Totalitarianism, Terrorism and Supreme Values

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xii

   PDF

2. Introduction

   • Peter Bernholz

   Pages 1-5

3. Ideologies of National Socialism, Communism, Christianity, and Islam

   • Peter Bernholz

   Pages 7-21

4. The Theory of Totalitarianism and Mature Ideocracy, Part I: Evolution and Development

   • Peter Bernholz

   Pages 23-26

5. Further Historical Cases of Totalitarian Regimes

   • Peter Bernholz

   Pages 27-38

6. Mature Ideocracies

   • Peter Bernholz

   Pages 39-45

7. The Theory of Totalitarian Regimes, Part II: Stability, Further Development, and Demise

   • Peter Bernholz

   Pages 47-50

8. The Constitution of Totalitarianism

   • Peter Bernholz

   Pages 51-62

9. Terrorism as a Means to Win or to Regain Secular Power

   • Peter Bernholz

   Pages 63-83

10. Economic and Political Problems Facing Ideocracies

    • Peter Bernholz

    Pages 85-95

11. Art and Science in Totalitarian Regimes and Mature Ideocracies

    • Peter Bernholz

    Pages 97-115

12. A Formal Model of Totalitarianism

    • Peter Bernholz

    Pages 117-157

13. Summary: Supreme Values, Totalitarian Regimes, and Mature Ideocracies

    • Peter Bernholz

    Pages 159-160

Applying a rational choice perspective, this book presents a dynamic theory of the evolution of totalitarian regimes and terrorism. By demonstrating that totalitarian regimes rest on ideologies involving supreme values that are assumed to be absolutely true, the author identifies the factors that lead to totalitarian regimes, and those that transform or abolish those regimes with time. The author addresses different ideologies, such as National Socialism, Communism, and religious movements; examines numerous historical cases of totalitarian regimes; and develops a formal, mathematical model of totalitarianism in the book’s closing chapter. 

• Totalitarianism
• Terrorism
• Ideocracies
• Theocracies
• Supreme Values
• Distorted world view

“An extraordinary piece of research that not only is pleasant to read, but—more important—offers content that should be carefully studied by academics—both lecturers and students—, policy makers and by any responsible citizen who wants to be fully aware of the menaces that threaten democracies. … All in all, the book is highly recommended reading … .” (Thomas Baumert, Constitutional Political Economy, Vol. 32, 2021)

“Bernholz describes supreme-value ideologies that have existed over the ages. He stays literally close to home in describing the supreme values of Adolf Hitler and German National Socialist ideology. … This book is necessary reading for researchers of defense strategy and the economics of defense, but above all for the politicians and administrators to whom we entrust our safety.” (Arye L. Hillman, Public Choice, July, 2018)



“... besticht vor allem durch seinen ungeheuren Reichtum an Details der totalitären Kulturen (oder Unkulturen). Dem Leser wäre die Orientierung erleichtert, enthielte das Buch ein Namensverzeichnis, das mit wenig Zusatzaufwand hätte erstellt werden können. Alles in allem wird das Buch sehr zur Lektüre empfohlen.” (Charles B. Blankart, in: ORDO, Jg. 68, Heft 1, 24. April 2018)

• Center for Economics and Business (WWZ), University of Basel Center for Economics and Business (WWZ), Basel, Switzerland

  Peter Bernholz

Assistant Professor at Universität Frankfurt 1964-66, Ordinarius (Full Professor) at Technische Universität Berlin 1966 to 1971. Since 1971 Ordinarius for Economics, especially for Economic Policy and for Monetary and International Economics, and Institute Director at Universität Basel, Switzerland. Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy and History 1982-83. Guest professor at MIT 1969, Virginia Polytechnic Institute 1974 and 1978, Stanford University 1981, University of California LA 1986/87, Australian National University, Canberra, 1993, University of California Irvine 1998, Universita degli Studi di Roma “La Sapienza” 2000,  Research Fellow of the Center for Study of Public Choice, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia. 

Corresponding Member of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences. Dr. rer. pol. h. c. of Universitaet Konstanz 2000, Universitaet Freiburg 2011, Germany. Fellow of Wissenschaftskolleg Berlin (Center for Advanced Studies) 2000-2001. President of European Public Choice Society from 1974 to 1981; Member Academic Advisory Board of the German Minister of Economics since 1974; Member of the Macroeconomic Policy Group of the European Union from 1988 to 1990; Co-Founder of the European Constitutional Group 1992.

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