Totalitarian Ideology Research Articles

Concept of ressentiment by Max Scheler and its contemporary relevance

The article deals with Max Scheler's philosophical concept of ressentiment. In “Ressentiment in the Structure of Morals”, he uses Friedrich Nietzsche's concept of "ressentiment" to describe an important negative phenomenon in modern moral and culture in general. The article shows that Max Scheler's descriptive method organically grows out of the phenomenological philosophy of Edmund Husserl and at the same time imitates some specific features of Wilhelm Diltai's descriptive and analytical psychology. On the basis of this methodological approach, Max Scheler does not explain ressentiment and does not give a clear definition of this concept, but instead reproduces its formation in the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche and describes the phenomenon of ressentiment. Using the descriptive method, Scheler concludes that ressentiment is related to the desire for revenge and feelings of powerlessness. He also describes the different dimensions of ressentiment, which can be formulated as follows: Kinship and sexual dimension. Age dimension. Professional dimension. Class dimension. There is also noted in the article that Scheler demonstrates national ressentiment rather than critically analyzes it. This circumstance to some extent brings to light the Zeitgeist, i.e. the spirit of time, when authoritarian and totalitarian ideologies and regimes such as Russian Bolshevism and German Nazism were formed, being undoubtedly feed by the destructive energy of resentment. The author of the article also discovers a connection between Scheler's concept of ressentiment and Freud's concept of suppression. The study shows how, on the theoretical basis of Max Scheler's concept of ressentment, it is possible to critically deconstruct not only such historical manifestations of ressentiment as Bolshevism and Nazism, but also some dangerous and destructive trends in the modern world, namely the ideology of the "Russian world" (“Russkii mir”).

Developments of the Romanian State and Law in the Period of Communism

The establishment of the communist regime in Romania began in the immediate aftermath of World War II, with the seizure of power by the Romanian Communist Party (PCR) and the elimination of political opposition. The communist regime imposed a totalitarian ideology based on full state control over all aspects of social, economic and political life. During the communist period, the Romanian state was transformed into a totalitarian state with an authoritarian and centralized regime. Political power was concentrated in the hands of the Communist Party and the state became an instrument of its control. State institutions were subordinated to the party, and the separation of powers in the state was abolished in favour of an executive power dominated by Communist leaders. As far as the legal system is concerned, the communist period brought significant changes in legislation and judicial procedures. The law was used as a tool to control and suppress political opposition and all forms of dissent. Judicial proceedings were politicised and the independence of the judiciary was undermined in favour of the political interests of the communist regime.

Modeling and Multi-objective Optimal Control of Thedynamics of Counterterrorism in the Sahel Region in Africa

Terrorist activity in the Sahel region has been on the increase for almost a decade. Groups advocating extremist ideologies with a political or religious base are carrying out attacks against states with the aim of imposing a totalitarian ideology, sometimes against a backdrop of political crisis and famine. In this state of crisis and sometimes communal conflict, it is questionable whether ideological terrorism can really be eradicated in the Sahel. In this study, we develop a model of the dynamics of ideological terrorism based on the terrorism situation in the Sahel. In particular, this model incorporates popular resistance to terrorism through the class of volunteers for the defense of the homeland, but we also take into account the indoctrination of certain sections of the population vulnerable to fanatical ideology. We estimate $\mathcal{R}_0$ , the number of elementary replications of extremist behavior, which enables us to predict the evolution of extremism. We also identify four thresholds $\mathcal{R}_1$, $\mathcal{R}_2$, $\mathcal{R}_3$ and $\mathcal{R}_4$ of sufficient conditions for the eradication of ideological terrorism and brigandage. A multi-objective optimal control of a counter-terrorism strategy is also presented. Finally, we perform a numerical simulation of the analysis and control results to test our hypotheses.

