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1 Sparta and Nazi Germany Totalitarian states?

[edit] Sparta and Nazi Germany Totalitarian states?

[edit] Introduction

Although Ancient Sparta and Nazi Germany had enough similarities in their political, military and social systems to state that they were both totalitarian powers, they were not exactly the same. Any totalitarian system requires that every aspect of an individuals life is regulated by the state. This includes occupation, income and religion. (www.en.wikipedia.org Totalitarian) Both Sparta and Nazi Germany had systems which ensured that the state maintained such controls. Like most totalitarian regimes, Nazi Germany had a charismatic or “Great leader”, Adolph Hitler. (www.en.wikipedia.org Totalitarian) However it is argued that this is not an essential requirement for totalitarianism, and Sparta, did not have any such leaders. Both Nazi Germany and Sparta used constant indoctrination through propaganda and education of its children, as well as employing secret terrorist police to keep any potential dissenters of the system under control. Both systems used minority groups as a focus for military and political structures.

[edit] Political System

Sparta was unique in history, in that it had two kings. Its political system was made up of four sections, the kings, a council of elders, 5 ephors and an assembly. All four sections were military in nature, with even the main role of the kings being to lead the army in battle. All four sections were filled from the Spartiates or Spartan citizens. The assembly was open to all male Spartan citizens aged over 30, but the assembly had limited power. The constitution, was organised to keep individual power in check and so prevent tyranny and to maintain discipline and order. The underlying philosophy ‘was for all citizens to serve the state and everything was geared towards this goal.’ (teachers resource, p282) A fifth and most important section of the political system, was the krypteia or secret police.

Sparta had three classes, the Spartiates or Spartan citizens , the Perioeci or free craftsman and the helots or state slaves. The military and the economy was structured to keep the helots under control as they were the farmers who produced ‘most of the wealth on which the Spartans citizens lived.’ (A. Powell page 98) Conversely the helots had the largest population of the three groups.

The political system of Nazi Germany was that of a centralized state with no parliament. It had one leader, Reich Chancellor Hitler. The government was made up of organizations with individual directors to control the economy and military. All of the organizations, about fifth teen in total, were military or Para-military. As in Sparta, the secret police or Gestapo was an integral part of the political system, maintaining an atmosphere of terror.

[edit] Reasons why accepted by citizens

It interesting to note that although the citizens had little control over their lives, they accepted the political and social structures of each regime. There was great emphasise on the military in political and social systems of Sparta in order to maintain control of the helots. This class had the largest population outnumbering the Spartans by 7 to 1. They were essential to the economy as all farming was done by these state slaves, providing the Spartans ‘with the leisure for their military training and lifestyle- a vicious cycle.’ The Spartans had a constant fear of revolt to the extent that even foreign policy was determined by the need to keep the Helots under control. (Britannica vol 20, p 236)

In the same way the citizens of Nazi Germany accepted the totalitarian state that rose to power after the nations loss in W.W.1. with its resulting economic depression. (M. Hughes and C. Mann, 24) There were masses of unemployed and hungry people 1929 and the Nazi party promised economic relief which was immediately noticeable after they gained power. Most ordinary Germans were happy with the improved economy and better standard of living that the policies that Nazi Germany brought about. (en.wikipeadia.org Germany)

[edit] Propaganda and Education

Of course totalitarian states have to keep a high propaganda level so that it citizens believe the nations ideals. Both Sparta and Nazi Germany installed their political and social ideals through their children and young adults. Education in both systems was controlled by the state (A. Powell, 229) In Sparta, as in Nazi Germany, education was aimed at preparing children to show manly courage (A. Powell, 299) and to instil obedience and respect for its leaders. (A. Powell, 239) In Sparta, boys were trained from early childhood to be tough and ready for military service, Training consisted of physical exercises, such as dancing, gymnastics, ball games etc. From the age of 7, boys were enrolled in companies of 15 members all of whom were kept under strict discipline.’ These companies were dining groups and the boys were required to dine with this cluster every night till death. From the age of 12 they were brutalized and expected to live off the land deprived of food and normal clothing. (A. Powell, p231) Young male Spartans were trained in stealth and taught to travel at night. Where as reading and writing were not considered necessary, boys learnt military and religious songs, while girls were also required to be athletic, in preparation for motherhood.

In Nazi Germany, education was also about indoctrination into Nazi ideals and physical development. Education was there to teach the children the importance of race and to prepare them for war. (M. Hughes and C. Mann, p58) Text books were controlled by the state, and were anti Jewish. Any text that failed to meet the Nazi ideal were burned. (world book, p267)

As in Sparta, children in Nazi Germany were conscripted into defence units. By 1934, [Hitler Youth] contained 47% of German boys aged between 10 to 14, and 38% of all boys between 14 and 18. The youth were brutalized into becoming obedient soldiers. There was an initiation test requiring great physical prowess, which allowed entry to Hitler Youth proper. Like Sparta, the Nazis monopolized every free hour of youth time. (M. Hughes and C. Mann, p53) From the age of 10, children were conscripted into organizations designed to condition them to military discipline with loyalties to the Nazi government. They wore uniforms, marched, exercised and learned Nazi beliefs (world book 267) As in Sparta, where male children were removed from the family from the age of 7, in Germany children of both sexes were gradually removed from the influence from the family. From 1940 to 1945, over 2.5 million children were sent to over 9000 KLV camps where the children’s education was kept limited. They were often used for agriculture labour during harvest season and athletic prowess was given prime importance in the daily routines.(internet, http://histclo.hispeed.com/schun/…)

