Was Nazi Germany A Totalitarian State

would not unreasonable to presume that the country had become a totalitarian state under the Nazi Regime. This was not, however, the case. Nazi Germany, although projecting the efficiency and organisation of a totalitarian government, was only successful in controlling some aspects of German life. The basic concept of the totalitarian state is best expressed by Mussolini's well-known phrase, "all within the state, nothing outside the state, nothing against the state". The state is the master, and the individual the servant. A totalitarian state permits only one centralised government and it does not tolerate parties of differing opinions. It is a state in which the individuals have no right to free speech, free publication and free associations. Germany, while displaying some symptoms of a totalitarian state, cannot in face be described as one. While Hitler did create a one-party regime, Nazi opposition and resistance still raged on. Hitler found resistance in underground political parties, the church, and even in members of the army. Hitler
If totalitarianism is defined as "all within the state, nothing outside the state, nothing against the state" then Nazi Germany never achieved true totalitarianism. There was always political opposition and insurgency. The church constantly opposed Nazi ideology. Members of the army plotted against him. When Hitler did try to take control of the German people, through the youth he was met with almost as much opposition as acceptance. The only area in which he was able to maintain full control was in the media and the legal system. One only has to look beyond the surface to realise that while Hitler may have held some control, without the full cooperation from those within the state he never achieved a totalitarian state in