La farce tragique – une réécriture de l’absurdité historique des idéologies communistes et du grotesque des dictatures militaires africaines


 
 
 Matei Vișniec’s dramaturgy perhaps best illustrates the paradox that absurdity and tragic or grotesque farce most adequately depict the destiny of peoples whose history is marked by defeat, derision, and tragedy. The political situation in certain countries and totalitarian regimes in Eastern Europe and Africa, characterized by genocide and inter-ethnic fighting, can hardly be a source of comedy, but the dramatic stakes of the tragic farce seem best suited to express the absurdity and regression of totalitarian ideologies. The comic turn amazes the viewer by its ability to conform the historical truth. In this article,1 2 I aim to identify not so much an ideological but mostly aesthetic, dramaturgical modus operandi of the tragic farce using a corpus consisting of texts by playwrights Matei Vișniec, Sonya Labou Tansi, and Koffi Kwahulé. 
 
 

Čo pre Slovákov znamenal a v súčasnosti znamená štátny sviatok Slovenského národného povstania?

Intention of the authors is to analyse the importance of national holiday of the Slovak National Uprising in a context of collective and historical memory of the Slovak nation. The aim of submitted paper is therefore to analyse various lines of opinion on the Slovak National Uprising, especially from the perspective of two totalitarian ideologies, as well as from the perspective of contemporary historiography after 1989. In the context of aforementioned analyses, authors deal with recent and historical interpretations from the historical and collective memory point of view, with an emphasis on legal consequences. The first years of independence and democracy brought to Slovakia re-increase of pro-fascist (ľudák’s) interpretation of history, which, however, did not succeeded in settling down in the collective memory of the Slovak nation. Nevertheless, the last years once again brought relativisation and misinterpretation of historical context of the Slovak National Uprising and its specific standing in society as a national holiday in particular. Reflecting these negative trends, the authors also consider possibilities of effective protection of national holidays, not only with the use of law.

Thanatolatry as a signifier of totalitarian ideology (on the example of russia)

The full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the russian federation has led to the actualisation of the discourse of cultural confrontation. The rule of vladimir putin has not only led to the establishment of a totalitarian regime in russia, but also led to the formation of the cult of death. The cult of death (thanatolatry) should be understood as the emergence of social and cultural practices that are directly related to death. The main idea is to recreate the USSR by creating a necrophiliac ideology. In which the life of any citizen is levelled and deformed. A decent life is replaced by a glorious death, with arms in hand, in a foreign country. Through propaganda, russian ideology promotes the idea of death as the main virtue of a citizen. The process of such ideological processing begins in childhood and is supported by various state organisations throughout a person’s life, with the activities of the Wagner PMC and the immortal regiment Association being particularly prominent. Understanding this phenomenon will help Ukrainian authorities and society to better respond to the challenges posed by russia’s policy of genocide of the Ukrainian nation.

Тоталітарні режими Європи та музика: хроніки протистояння

The article analyses the relationship between artists and the totalitarian regimes that prevailed in Italy, Germany, and Ukraine in the twentieth century. The relevance of the topic is due to the need for a deep study of the processes that took place in the field of art in the twentieth century, since this era is characterised by close interconnections of artistic research with certain philosophical, aesthetic, and ideological systems. Musical life reflected the social processes that took place in different locations in Europe during that period, including the principles of neo-myth-making inherent in totalitarian ideologies. The mythologisation of mass consciousness required complete submission from art. Not all famous musicians were able to openly oppose the ideology of totalitarian regimes, as they felt an immediate danger to their own lives. The fascist and soviet regimes demonstrated all kinds of punitive systems in the face of disobedience and deviation of the artist's work from the general vector of artistic life - from doom to oblivion to complete moral and physical destruction. Based on existing studies by foreign and domestic scholars, the authors of the article aim to recreate the events of the creative life of famous artists in the context of their complex relationships with the authorities and confrontation with totalitarian regimes of the 1920s-1950s. Recreating such chronicles is a necessary component in creating a systematic view of the role of the artist in the sociocultural continuum. The complex and ambiguous relations with the authorities are examined on the example of the creative life of composers P. Hindemith and B. Martinů, conductors W. Furtwängler, H. von Karajan, O. Klemperer and A. Toscanini. Some of them took a position of outright opposition to the regime (A. Toscanini), others - of collaboration with it (H. von Karajan), and some made constant attempts to manoeuvre between their own conscience and the need to express support for the regime. Understanding the actions of each individual artist in the complex socio-cultural situation of the totalitarian regime is possible only if the specifics of social psychology and national culture are taken into account, which further requires an interdisciplinary approach to the study of the problem. Understanding the actions of each individual artist in the complex socio-cultural situation of the totalitarian regime is possible only if the specifics of social psychology and national culture are taken into account, which further requires an interdisciplinary approach to the study of the problem.

