Leslie Massey
Totalitarianism is a political system that asserts total control over the lives of its citizens, prohibiting any form of opposition and controlling all aspects of society. Typically, a totalitarian state is led by a dictator who is supported by the socio-economic elites and a military junta. While the term originated in the interwar period, it has been applied to ancient historical states and is still used to describe modern governments, such as North Korea and Turkmenistan. In recent years, there has been a debate about whether Australia is becoming a totalitarian state, with some arguing that the country's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting restriction of civil liberties are indicative of a drift towards totalitarianism.
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What You'll Learn
Australia's emergency powers and civil liberties
Totalitarianism is a political system and a form of government that asserts total control over the lives of its citizens. It is characterised by strong central rule that attempts to control and direct all aspects of individual life through coercion and repression. It does not permit individual freedom. Traditional social institutions and organisations are discouraged and suppressed, making people more willing to be merged into a single unified movement. Totalitarian states pursue a special goal to the exclusion of all others, with all resources directed towards its attainment, regardless of the cost.
Australia, a democratic country, does not fall under the definition of a totalitarian state. However, the country has had its fair share of controversies regarding the government's emergency powers and their impact on civil liberties.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, several Australian states and territories issued public health orders and directions to implement recommendations from the national cabinet. These included banning gatherings of two or more people, as well as non-essential outings. Breaching these orders could result in significant fines or even imprisonment. While these measures were implemented to curb the spread of the virus, they raised concerns among human rights advocates about the impact on civil liberties. There were worries about the clarity of the rules and the potential for excessive surveillance and privacy violations.
In Queensland, for example, emergency legislation allowed an "emergency officer" to order the detention of a person for 14 days without a right of review by a court. This prompted concerns from the Queensland Council for Civil Liberties about the fairness and acceptance of such orders. Similarly, Civil Liberties Australia (CLA) supported emergency bio-health measures but cautioned against the government using the crisis to permanently impose more draconian security measures.
The debate around emergency powers and civil liberties in Australia highlights the delicate balance between public health and safety needs and the protection of individual rights and freedoms. While temporary measures may be necessary during emergencies, there is a risk of these measures becoming normalised and encroaching on civil liberties in the long term.
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Australia's mass surveillance
Totalitarianism is a political system and form of government that asserts total control over the lives of its citizens. It is characterised by strong central rule that attempts to control and direct all aspects of individual life through coercion and repression. It does not permit individual freedom.
Australia is a democracy, and therefore cannot be classified as a totalitarian state. However, the country has been criticised for its mass surveillance programmes. US journalist Glenn Greenwald has described Australia as "one of the most aggressive countries that engage in mass surveillance as a member of the Five Eyes Partnership", which also includes the US, UK, New Zealand, and Canada.
In 2015, Greenwald told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Lateline programme that Australia was "probably the country that has got away with things the most" in terms of privacy rights. He referenced the country's role in mass surveillance as similar to that of the UK, stating that they "collect everyone's communications under the guise of pre-criminal investigation, which means they are watching everyone all the time".
In 2020, the Australian government introduced two new pieces of legislation to expand its mass surveillance mandate: the International Productions Order (IPO) Bill and the Identify and Disrupt Bill. The latter provides the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) with the capability to infiltrate and compromise encrypted communication channels.
Despite these measures, the head of the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD), Rachel Noble, has insisted that her agency is not seeking the power to conduct mass community surveillance. Noble emphasised that the ASD's focus remains on foreign intelligence, while the domestic spy agency Asio is responsible for monitoring Australians who may pose a threat.
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Australia's COVID-19 response
One of the most controversial measures was the decision to ban its citizens from leaving the country without express permission, with threats of jail and fines for those attempting to return from certain countries. This move has raised human rights concerns, with tens of thousands of citizens left stranded overseas, unable to return home.
At the state level, public health measures have been criticised as increasingly punitive, particularly towards lower socioeconomic and minority communities. For example, in Melbourne, thousands of public housing residents were locked down with less than 24 hours' notice, which was deemed a violation of their human rights.
