Dakota Beacon

Israeli historian J. L. Talmon coined the term ”totalitarian democracy” in his 1952 book of similar title, “The Origins of Totalitarian Democracy.” He was not the first to use the term, but he was the first to elaborate upon it.

Totalitarian democracy refers to “...a system of government in which the lawfully elected representatives maintain the integrity of a nation state whose citizens, while granted the right to vote, have little or no participation in the decision-making process of the government.”

Talmon elaborates upon the term discussing how a nation transforms itself from embracing traditional values and articles of faith into a nation placing social utility as the highest value.

According to Talmon, totalitarian democracy holds a top-down view of society. In clarifying his concept, Talmon makes several points. First, all people inevitably move toward a single overriding political truth (social utility). Second, it is beyond any single person to grasp this truth individually. Third, it is the duty of all people to assist in realizing this political truth. Fourth, any private or public activity that does not further this political truth must be eliminated. Implication: An elite would lead but, who would comprise the elite? An elected executive appointing czars? Totalitarian democracy sounds a lot like the old soviet collective adorned in new clothes.

Hold that thought and skip ahead to contemporary America. The 2010 census revealed stark information about the poorest cities with population over 250,000. In each of these cities over 25% of the population live below the poverty level. These include Detroit, MI; Buffalo, NY; Cincinnati, OH; Cleveland, OH; Miami, FL; St. Louis, MO; El Paso, TX; Milwaukee, WI; and Philadelphia, PA.

Each of these cities has been controlled by Democrats for most of their existence. The huge irony is that, although Democrats say they champion the poor and downtrodden, the programs the Democrats endorsed for decades, such as the War on Poverty, never solved the poverty problem. Under Democrat leadership constituents never got ahead and poverty got worse.

Question: Why would Democrats want to keep constituents from getting ahead? Apparently, the more government programs available (extending unemployment, Medicare, “free” health insurance, food stamps, and others) tend to keep an ever increasing underclass dependent on government. It is this underclass who buys into the Democrat “we’re for the forgotten man” charade and who consistently vote Democrat.

Consequently, cities, several states and now the federal government arrived at the point of bankruptcy.

Not everyone is taken in by the Democrat deception. Those who can, flee the ruined cities with Detroit topping the list. When citizens no longer receive the benefit of their tax dollars, when the city services decline and taxes go up, when the schools are unusable, when the cost of living as well as government corruption and crime rises, it’s time to seek greener pastures.

Businesses, too, move from inhospitable cities and states. States such as California, New York and Pennsylvania experienced precisely such flight. As recently as last week Caterpillar announced it was considering leaving Illinois for friendlier climes.

Viewed through the lens of totalitarian democracy, it’s no wonder policies of city, state and federal governments gave rise to the Tea Party movement followed by the overwhelming Republican victory in the November 2010 elections. People see the rudiments of totalitarian democracy and don’t like what they see.

Voting is one thing. Changing the system is another. Wisconsin’s road to recovery is blocked by the same special interests that propelled Wisconsin into this mess. The duly elected Republican majorities are trying to address years of abusive spending at all levels of government that can no longer be sustained. Watching the behavior of minority Democrats supported by teachers unions and other public sector unions react to new austerity measures in Indiana and Ohio and especially Wisconsin is like watching a fascist putsch attempting to sustain a totalitarian democracy.

Destruction of public property and death threats against legislators, especially in Wisconsin, is the modus operandi used by those who hold the will of the elected majority in contempt. Americans have seen the true face of a totalitarian democracy with the minority vying to rule by thwarting the will of the majority.