Cуперечлива спадщина тоталітаризму: контроверсійні наративи й інноваційні підходи (на прикладі експозиції пам’ятника Перемоги в Південному Тіролі)

The article seeks to emphasize the most recent methods for reinterpreting and gaining a modern perspective on the challenging and contentious historical impact of the to- talitarian past. Th is will be illustrated through an examination of the Victory Monument in Bolzano/Bozen, located in the Autonomous Province of South Tyrol, Italy. Th roughout its his- tory, this monument has sparked intense discussions and served as a battleground for vari- ous cultural memory models. Th is study brings to the forefront intricate questions regarding cultural memory within a diverse society and its implications for museum exhibitions. Th is work relies on an examination of scholarly literature and incorporates fi eld research conducted by the author. Th e article delves into the diffi culties related to the function of museum exhibi- tions in reevaluating a contentious historical legacy in a diverse society, which is crucial for its sustainable democratic advancement. Th e reformatting of the monument with the help of an innovative exhibition, as well as the reconstruction of its underground space for the organiza- tion of the Documentation Center, made it possible to open it to the public. The concept of the innovative exhibition «BZ ‘18-’45. One Monument, One City, Two Dictatorships» was an artistic intervention that historically contextualized the monument that originally embodied totalitarian ideology and culture. It is determined that the creation of a new museum exhibi- tion in Bolzano/Bocen is an example of an innovative approach to reformatting the symbolic space and political discourse around the heavy totalitarian legacy. Based on the analysis of the new museum exhibition, it was found that the monument, which caused controversy, became a basis for understanding diff erent cultures of memory in a multi-ethnic region and establishing cultural communication between diff erent ethnolinguistic communities. Th e reconceptualizing of the monument’s narrative made it possible to create a space for the coexistence of diff erent cultures of memory inherited from the diffi cult past. Th e museum’s experience of historical and artistic rethinking of a complex cultural heritage through a critical approach to the interpreta- tion of the fascist totalitarian past for the sake of social understanding and reconciliation can contribute to the development of contemporary cultural initiatives in Ukraine.

Biblický kánon a problém autority

In recent centuries, the authority of the Bible has been primarily a subject of apology. However, the Christian conception of the canon can also be an inspiration in the world in which authorities are a problem. On the one hand, after the unfortunate experience with totalitarian ideologies, we rightly resist the authoritarian usurpers of truth. On the other hand, it turns out that we cannot do without authority. Approaching the Biblical collection as a (court) dispute of witnesses corresponds to the original ancient understanding of authority as an alternative to the exercise of power.

The Publishing Activities of Jur Koza‐Matejov and his Struggle against Totalitarian Ideology

Data available on request from the authors.

How to Survive Totalitarianism: Lessons from Hannah Arendt

Abstract: In the wake of the Trump election, Hannah Arendt's Origins of Totalitarianism garnered renewed attention. In it, she argues that totalitarian ideology "is severed from the world individuals perceive through the five senses "and insists on a 'truer' reality concealed behind all perceptible things." By changing what appears true, totalitarian regimes can produce new, upside-down realities built on "alternative facts." The question of perception, appearance, and the senses points to the important role that aesthetics—or what pertains to sense perception—play in Arendt's theorization of totalitarianism. However, scholarly attention to aesthetic concepts in her thinking, including work/fabrication, common sense, and performance, mostly concentrates on later works that largely eschew the concrete political context of totalitarianism, fascism, and the concentration camp. This article argues that Arendt's analysis of totalitarianism provides a crucible for her development of aesthetic concepts and methods. Through drawing out the structure of totalitarianism's perceptual regime, it demonstrates that totalitarianism produces a form of anaesthesia. It destroys the concrete texture of reality and replaces it with hollowed out, atomized, and spectral traces of phenomenal experience. In turn, the article shows that situating Arendt's aesthetic thinking on fabrication and common sense in relation to totalitarianism reveals how aesthetic objects and criticism can challenge political forces' assault on reality.