In addition to travel restrictions, Australia has implemented some of the strictest lockdown measures in the democratic world. The country has enforced curfews in states such as New South Wales and South Australia, with military enforcement of COVID-19 rules. These lockdowns have cut through the norms of an advanced Western democracy, including the suspension of a state-level parliament and the banning of protests.
The COVID-19 response has also normalised mass surveillance. Drones have been used to monitor social distancing, and mobile surveillance units with CCTV cameras have been deployed to capture and deter breaches of health directives. This has raised concerns about the balance between civil liberties and public health, with limited public debate on the implications of such surveillance.
While Australia's response has been successful in terms of reducing deaths and severe illnesses from COVID-19, it has come at the cost of civil liberties and human rights. The country's experience serves as a cautionary tale for other democracies navigating the delicate balance between public health and individual freedoms during a pandemic.
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Australia's media and government
Australia has a democratic form of government, which is distinct from a totalitarian regime. Totalitarianism is a political system that prohibits opposition from political parties and disregards political claims made by individuals or groups against the state. It exerts complete control over the public and private spheres of society.
Australia's government does not display these characteristics. Australian citizens can express disagreement with government policies and decisions without fear of punishment, which is not possible under a totalitarian regime.
Australia's media landscape also contradicts the characteristics of a totalitarian state. While a totalitarian state typically exerts control over mass media and distributes official truths, Australia has a diverse media environment with multiple sources of information. The country's free press, though not without its issues, plays a crucial role in scrutinizing and holding the government accountable.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, there were concerns about the Australian government's use of emergency powers and the impact on civil liberties. Some commentators, like Brendan O'Neill, warned against the government's increasing power and its potential threat to freedom and democracy. However, these measures were implemented during an unprecedented global health crisis and do not necessarily indicate a shift towards totalitarianism.
In summary, while there may be concerns about specific policies or temporary emergency measures, Australia's political system and media environment do not align with the characteristics of a totalitarian state. The country's democratic foundations, allowance for dissent, and diverse media landscape differentiate it from totalitarian regimes.
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Australia's political structure
The Australian Constitution establishes the structure and powers of the federal government and separates powers between the three branches of government: the executive, the legislative, and the judicial. The executive branch consists of the Prime Minister and their ministers, who are responsible for administering the laws and governing the country. The legislative branch comprises the Parliament of Australia, which includes the House of Representatives and the Senate, responsible for creating and passing laws. The judiciary interprets and applies the laws, with the High Court of Australia being the highest court in the land.
Australia's political system values individual freedoms and democratic principles. The country has a strong tradition of freedom of speech and association, and its citizens are generally free to express their opinions and disagree with the government without fear of punishment. Australia also has a robust system of checks and balances, with the judiciary playing a crucial role in interpreting the law and protecting the rights and liberties of its citizens.
While Australia has traditionally been a strong democracy, some commentators have expressed concerns about the increasing use of emergency powers and restrictions on civil liberties during the COVID-19 pandemic. There are worries that these measures could lead to an expansion of government control and a potential slide towards totalitarianism. However, these views are highly contested, and Australia's political system remains fundamentally different from the characteristics of a totalitarian regime.
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Frequently asked questions
Totalitarianism is a form of government that attempts to exert total control over the lives of its citizens. It is marked by a strong central rule that attempts to control and direct all aspects of individual life through coercion and repression. It does not allow for individual freedom, and traditional social institutions and organisations are discouraged and suppressed. Totalitarian states often pursue a single goal to the exclusion of all others, with all resources directed towards achieving it, regardless of the cost.
A totalitarian state is typically characterised by a single political party, usually led by a dictator, that holds a monopoly on all political activity. It also controls all mass media and information, distributing the 'official truth' and often utilising propaganda campaigns to control the public and private spheres of society. The state economy is largely controlled by the government, and any dissent is branded as evil and is not permitted.
Australia is not generally considered to be a totalitarian state. However, some commentators have argued that Australia's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting restrictions on civil liberties have been 'draconian', with the government exercising increased arbitrary power and mass surveillance over citizens.
Some warning signs of a country becoming a totalitarian state include the suppression of dissent, the use of propaganda, the control of mass media and information, the discouragement of traditional social institutions, and the centralisation of power in a single party or dictator.
