Essay Questions

Why are the authors against the totalitarian political system?

The Nazi regime practiced a totalitarian governance system, and it spread its ideologies across Europe, which was later considered a threat to human progress. The architects of the Nazi regime claimed that the principle of their government was to promote national socialism, which was not the case. The administration ruled with an iron fist, refusing to give people the freedom of speech to express their views regarding governance. According to the authors, dictatorship hinders human progress because it benefits few people. Similarly, totalitarianism promotes unethical control.

Is capitalism an alternative governance structure to fascism?

After reading the book 'The Dialectic of Enlightenment,' readers realize that capitalism is not a better option than fascism. Free enterprise is another simple system aimed at benefiting few companies and a specific class of people. According to the principles of capitalism, business and individuals have a chance to prosper based on their economic effort. However, the authors note that the poor become more inadequate based on the current structures, and the few rich people become more affluent. The authors conclude that the availability of resources mainly controlled by a few individuals.

What is the symbolic meaning of capitalism in the book ‘The Dialectic of Enlightenment’?

According to the authors, capitalism emblems autocracy because the leaders use their authority to enrich themselves. Leaders are obsessed with power, and they end up using their supremacy to mistreat the poor so that they can retain their control. Misuse of capitalism is the main reason why few influential individuals dominate global capital markets. Consequently, capitalism represents tyranny in all aspects.