Problemy kryminalizacji szerzenia oraz gloryfikowania totalitaryzmu (art. 256 k.k.). Część II

The second part of the article in the first place discusses doctrinal propositions and legislative initiativesin terms of making changes in the content of Article 256 of the Penal Code. Subsequently, the analysis of signs of disposition of Article 256 §§ 1–3 of the Penal Code is made. On the basis of the reflections incorporated in both parts of the publication discussed, de lege ferenda postulates were presented regarding the course of modification of the current content of Article 256 §§ 1–3 of the Penal Code. Transfer of the prevailing part of the provisions of Article 256 of the Penal Code to the newly worded Article 133 of the Penal Code was found to be justified in order to highlight that the crime of propagating totalitarian ideas and political objectives is a crime directed mainly against the state, and its purpose comes down to insulting the victims of totalitarian systems and their descendants — all of the citizens of the Polish country, whose devastation was the aim of the two totalitarian systems — that of the Third Reich and of the communist USSR. The author of the publication opts for the introduction of normative changes that would allow for criminal prosecution of both the perpetrators of the acts consisting in the glorification of the totalitarian ideology, as well as propagating totalitarian state systems.

The emergence of the Ukrainian community in Australia in the aftermath of World War II

Abstract. The article presents an analysis of the attributes and historical experience of the emergence of the Ukrainian diaspora in post–World War II Australia. The subject is relevant in the current context of Ukraine’s resistance against large-scale russian aggression. Since February 2022, the devastating consequences of the aggression have forced a significant number of people to leave Ukraine. The massive wave of ‘Ukrainian migration’, notable by its scale and impact, allows the author to draw parallels to the migration flows witnessed in ravaged post-war Europe. The article’s author argues that modern Ukraine could benefit from exploring the adaptation, organisation, and formation experience of the Ukrainian communities that evolved into influential diasporas in the United States, Canada, Australia, etc. Once rallied, the worldwide Ukrainian diaspora’s potential to oppose the ‘muscovite evil empire’ holds the promise of becoming a powerful force for defeating the global aggressor. The historical experience of consolidation and affirmation of Ukrainian identity and the strength of Ukrainian traditions, language, and culture constitute a genuine weapon against the influence of the ‘russian world’. The size, influence, and authority of the global Ukrainian community as a whole and of particular Ukrainian diasporas in the major countries of Europe, America, and Australia are a contributing factor to the build-up of concerted efforts of the civilised world on a unified front against the revanchism of totalitarian ideology, the imperial ambitions of moscow, and their attempts to dismantle the democratic values of humanity. The author emphasises that today’s world is undergoing the formation of a new global order, where Ukraine’s victory in the war against the ‘moscow regime’ will emerge as the very achievement for which generations of Ukrainian people fought and fell in Ukraine and across the entire world. Keywords: global Ukrainian community, Australia, Ukrainian diaspora, World War II, russian aggression.

