty, respect, empathy, generosity. In addition, voter apathy leads to unequal representation in the government. Countries such as the United States and China control their citizens by spying on them and monitoring their internet activities, respectively.
References
Magstadt, T. M. (2017). Understanding politics: Ideas, institutions, and issues. Australia: Cengage Learning.
Pagliocchini, P. (2015). Voter apathy has dangerous consequences. Retrieved from https://kelownaspeakout.wordpress.com/2015/02/26/voter-apathy-has-dangerous-consequences/
Ritholtz, B. (2013). Governments spy on their citizens for control and power. Retrieved from https://ritholtz.com/2013/07/governments-spy-on-their-citizens-for-control-and-power/