Totalitarianism is a political system where the state holds absolute power over all aspects of public and private life. In such regimes, the government often suppresses individual freedoms and dissent, using propaganda, censorship, and surveillance to maintain control. Citizens are typically expected to conform to the state's ideology, and any opposition is met with harsh punishment. Historically, examples of totalitarian regimes include Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler and the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin. These governments sought to create a unified society by eliminating political pluralism and enforcing strict loyalty to the ruling party or leader.