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Hannah Arendt

The Origins of Totalitarianism

Hannah ArendtNonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1951

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Book Brief

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Hannah Arendt

The Origins of Totalitarianism

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1951
Book Details
Pages

576

Format

Book • Nonfiction

Setting

Europe • 20th Century

Publication Year

1951

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

The Origins of Totalitarianism by Hannah Arendt examines the roots and ideologies of Nazism and Stalinism through an analysis of antisemitism, imperialism, and the operation of totalitarian regimes in the early 20th century. Arendt argues that imperialism, not nationalism, set the stage for totalitarian movements and that these movements exploited antisemitic and racist ideologies to gain and maintain power. The book offers a detailed exploration of how these regimes emerged and sustained themselves through propaganda, terror, and the manipulation of societal loneliness. Topics in the book include discussions of the Holocaust and the mechanisms of totalitarian oppression.

Informative

Dark

Contemplative

Mysterious

Challenging

Reviews & Readership

4.4

14,214 ratings

85%

Loved it

11%

Mixed feelings

4%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Arendt's The Origins of Totalitarianism provides a profound and comprehensive analysis of totalitarian regimes, praised for its intellectual depth and historical insights. Some critics find it dense and challenging to read. Overall, its detailed examination of power, anti-Semitism, and imperialism remains highly influential in political theory.

Who should read this

Who Should Read The Origins of Totalitarianism?

A reader who would enjoy Hannah Arendt's The Origins of Totalitarianism is likely interested in political theory, history, and philosophy. Comparable to those who appreciate works like George Orwell's 1984 and Friedrich Hayek's The Road to Serfdom, this reader seeks deep analyses of totalitarian regimes and their societal impacts.

4.4

14,214 ratings

85%

Loved it

11%

Mixed feelings

4%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

576

Format

Book • Nonfiction

Setting

Europe • 20th Century

Publication Year

1951

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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