Oppression and violence are often cited as the pivotal aspects of modern dictatorships, but it is the collusion of large majorities that enable these regimes to function. The desire for a better life and a powerful national, if not imperial community provide the basis for the many forms of people's cooperation explored in this volume.
Alf Lüdtke
dictatorship war 20th century post-colonial history Europe Asia North Korea totalitarianism colonial history history police politics society transformation violence
“The volume edited by Lüdtke is as a highly stimulating and thought provoking contribution on everyday life under mass dictatorships. It succeeds in giving a new twist to the protracted historiographical debates on the agency of the ‘masses’ … . The volume thus reveals the intersections between the everyday life in the classic totalitarian regimes and in colonial/postcolonial settings.” (Ángel Alcalde, German Studies Review, Vol. 40 (2), May, 2016)