1
Table of Contents
Emergence of Authoritarian States.........................................................................................3
Factors:.............................................................................................................................. 3
Conditions:........................................................................................................................ 9
Consolidation and maintenance of power:............................................................................16
Mao & Stalin.................................................................................................................... 17
Hitler & Mao:.................................................................................................................... 21
Authoritarian control and the extent to which it was achieved...............................................26
Aims and results of policies..................................................................................................30
Hitler and Mao................................................................................................................. 30
Women:........................................................................................................................... 36
Women and minorities.....................................................................................................36
Role of education............................................................................................................. 36
Questions on use of policies in maintenance of power.....................................................37
, 2
Syllabus
● Emergence of Authoritarian States
○ Conditions in which authoritarian states emerged: economic factors, social
division, impact of war, weakness of a political system
○ Methods used to establish authoritarian states: persuasion and coercion; the
role of leaders; ideology; the use of force; propaganda
● Consolidation and Maintenance of Power
○ Use of legal methods; use of force; charismatic leadership; dissemination of
propaganda
○ Nature, extent and treatment of opposition
○ The impact of the success and/or failure of foreign policy on the maintenance
of power
● Aims and Results of Policies
○ Aims and impacts of domestic economic, political, cultural and social
policies
○ The impact of policies on women and minorities
○ Authoritarian control and the extent to which it was achieved
, 3
Emergence of Authoritarian States
Factors to use:
● Political, socio-economic circumstances
● Popular support- personal characteristics - cult of personality → link to ideology
(emphasis on Hitler/Mao)
● Weakness of opponents → (emphasis on Stalin)
Factors:
Past questions:
Nov 2017: To what extent did economic factors contribute to the emergence of two authoritarian
states, each from a different region?
Nov 2016: To what extent did popular support for the aims and ideology of one authoritarian/single-
party leader contribute to the rise to power of that leader?
May 2016: To what extent did the weakness of his opponents contribute to the rise to power of two
authoritarian states?
May 2016: Examine the importance of ideology in the rise to power of two authoritarian/single-party
leaders, each from a different region.
Nov 2015: To what extent were existing social and economic problems the most significant factor in
the rise to power of two authoritarian/single-party leaders?
Theses:
Hitler and Stalin: Both authoritarian leaders relied on a combination of their country’s political,
socio-economic circumstances, popular support for ideology and the weakness of their opponents
in order to ensure their rise to power. However, it can be argued that while Hitler depended more
heavily on popular support for Nazi ideology, Stalin emerged as single-party leader primarily thanks
to the weakness of his opponents.
** if specify two different regions ** Stalin and Mao: Both authoritarian leaders relied on a
combination of their country’s political, socio-economic circumstances, popular support for
ideology and the weakness of their opponents in order to ensure their rise to power. However, it can
be argued that while Mao depended more heavily on popular support, Stalin emerged as single-party
leader primarily thanks to the weakness of his opponents.
● Ideology: although both states embodied a communist authoritarian ideology, they differed
significantly in their interpretations, molding the ideology to increase popular support in their
respective countries. Stalin adopted socialism in one country and Mao shifted the focus onto
the peasant population
, 4
1. Germany devastated by WW1 / China devastated by years of civil war and foreign
invasion while Russia emerging from years of conflict from the Bolshevik Revolution to
the Civil War, both authoritarian state leaders benefited from the tense political and
socio-economic conditions of their respective countries in their rise to power.
○ Hitler: post ww1 germany was in full economic, social and political crisis.