ТЕМА ВІЙНИ В ОБРАЗОТВОРЧОМУ МИСТЕЦТВІ: СПЕЦИФІКА ІСТОРИКО-КУЛЬТУРНИХ ТРАНСФОРМАЦІЙ

The article analyzes the cultural and historical transformations of the nature of the depiction of the theme of war in fine art. It is noted that art has always responded to changes in worldview paradigms and reflected core value principles of various historical periods of human development. The emphasis of depicting the essence of the war changed from the fixation of specific events that took place in real life to the depiction of generalized metaphorical images with the participation of mythological characters that had no relation to reality and vice versa. In addition, fine art also served as a channel for the sublimation of the psychological experiences of artists who expressed their experiences related to the war through their own works. Thanks to this, powerful ingenious works of art, the relevance of which does not decrease even after several centuries, were created. The article provides a comparative analysis of the nature of the depiction of war in the art of ancient civilizations, antiquity, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, baroque, rococo, classicism, romanticism, avant-garde art of the beginning of the 20th century, Soviet totalitarian practice as well as in modern Ukrainian art. Thanks to the research conducted, the essence and nature of the transformations, that took place in these periods, are visualized, and the direct correlation of these changes with the state and nature of culture is highlighted. Special attention is paid to the analysis of the visualization of the theme of war in the Ukrainian fine art of the totalitarian era as well as in modern art. It is noted that Ukrainian artists had creative resistance to totalitarian ideology. This was manifested in the demonstration of the tragic side of war, existential experiences, awareness of the irreversibility of death and the suffering associated with it. Attention is focused on the fact that the topic of the relationship between art and war in the context of cultural studies is rather understudied but in the context of recent occurrences in Ukraine and the world it is gaining more and more popularity, drawing attention of researchers to the analysis of these mutual influences.

The emergence of the Ukrainian community in Australia in the aftermath of World War II

Abstract. The article presents an analysis of the attributes and historical experience of the emergence of the Ukrainian diaspora in post–World War II Australia. The subject is relevant in the current context of Ukraine’s resistance against large-scale russian aggression. Since February 2022, the devastating consequences of the aggression have forced a significant number of people to leave Ukraine. The massive wave of ‘Ukrainian migration’, notable by its scale and impact, allows the author to draw parallels to the migration flows witnessed in ravaged post-war Europe. The article’s author argues that modern Ukraine could benefit from exploring the adaptation, organisation, and formation experience of the Ukrainian communities that evolved into influential diasporas in the United States, Canada, Australia, etc. Once rallied, the worldwide Ukrainian diaspora’s potential to oppose the ‘muscovite evil empire’ holds the promise of becoming a powerful force for defeating the global aggressor. The historical experience of consolidation and affirmation of Ukrainian identity and the strength of Ukrainian traditions, language, and culture constitute a genuine weapon against the influence of the ‘russian world’. The size, influence, and authority of the global Ukrainian community as a whole and of particular Ukrainian diasporas in the major countries of Europe, America, and Australia are a contributing factor to the build-up of concerted efforts of the civilised world on a unified front against the revanchism of totalitarian ideology, the imperial ambitions of moscow, and their attempts to dismantle the democratic values of humanity. The author emphasises that today’s world is undergoing the formation of a new global order, where Ukraine’s victory in the war against the ‘moscow regime’ will emerge as the very achievement for which generations of Ukrainian people fought and fell in Ukraine and across the entire world. Keywords: global Ukrainian community, Australia, Ukrainian diaspora, World War II, russian aggression.

Rashysm: license for genocide

Rashysm: license for genocide

Development of non-public forms of education created and managed by citizens - summary of time perspectives

In the Polish People's Republic (PRL), almost all schools were state-owned and served a subservient role to the communist system. Non-public schools in Poland, which developed in the late 1980s, are either charter schools run by NGOs or private schools run by individuals. The development of non-public schools in Poland was a manifestation of a grassroots initiative of civil society, which did not approve of the totalitarian ideology implemented in public schools and the dysfunctional, backward way of managing these schools. Objective: The aim of the article is to present the dynamics of the development of non-public forms of education in Poland in the years 1989-2014. Research design & Methods: The study used quantitative methodology - statistical data obtained by information registers of public administration. The compilation of these data allowed to show the dynamics of the development of non-public schools in Poland and the direction of development of this phenomenon. Findings: The analysis of the existing data made it possible to draw a specific map of the development of non-public schools according to the number of schools, students, and teachers, also taking into account the geographical distribution of these schools in individual Polish voivodships. The conclusions of the research confirm the thesis that the creation and development of private schools is a phenomenon that from the beginning was a social work - a bottom-up initiative of civil society. Contribution: Filling the research gap in the form of a synthetic approach to the development of education alternatives to public education in Poland, in which the responsibility for the implementation of part of the task of meeting needs and providing well in the form of education was taken over by citizens instead of the state. Spreading awareness among scientists and society of the importance of the issues raised in the article and inspiration for the participation of citizens in social life and their specific impact, the strength of the impact of the changes made on the surrounding reality.

