Notes for World History
MAIN FEATURES OF THE NAZI TOTALITARIAN STATE
- All political parties except the National Socialists were banned, so that Germany became a one-party state like Italy and the USSR.
- The civil service was purged, all Jews and other suspected ‘enemies of the state’ were removed, so that it became fully reliable.
- Trade unions, a likely source of resistance, were abolished.
- The education system was closely controlled so that children could be indoctrinated with Nazi opinions.
- All boys had to join the Hitler Youth at the age of 14.
- There was a special policy concerned with the family; ‘racially pure’ and healthy families were encouraged to have more children; family planning centers were closed down and contraceptives banned.
- All communications and the media were controlled.
- The economic life of the country was closely organized by a policy known as ‘autarky’.
- Religion was brought under state control, since the churches were a possible source of opposition.
- Germany became a police state which tried to prevent all opposition to the regime.
- The worst aspect of the Nazi system was Hitler’s anti-Jewish policy; Jews were held responsible of all problems though they were only 1% of the total population.