■ The treaty of versailles (1919) took all of german colonies and 13% of its
land, set out reparations of 6.6 billion which the new germany, devastated by
the war, was unable to repay, thus leading to the french-belgian occupation of
the Ruhr industrial era. This not only has massive consequences on the
german economy, it also furthered resentment towards the Weimar Republic,
which was considered to have brought global humiliation to Germany. The
brief so-called Golden Period thanks to the US loans ended in 1929 with the
Wall Street Crash as the US was forced to call back its loans, plummeting the
German economy into hyperinflation. This rose unemployment to ¼ of the
population, all the while continuing to weaken the image and credibility of
the Weimar Republic. This social and economic chaos reflected in a political
crisis in the early 1930s. The population was propelled through persistent
government changes: from Bruning, von Papen and von Schleicher in the
range of a few short years, with five elections from 1929-33. This contributed
to the weakened support for democracy which would later legitimize Hitler’s
creation of a single-party state, as the public became more willing to accept
extremists who could fix their problems.
○ Mao:
■ China emerged from years of violence and unrest from foreign domination,
rebellion against the Qing dynasty in 1911, the warlord era that ensued, the
second Sino-Japanese war (1947-45) and the civil war from 1946-49. Firstly,
the country was subject to foreign influence from European colonial powers
and the Japanese, provoking the boxer rebellion of 1898-1901 which
effectively rooted away all foreign powers. However, the country continued
in social and economic crisis, life conditions worsening for the peasants due
to the high rates of inflation high government taxes. In response, the
population led another revolutionary uprising against the Qing dynasty in
1911 for its failure to bring about the necessary reform. While this had short-
term social effects, unifying the country with nationalist principles, this
created a power vaccuum which would cause civil unrest for the ensuing 40-
50 years until Mao Zedong’s rise to power in 1949. Following the collapse of
the Qing dynasty, the Chinese nationalist forces (GMD) take control of the
government with Jiang Jieshi as president. The communist party united with
the nationalists for a short period of time to counter the japanese in the sino-
Japanese war. Nevertheless, Jiang broke his alliance with the communists,
erupting the country into civil war once the Japanese had been defeated in
ww2. Mao rose triumphant as leader of the communist party in 1949.
Therefore, both Russia and China enabled Mao and Stalin to rise to power by
exploiting the civil unrest and providing the necessary alternatives to a
previously disillusioned public.
○ Stalin
Table of Contents
Emergence of Authoritarian States.........................................................................................3
Factors:.............................................................................................................................. 3
Conditions:........................................................................................................................ 9
Consolidation and maintenance of power:............................................................................16
Mao & Stalin.................................................................................................................... 17
Hitler & Mao:.................................................................................................................... 21
Authoritarian control and the extent to which it was achieved...............................................26
Aims and results of policies..................................................................................................30
Hitler and Mao................................................................................................................. 30
Women:........................................................................................................................... 36
Women and minorities.....................................................................................................36
Role of education............................................................................................................. 36
Questions on use of policies in maintenance of power.....................................................37
, 2
Syllabus
● Emergence of Authoritarian States
○ Conditions in which authoritarian states emerged: economic factors, social
division, impact of war, weakness of a political system
○ Methods used to establish authoritarian states: persuasion and coercion; the
role of leaders; ideology; the use of force; propaganda
● Consolidation and Maintenance of Power
○ Use of legal methods; use of force; charismatic leadership; dissemination of
propaganda
○ Nature, extent and treatment of opposition
○ The impact of the success and/or failure of foreign policy on the maintenance
of power
● Aims and Results of Policies
○ Aims and impacts of domestic economic, political, cultural and social
policies
○ The impact of policies on women and minorities
○ Authoritarian control and the extent to which it was achieved
, 3
Emergence of Authoritarian States
Factors to use:
● Political, socio-economic circumstances
● Popular support- personal characteristics - cult of personality → link to ideology
(emphasis on Hitler/Mao)
● Weakness of opponents → (emphasis on Stalin)
Factors:
Past questions:
Nov 2017: To what extent did economic factors contribute to the emergence of two authoritarian
states, each from a different region?
Nov 2016: To what extent did popular support for the aims and ideology of one authoritarian/single-
party leader contribute to the rise to power of that leader?
May 2016: To what extent did the weakness of his opponents contribute to the rise to power of two
authoritarian states?
