Totalitarianism, Terrorism and Supreme Values: History and Theory (Studies in Public Choice Book 33)

Annotation Applying a rational choice perspective, this book presents a dynamic theory of the evolution of totalitarian regimes and terrorism. By demonstrating that totalitarian regimes rest on ideologies involving supreme values that are assumed to be absolutely true, the author identifies the factors that lead to totalitarian regimes, and those that transform or abolish those regimes with time. The author addresses different ideologies, such as National Socialism, Communism, and religious movements; examines numerous historical cases of totalitarian regimes; and develops a formal, mathematical model of totalitarianism in the book's closing chapter Preface 6 Contents 10 1 Introduction 14 2 Ideologies of National Socialism, Communism, Christianity, and Islam 19 2.1 National Socialism 19 2.2 Marxism 21 2.3 Christianity 25 2.4 Islam 30 2.5 Conclusions 32 References 32 3 The Theory of Totalitarianism and Mature Ideocracy, Part I: Evolution and Development 34 3.1 The Birth of Ideology and the Progress Toward Ideocratic Regimes 34 3.2 Further Development after Winning the Secular Power of the State 36 4 Further Historical Cases of Totalitarian Regimes 38 4.1 The Mongols Under Genghis Khan and His Immediate Successors 38 4.2 Aztecs and Incas 39 4.2.1 The Empire of the Mexicas 40 4.2.2 The Empire of the Incas 40 4.3 The Rule of the Anabaptists in Münster 42 4.4 Calvin’s Regime in Geneva 44 4.5 The Mahdist State in the Sudan 1881–1898 45 4.6 The Rule of the Taliban in the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan 46 4.7 The Islamic Caliphate in Syria and the Levant 47 4.8 The Bloody Trails of Totalitarian Regimes 47 References 48 5 Mature Ideocracies 50 5.1 The Puritan State of Massachusetts 50 5.2 The Jesuit State in Paraguay 51 5.3 The Rule of the Dalai Lama in Tibet 52 5.4 Saudi Arabia 52 5.5 The Iranian Shiite Islamic Republic 53 5.6 Conclusions for the Theory of Totalitarianism and of Mature Ideocracies 54 References 55 6 The Theory of Totalitarian Regimes, Part II: Stability, Further Development, and Demise 57 6.1 Development of Totalitarian Regimes Depending on the Universalism of Their Aims 57 6.2 Development of Totalitarian Regimes After Reaching Their Aims 59 References 60 7 The Constitution of Totalitarianism 61 7.1 Introduction 61 7.2 Supreme Values as a Basis for a Constitution 62 7.3 Islam and Christianity as Examples of Such Types of Constitutions 64 7.4 The Importance of the Totalitarian Domain 66 7.5 Supreme Values and the Separation of Powers 67 7.6 The Intensity of Ideocratic Demands 70 7.7 Conclusions 71 References 72 8 Terrorism as a Means to Win or to Regain Secular Power 73 8.1 Changes in the International Environment Furthering Terror 73 8.2 How to Apply Terrorism to Reach the Desired Aims 75 8.3 Supreme Values as a Basis for Terror 76 8.4 Religious Fundamentalism as a Source of Terror 78 8.5 Terrorism and Supreme Values 81 8.6 An Economic Model of Ideologically Based Terrorism* 82 8.6.1 The Model 82 8.6.2 The Demand for the Ideological Good and the Consumption Good 84 8.6.3 Measures to Defend Against Terrorism 86 8.7 Measures to Protect Against Supreme Value Terrorism 89 8.8 The Spiritual Battle 90 8.9 Conclusions 92 References 92 9 Economic and Political Problems Facing Ideocracies 94 9.1 Negative Economic Consequences if Supreme Values Are Demanding a Planned Economy 95 9.2 Consequences of Other Supreme Values for Economic Development 99 9.3 Negative Domestic Political Consequences of Supreme Values 100 9.4 Consequences of Supreme Values for International Policies 101 References 103 10 Art and Science in Totalitarian Regimes and Mature Ideocracies 105 10.1 The Destruction and Prohibition of Works and Ideas Violating the Supreme Values 105 10.1.1 National Socialism 105 10.1.2 Communism 108 10.1.3 Christianity 111 10.1.4 Islamism 112 10.2 Works of Art and Poetry and Military Parades Celebrating the Supreme Values and the Leaders of Ideocracies 113 10.3 Ideocracies and the Sciences 114 10.3.1 National Socialism and Bolshevism 115 10.3.2 Religiously Based Ideocracies 116 10.4 Caricatures and Underground Jokes as Critique of Totalitarian Regimes 117 10.4.1 Flüsterwitze in the Third Reich (National Socialist Germany) 118 10.4.2 Political Jokes from the Soviet Union 119 10.4.3 Political Jokes in the Communist German Democratic Republic (GDR) 121 References 122 11 A Formal Model of Totalitarianism 124 11.1 Introduction: Development and Weaknesses of the Theory of Totalitarianism 124 11.2 Gaining Secular Power* 127 11.2.1 Presentation of Model 1 127 11.2.2 Presentation and Discussion of Results 129 11.2.3 Simulated Evolution in Time 131 11.2.4 The Direct Evolution of Mature Ideocracies 133 11.3 The Application of Secular Power to Reach the Domestic and Foreign Aims of the Weltanschauung* 135 11.3.1 Presentation of Model 2 136 11.3.2 Presentation and Discussion of the Results of Model 2 138 11.4 The Evolution of Totalitarian Regimes 142 11.4.1 Development of Totalitarian Regimes with Restrictive Ideologies 143 11.4.2 Evolution of Imperialistic Totalitarian Regimes 147 11.4.3 The Transformation or Demise of Totalitarian Regimes 150 11.5 Conclusions 152 Appendix A 153 Appendix B 155 Appendix C 159 Appendix D 161 References 163 12 Summary: Supreme Values, Totalitarian Regimes, and Mature Ideocracies 165 Front Matter....Pages i-xii Introduction....Pages 1-5 Ideologies of National Socialism, Communism, Christianity, and Islam....Pages 7-21 The Theory of Totalitarianism and Mature Ideocracy, Part I: Evolution and Development....Pages 23-26 Further Historical Cases of Totalitarian Regimes....Pages 27-38 Mature Ideocracies....Pages 39-45 The Theory of Totalitarian Regimes, Part II: Stability, Further Development, and Demise....Pages 47-50 The Constitution of Totalitarianism....Pages 51-62 Terrorism as a Means to Win or to Regain Secular Power....Pages 63-83 Economic and Political Problems Facing Ideocracies....Pages 85-95 Art and Science in Totalitarian Regimes and Mature Ideocracies....Pages 97-115 A Formal Model of Totalitarianism....Pages 117-157 Summary: Supreme Values, Totalitarian Regimes, and Mature Ideocracies....Pages 159-160