Which governments are widely considered examples of totalitarian rule?

Totalitarianism is a form of government that seeks to subordinate all aspects of individual life to the authority of the state, permitting no individual freedom. While the term was coined by Benito Mussolini to describe the fascist state of Italy, several other regimes are widely recognized as examples of totalitarian rule.1

Prominent historical examples include:

• Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler.12
• The Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin.12
• The People’s Republic of China under Mao Zedong.1
• North Korea under the Kim dynasty.12
• The Cambodian regime under Pol Pot.2
• Myanmar under Gen. U Ne Win and the State Law and Order Restoration Council.2

Additionally, the Soviet-dominated regimes in Eastern Europe during the Cold War are categorized as totalitarian. These regimes are characterized by the use of state power to impose an official ideology, the suppression of dissent through secret police, and the total control of social and political institutions.21