READING GUIDE
Political History
Hannah Arendt: The Origins of Totalitarianism
Originally written in 1951, Arendt’s first book takes on the nation-state and its inability to confront or resist the irrational, the control of masses through fostering fear, the ideological policy-making of global power seekers.
Mostly, though, we read Arendt now to better understand how fragile our democracies are, what restraints are placed upon future oppression, and the nature and motives of totalitarianism: how evil works.
This guide is a section-by-section summary and observations/reflections of the reading. For those without academic background in political history, a resource for taking on Arendt’s vast work.
Also, available, a complete written version of the guide, complete with key quotations (all cited) suitable for review, study, or as a resource for an AI research tool.
The Origins of Totalitarianism Reading Guide
Full Product Description & Images
In an ever-changing, incomprehensible world the masses had reached the point where they would, at the same time, believe everything and nothing, think that everything was possible and that nothing was true.
Totalitarian propaganda thrives on the manipulation of memory; its task is to deface the past at any cost.
Chapter 2: The Jews, the Nation-State, and the Birth of Antisemitism
Transcript
Chapter 14: Reflections on the Hungarian Revolution; Concluding Remarks
Arendt & Why I’m Reading
The Origins of Totalitarianism Reading Guide
A single downloadable PDF of nearly 125 pages: summaries and key quotations of every chapter section, Arendt’s omitted chapters, and transcripts of 17 video reflections completed through the reading. Suitable for study or as a source for an AI research tool.
How should we think about the volatile politics around us and not fall into despair and paralysis? What sort of understanding and defense is possible against fear?
“Totalitarian propaganda thrives on the manipulation of memory; its task is to deface the past at any cost.“
Bibliography
Arendt, Hannah. The Origins of Totalitarianism. Harcourt, Brace & World, 1968
—–. The Origins of Totalitarianism; Expanded Edition. The Library of America, Penguin Classics, 2025.
—–. “Totalitarian Imperialism: Reflections on the Hungarian Revolution.” The Journal of Politics, vol. 20, no. 1, 1958, pp. 5–43. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/2127387.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.Cite these videos and transcripts with MLA format:
Chisnell, Steve. “Reading Guide: Hannah Arendt’s The Origins of Totalitarianism.” Waywords Studio, 2025, https://waywordsstudio.com/project/arendts-the-origins-of-totalitarianism/.