[edit] Techniques to Gain/Hold Control

Totalitarian states require a strong method of controlling the population. In both Nazi Germany and Sparta, it was the secret police who played this role. Spying and having family members inform on others were encouraged in both regimes. In Sparta, control was kept by encouraging women to make charges of political disloyalty against their own male relatives. In Germany, children were encouraged to inform on their family members. In Sparta, The ‘Helots were ruthlessly controlled through the secret police, or Krypteia.’ (en.wikipeadi.org Sparta) As well, informers among the Helots, were encouraged by the state, in order to maintain a state of terror amongst this class. There were regular periods of mass extermination of the Helots by Spartan young men in other attempts at keeping control of this group. In a similar way Nazi Germany employed the Gestapo to spy on its own people. The Hitler Youth and Gestapo arrested young people and raided homes of suspects. Thousands were rounded up by the secret police and sent to concentration camps for forced labour, where they were severely mistreated and many tortured and killed. (en.wikipeadia.org Germany)

[Social systems] were put in place to keep control of the citizens of each regime. This included restrictions placed on the role of the family, the ability to marry and segregation on the sexes. In Sparta men could not marry until the age of 30, as they were taught to love the state, not the family. (A. Powell, 224) This was reinforced by the requirement to dine with their group, even after marriage. The whole system was held safe by hard sanctions such as the dismissal out of the meal group or loss of citizen rights. (en.wikipedia.org Sparta) Loss of citizen status was also a consequence of cowardice in battle.’ (Britannica vol 20) Although women had many rights and were administrators of the countries wealth, they were taught to be child bearers of the next generation. The social, military and political order of Sparta was maintained through restrictions on the possible occupation of Spartan citizens. They were not allowed to trade or learn any craft except weapon craft. They were to be soldiers.

Social and political systems were also used to maintain control of its citizens in Nazi Germany. Citizens required official permission in order to work, change jobs, move or travel abroad. The government regulated wages, housing and production of goods as well as leisure activities. (world book vol H9 P267) As in Sparta, Nazi Germany made a clear demarcation of the roles between the sexes, women were to be good German mothers, men to be good soldiers.

[edit] [Subjugation] of the individual to the state

[Totalitarianism] requires that the citizen is totally subjected to the governing authority in all aspects of day to day life. (en.wikipeadia.org totalitarian) Citizens are there to serve the state. In Sparta, ‘every Spartan male belonged to the state from the time of his birth.’ ( world book 766 vol18) Boys were removed from their family and discouraged from knowing their close kin, even to the point of keeping married couples apart. Husbands were required to live in barracks and had to sneak home at night to be with their wives.(teachers resource, p281) Military service was required to the age of 60 with all Spartans being expected to obey their leaders at all times.

In a similar way the Nazi state, required the individual to be subject to the state. The state enforced marriage and reproduction. It sterilized those it considered unworthy and provided money for large families for those who were worthy. (Britannia encyclopaedia p101) Work and leisure were regulated by the state. Education was aimed at making young people obey their leaders without question.

[edit] Use of the enemy

Minority groups were victimized as part of the process in maintaining the social and political status-quo. In Sparta, it was the helots who were seen to be a threat to the Spartan citizens. Sparta enforced the export of the unwanted helots, out of Sparta and killed any half-breeds, that is the sons of Spartan mothers and non Spartan fathers. Also, nightly murders of the helots were actively encouraged. It was the Jews who were mistreated in Nazi Germany. The government encouraged extreme measures of persecution by terrorism and legislation against Jews, enforced immigration and finally extermination known as the holocaust. All this helped to maintain the military machinery.

[edit] Athletic prowess and strength

The ideals of both regimes were for fit athletic people. The Spartans made themselves models of fitness,’ (A. Powell, p102) particularly the men. However women were encouraged to be athletic as well. They did gymnastics to keep fit, in order to produce healthy sons for the state. Weakness in infants was not tolerated and they were killed after birth. Also the brutal system for male boys would soon remove any not able to compete. In Nazi Germany athletics was also idealized with the KLV camps enforcing physical fitness. Girls were also expected to be fit, for motherhood.

[edit] Conclusion

Any totalitarian system requires that all aspects of the individuals life is regulated by the state, this is achieved through political and social structures, with harsh sanctions against any opposition. Ancient Sparta and Nazi Germany had similarities in their political, military and social systems to that of totalitarian regime. They did have some differences mainly in their political structures. Sparta had a complex system of government aimed at keeping power out of the hands of any individual. Whereas Nazi Germany was centred on its leader, Adolph Hitler, both regimes gave no real power to it citizens. Both regimes required constant indoctrination of its children, to keep the system working. Their main method of control was the employment of secret police, to control of possible opponents. Both systems focused on minority groups as a method of military motion. therefore sparta had an armybnmnbm

[edit] References

[edit] Books

A. Andrews, the greek tyrants (London 1956) A.H.M. Jones, Sparta (Oxford 1967) A. Powell, Athens and Sparta (London 1988) M. Hughes and C. Mann, Inside Hitler’s Germany life under the third Reich(London 2000)