World history topic 10: Authoritarian states (20th century)
This topic focuses on exploring the conditions that facilitated the rise of authoritarian states in the 20th century, as well as the methods used by parties and leaders to take and maintain power. The topic explores the emergence, consolidation and maintenance of power, including the impact of the leaders’ policies, both domestic and foreign, upon the maintenance of power. Examination questions for this topic will expect students to make reference to specific authoritarian states in their responses, and some examination questions will require discussion of states from more than one region of the world. In order for students to be able to make meaningful comparisons across all aspects of the prescribed content, it is recommended that a minimum of three authoritarian states should be studied.
Topic
Prescribed content
Emergence of authoritarian states
Consolidation and maintenance of power
Aims and results of policies
This topic focuses on exploring the conditions that facilitated the rise of authoritarian states in the 20th century, as well as the methods used by parties and leaders to take and maintain power. The topic explores the emergence, consolidation and maintenance of power, including the impact of the leaders’ policies, both domestic and foreign, upon the maintenance of power. Examination questions for this topic will expect students to make reference to specific authoritarian states in their responses, and some examination questions will require discussion of states from more than one region of the world. In order for students to be able to make meaningful comparisons across all aspects of the prescribed content, it is recommended that a minimum of three authoritarian states should be studied.
Topic
Prescribed content
Emergence of authoritarian states
- Conditions in which authoritarian states emerged: economic factors; social division; impact of war; weakness of political system
- Methods used to establish authoritarian states: persuasion and coercion; the role of leaders; ideology; the use of force; propaganda
Consolidation and maintenance of power
- Use of legal methods; use of force; charismatic leadership; dissemination of propaganda
- Nature, extent and treatment of opposition
- The impact of the success and/or failure of foreign policy on the maintenance of power
Aims and results of policies
- Aims and impact of domestic economic, political, cultural and social policies
- The impact of policies on women and minorities
- Authoritarian control and the extent to which it was achieved
Authoritarian and Single party states - Theory
Adolf Hitler and NSDAP
MAO ZEDUNG AND CCP
VLADIMIR LENIN AND BOLSHEVIKS
FIDEL CASTRO AND 26TH JULY MOVEMENT
uSEFUL WEBSITES
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vIDEO vAULT
RELEVANCE - Explaining the relevance of authoritarian state at the beginning of the 21st century
The IB places a significant emphasis on the relevance of learning in the humanities. The main paradigm since the end of the Cold War is the transition from authoritarianism to more democratic systems of government. However, in recent years the idea of a 'threat to democracy' and the growth, rather than decline of authoritarian states is becoming noted among western scholars. Read the following article from the Economist Intelligence Unit to consider the strength of democracy in the context of apparently growing authoritarianism.
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ACTION:
Create a potted biography of an authoritarian state identified in the article. You should include the following ideas from the unit content of Paper 2 Topic Authoritarian States: Emergence of the State
• Use of legal methods; use of force; charismatic leadership; dissemination of propaganda • Nature, extent and treatment of opposition • The impact of the success and/or failure of foreign policy on the maintenance of power Aims and results of policies • Aims and impact of domestic economic, political, cultural and social policies • The impact of policies on women and minorities • Authoritarian control and the extent to which it was achieved |