totalitarianism Article

What are examples of totalitarian rule?

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Notable examples of totalitarian states include Italy under Benito Mussolini (1922–43), the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin (1924–53), Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler (1933–45), the People’s Republic of China under the influence of Mao Zedong (1949–76), and North Korea under the Kim dynasty (1948– ). Examples of centralized rule dating further back in history that can be described as totalitarian include the Mauryan dynasty of India (c. 321–c. 185 BCE), the Qin dynasty of China (221–207 BCE), and the reign of Zulu chief Shaka (c. 1816–28).