Atomized
This refers to people, individuals, who have been torn from their social relations and thus cease to be individuals; they are merely "atoms." One is only an individual in relation to society, so when one loses all his ties to his fellow man, he becomes truly atomized. A group of individuals in relation make society; a group of atomized individuals gathered together makes a mere “mass.” According to Arendt, the liquidation of the individual and society and the creation of mass of atomized individuals is the precondition for totalitarian movements.
Body Politic
The people of a society considered collectively as a group of citizens who have each given up their absolute freedom as individuals in order to form a general will. The body politic is the source of political legitimacy according to modern political economy.
Bohemian
A member of an artistic or intellectual elite who displays unconventional or transgressive social behavior.
Bourgeoisie
A french word that literally means “city-dweller,” it is a word used to denote the class and set of values that lead the “bourgeois revolutions” of the 17th and 18th centuries (this would include the English Revolution of 1688, the American Revolution and, of course, the French Revolution). The word takes on a different meaning in the mid-19th century during the rise of Socialism. The writings of Karl Marx altered the meaning slightly, opposing the bourgeoisie to the “proletariat” and claiming that society had cleaved into classes and that the bourgeoisie—who own the means of production in capital—were no longer capable of leading the revolution required by society.
Chauvinism
Aggressive patriotism or loyalty to an in-group.
Citoyen
A French word meaning citizen.
Colonialism
This word refers to the practice, common in the 17th, 18th and early 19th century, of establishing political rule in foreign colonies. This usually resulted in either national independence or attempts to assimilate the populations of the colonies into the imperial nation. An example of this is early colonial America, or the French Antilles.
Comity of Nations
A phrase meaning a group of nations that cooperate and respect each other’s laws for mutual benefit.
Consensus Iuris
A Latin phrase meaning law by consent. Originally used by Cicero, it describes how law is enforced for the mutual consent of all involved. It is the foundation of common law and positive legal theory.
Coup d’etat
The overthrow of the state by the military or other elite members of the state itself.
Decadence
The word is simply used to mean decline, but also refers to a decline in moral, social or cultural standards and practices.
Esprit de corps
The feeling of pride and fellowship shared by members of a certain in-group.
Imperialism
The export of capital to colonial holdings. Imperialism is characterized by constant expansion as well as the accumulation of power and capital. Examples of imperialism include British South Africa and the Continental pan-movements.
Nation-State
A state that derives its political legitimacy from its nation of citizens. It is generally geographically bound and has a more or less homogenous population. It is characteristic of 19th century governments.
Parvenu
An upstart.
Petit Bourgeois
This phrase is also sometimes rendered "petty bourgeois." Literally meaning “small city-dweller," this word refers to the middle class of shop-owners and small-scale producers who are quickly destroyed as a class by the crisis of capitalism. According to Marx, this class is destined to fall into the ranks of the proletariat or rise up to join the bourgeoisie. Arendt refers to it interchangeably as the “petty bourgeois” and the “middle class.”
Philistine
Someone who is hostile to intellectual pursuits and generally does not make an attempt to educate themselves in any way.
Proletariat
A word used by Karl Marx to describe the revolutionary class in capitalism. It refers to the interests of those who work, which is to abolish their class subordination through revolution.
Raison d’être
The primary reason for something’s existence.
Stakhanov System
Refers to a system of labor in the USSR under Stalin that was characterized by a focus on individual strength and labor power, the accumulation of labor and a lack of cooperation.
Trotskyite
This term refers to the supporters of Leon Trotsky who were critical of the USSR and Stalin.
Uitlander
A word used by the Boers in South Africa to mean "foreigner" or "outsider."
Volksgemeinschaft
A German word meaning folk community. The Nazis used this word to refer to the world they aimed to create.
Volte-face
A sudden reversal of opinion or belief.
Weltanschauung
A German word best translated as “world-view” or “ideology.” Weltanschauung became important for totalitarian movements as a tactical response to what was already present in the Marxist movements of the 19th century.
