1. Totalitarianism, is literally defined as a pretty extreme concept of government in which all power and control belongs to a state, and most specifically, to the leader of said state. In Totalitarian states, there is no opposition to the government, no freedom of speech or liberty of opinion. This concept is part of a larger system of government known as Authoritarism. All aspects of political, economic and social life within a country ruled by totalitarianism are under the control of the leader of the government and there is even a cult established towards the leader. This concept was first coined in the 1920´s by Carl Schmitt, a Nazi, and by Italian Fascists.
2. One well-known authoritarian leader was Benito Mussolini, the head of the National Fascist Party and who became the Italian Prime Minister from 1922 to 1943. Mussolini had been politically active even before he became Prime Minister and he always advocated the idea of a Fascist Italy. Among the many changes that Mussolini instituted in Italy that prove how extremist he was in his totalitarian ideals, was the way in which he abolished through law all opposing political parties, turning Italian political life into a One Party deal. Also, he created a secret police, who were responsible for the control of all opposition and he outlawed any and all labor strikes. It took Mussolini only 5 years, from the moment he was elected Prime Minister, to establish himself as dictator and turn Italy into another totalitarian state totally dependent on him and his authority.