May 2016: Examine the importance of ideology in the rise to power of two authoritarian/single-party
leaders, each from a different region.
Nov 2015: To what extent were existing social and economic problems the most significant factor in
the rise to power of two authoritarian/single-party leaders?
Theses:
Hitler and Stalin: Both authoritarian leaders relied on a combination of their country’s political,
socio-economic circumstances, popular support for ideology and the weakness of their opponents
in order to ensure their rise to power. However, it can be argued that while Hitler depended more
heavily on popular support for Nazi ideology, Stalin emerged as single-party leader primarily thanks
to the weakness of his opponents.
** if specify two different regions ** Stalin and Mao: Both authoritarian leaders relied on a
combination of their country’s political, socio-economic circumstances, popular support for
ideology and the weakness of their opponents in order to ensure their rise to power. However, it can
be argued that while Mao depended more heavily on popular support, Stalin emerged as single-party
leader primarily thanks to the weakness of his opponents.
● Ideology: although both states embodied a communist authoritarian ideology, they differed
significantly in their interpretations, molding the ideology to increase popular support in their
respective countries. Stalin adopted socialism in one country and Mao shifted the focus onto
the peasant population
, 4
1. Germany devastated by WW1 / China devastated by years of civil war and foreign
invasion while Russia emerging from years of conflict from the Bolshevik Revolution to
the Civil War, both authoritarian state leaders benefited from the tense political and
socio-economic conditions of their respective countries in their rise to power.
○ Hitler: post ww1 germany was in full economic, social and political crisis.
■ The treaty of versailles (1919) took all of german colonies and 13% of its
land, set out reparations of 6.6 billion which the new germany, devastated by
the war, was unable to repay, thus leading to the french-belgian occupation of
the Ruhr industrial era. This not only has massive consequences on the
german economy, it also furthered resentment towards the Weimar Republic,
which was considered to have brought global humiliation to Germany. The
brief so-called Golden Period thanks to the US loans ended in 1929 with the
Wall Street Crash as the US was forced to call back its loans, plummeting the
German economy into hyperinflation. This rose unemployment to ¼ of the
population, all the while continuing to weaken the image and credibility of
the Weimar Republic. This social and economic chaos reflected in a political
crisis in the early 1930s. The population was propelled through persistent
government changes: from Bruning, von Papen and von Schleicher in the
range of a few short years, with five elections from 1929-33. This contributed
to the weakened support for democracy which would later legitimize Hitler’s
creation of a single-party state, as the public became more willing to accept
extremists who could fix their problems.
○ Mao:
■ China emerged from years of violence and unrest from foreign domination,
rebellion against the Qing dynasty in 1911, the warlord era that ensued, the
second Sino-Japanese war (1947-45) and the civil war from 1946-49. Firstly,
the country was subject to foreign influence from European colonial powers
and the Japanese, provoking the boxer rebellion of 1898-1901 which
effectively rooted away all foreign powers. However, the country continued
in social and economic crisis, life conditions worsening for the peasants due
to the high rates of inflation high government taxes. In response, the
population led another revolutionary uprising against the Qing dynasty in
1911 for its failure to bring about the necessary reform. While this had short-
term social effects, unifying the country with nationalist principles, this
created a power vaccuum which would cause civil unrest for the ensuing 40-
50 years until Mao Zedong’s rise to power in 1949. Following the collapse of
the Qing dynasty, the Chinese nationalist forces (GMD) take control of the
government with Jiang Jieshi as president. The communist party united with
the nationalists for a short period of time to counter the japanese in the sino-
Japanese war. Nevertheless, Jiang broke his alliance with the communists,
erupting the country into civil war once the Japanese had been defeated in
ww2. Mao rose triumphant as leader of the communist party in 1949.
Therefore, both Russia and China enabled Mao and Stalin to rise to power by
exploiting the civil unrest and providing the necessary alternatives to a
previously disillusioned public.
○ Stalin
