“Treatment of opposition was the most important method used to maintain power in
authoritarian states.” Discuss with reference to two authoritarian states.
Intro:
- Germany: Adolf Hitler became chancellor in 1933, Nazi Party
- China: Mao Zedong took control, with his communist party, of China in 1949 when
he proclaimed it the People’s Republic of China
First body paragraph (Germany – treatment of opposition)
- Topic sentence: Treatment of opposition enforced by Hitler had a significant effect
on his maintenance of power in the authoritarian state, Germany.
- Concentration camps:
o First concentration camp, called Dachau, opened in March 1933
o There were never fewer than 10000 prisoners in the camps and in total about
22500 Germans
this way Hitler removed most opposition, which had the effect of making
it seem like there was nobody against Hitler, which helped him maintain
power
o Discipline in the camps was brutal, the diet poor and living conditions
inadequate
incurred fear, people did not want to oppose Hitler, as concentration
camps were brutal
o Prisoners had to do hard labor and were subjected to sadistic beatings and
torture
o Concentrations set up because of the persecution of Jews
Jews depicted as the common enemy in order to put an emphasis on
the unification of the Aryan nation and race.
Nazis seized Jewish businesses and properties
Kristallnacht (November 1938) – attack against Jews, included physical
destruction of synagogues and Jewish-owned stores, vandalization of
homes, murder of individuals
- Policing and security forces
o Enabling act in March 1933 – allowed Hitler to rule by decree rather than
processing laws via Reichstag council – gave him ultimate power of a dictator
o Goering set up Gestapo in Prussia in 1933
o Gestapo and security service (SD) rooted out and dealt with political
offenders and opponents of the regime
Set up in 1931 by Himmler – monitoring public opinion
instilled fear in people, were afraid to get arrested and sent to
concentration camps, which again made opposition seem minimal,
helping Hitler contain power
Second body paragraph (Germany – propaganda)
- Topic sentence: The use of propaganda was a significant method used by Hitler to
maintain his power in Germany
- Joseph Goebbels was named the minister of propaganda by Hitler
authoritarian states.” Discuss with reference to two authoritarian states.
Intro:
- Germany: Adolf Hitler became chancellor in 1933, Nazi Party
- China: Mao Zedong took control, with his communist party, of China in 1949 when
he proclaimed it the People’s Republic of China
First body paragraph (Germany – treatment of opposition)
- Topic sentence: Treatment of opposition enforced by Hitler had a significant effect
on his maintenance of power in the authoritarian state, Germany.
- Concentration camps:
o First concentration camp, called Dachau, opened in March 1933
o There were never fewer than 10000 prisoners in the camps and in total about
22500 Germans
this way Hitler removed most opposition, which had the effect of making
it seem like there was nobody against Hitler, which helped him maintain
power
o Discipline in the camps was brutal, the diet poor and living conditions
inadequate
incurred fear, people did not want to oppose Hitler, as concentration
camps were brutal
o Prisoners had to do hard labor and were subjected to sadistic beatings and
torture
o Concentrations set up because of the persecution of Jews
Jews depicted as the common enemy in order to put an emphasis on
the unification of the Aryan nation and race.
Nazis seized Jewish businesses and properties
Kristallnacht (November 1938) – attack against Jews, included physical
destruction of synagogues and Jewish-owned stores, vandalization of
homes, murder of individuals
- Policing and security forces
o Enabling act in March 1933 – allowed Hitler to rule by decree rather than
processing laws via Reichstag council – gave him ultimate power of a dictator
o Goering set up Gestapo in Prussia in 1933
o Gestapo and security service (SD) rooted out and dealt with political
offenders and opponents of the regime
Set up in 1931 by Himmler – monitoring public opinion
instilled fear in people, were afraid to get arrested and sent to
concentration camps, which again made opposition seem minimal,
helping Hitler contain power
Second body paragraph (Germany – propaganda)
- Topic sentence: The use of propaganda was a significant method used by Hitler to
maintain his power in Germany
- Joseph Goebbels was named the minister of propaganda by Hitler
