You are required to use either or both (Democracy in America, by Tocqueville published in 2000) and (Origins of totalitarianism, by Arendt) depending on the question. If using any of the two, a bibliography is not required and in-text page referencing is sufficient (for example: Arendt OT, p. 200). If you cite any other works, or if you are using a different edition of the assigned texts, you must provide a bibliography.

Please locate the book and make an overall understanding of the works of both authors then build on your argument and always provide examples. I will upload lecture slides and simplified notes on the topics and works of Arendt. Please find them useful to apply on your work.

Questions:

Do you think that, for Arendt, Tocqueville’s concept of the tyranny of the majority is useful to analyse totalitarianism? Why or why not?

OR

In the Preface to Origins of Totalitarianism, Arendt claims “human dignity needs a new guarantee which can be found only in a new political principle, in a new law on earth” (OT ix/xxvii). Why does human dignity need a new guarantee? Is the “right to have rights” sufficient to fill this role (OT 296/376)?

OR

Why does Arendt think that the motto of totalitarianism should be “everything is possible” (OT VII, 303, 436, 459)? Does she think it is actually possible to transform human nature in the way that totalitarianism seeks? Why or why not?