Question

Hello there. I was wondering if someone could please tell me whether or not you could call a government totalitarian and communism? We're studying Sparta (from ancient Greece) and our teacher said it was totalitarian and later she said it was communist-like. Am I allowed to just call the government totalitarian communism? Is there/could there have been such thing?

Answer 1

Yes. The Soviet Union was both totalitarian and comunistic. A totalitarian government is one that is ruled without input from the people. Here's a definition of totalitarian from Dictionary.com:

"1. of or pertaining to a centralized government that does not tolerate parties of differing opinion and that exercises dictatorial control over many aspects of life."

Communism is more of an economic system than a government. Communism emphasizes taking from each person what they can give and giving to each person what they need. Under communism the central government plans the economy -- down to which factory or farm will produce which goods. The government owns all means of production.

Answer 2

oh, but can't you call communism government?