Surrealism, Socialist Realism, Dialogue?

The text offers a critical and comprehensive review of Dorota Jarecka’s book Surrealizm, realizm, marksizm. Sztuka i lewica komunistyczna w Polsce w latach 1944–1948 [Surrealism, Realism, Marxism: Art and the Communist Left in Poland between 1944 and 1948]. The reviewer appreciates the main methodological premise of the book, namely that the tensions and conflicts generated within the triangle “avant-garde – realism – emancipatory role of art” cannot be reduced to a binary opposition between totalitarian ideology and the legitimate art world. In fact, it reflects the contradictory dynamics of politically engaged art in general and thecontext of post-war Poland in particular. Despite the book’s formidable factual support, the result of extensive and comprehensive query, the reviewer still regrets that the author remains primarily an art historian rather than social historian of art. This note of regret however does not diminish this noble contribution to understanding the logics of Polish visual arts in the aftermath of World War II. This area is much less known generally than the literature of this very period.

The Taliban Takeover in Afghanistan and Security Paradox

After years of prolonged armed conflict and fighting with the United States and NATO, the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan on 15 August 2021, by overthrowing a 20-year-old republic system and declaring it an Islamic Emirate. Without a process that legitimised the Taliban’s power and ideological assertions, Afghanistan is now controlled by a militant group that operates out of a totalitarian ideology. A new version of security threats and concerns has been introduced. The question is, what kind of security issues will emerge under such circumstances, and how will these issues impact Afghanistan? This article provides an assessment of Afghanistan’s political and security situation under the current Taliban regime. While the recent Taliban takeover in Afghanistan means different things to different people—and depends mainly on their social class within Afghan society or where they are from—the months since the Taliban took power have provided us with evidence of how they are operationalising their belief systems to run the country. It has also demonstrated how this has and will impact the safety and security of individuals, groups and Afghanistan as a whole. This article aims to explain how the Taliban’s fundamental ideology, networks, governance composition and nature will exacerbate the security crisis in Afghanistan and beyond. The article explores the theoretical framework of a totalitarian system to help understand the context of the Taliban’s political system. It then looks specifically at the resistance movement and the growing gender apartheid that the Taliban is reinstating. Finally, it dives into the meaning of security, its complexity, how it’s changing, and the implications it will have for Afghanistan and its people. The evidence for this analysis is based on events that had taken place through March 2022. It is important to emphasise that today’s circumstances and context will likely change and impact analysis for tomorrow. However, one thing has remained constant—the Taliban’s undergirding totalitarian framework and their ability to be tactical and strategic in how they present themselves.

Problemy kryminalizacji szerzenia oraz gloryfikowania totalitaryzmu (art. 256 k.k.). Część I

Part I of the article discusses legal and criminal issues connected with Art. 256 of the Penal Code, concerning mainly the crime of propagating totalitarian regimes — be it Nazi, fascist, or communist. The beginning of the presented text presents statistics of these types of illegal actions committed in Poland in the years 1999–2020, as well as the most frequently identified forms of aggravated offences under this article and the typology (classification) of the perpetrators. The actual extent of propagating and glorifying totalitarianism in Poland is exposed and then confronted with the applicable legal status based on the provisions of Art. 256 of the Penal Code. The article makes statements and compares two divergent ways of interpreting the terms included under the discussed law, i.e. “praise,” “propagate,” “totalitarian ideology,” and “totalitarian regime.” The considerations presented in the article are based on literature related to criminal law and political and law doctrines, as well as on the judicial decisions in the cases regarding acts referred to in Art. 256, § 1–2 of the Penal Code.