In what way does a totalitarianism constitutes a political religion?

INTRODUCTION________________________________________________

Politics and religions always had common aspirations and vocations. They both want to assemble men, whether it is among common projects or visions. They could also, while remaining in their respective field, cure the increasing individualism in our societies. Although these concepts point towards a common objective, they are not to be confused because they come under two different spheres of power. Politics falls under temporal power by framing the organization of society on earth, thanks to the application of positive laws. Religion belongs to the spiritual domain; it governs the relationship between God and men by enforcing natural laws. E. Durkheim defines religion by:  “a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, that is to say, things set apart and forbidden—beliefs and practices which unite into one single moral community called a Church, all those who adhere to them”.  

In our contemporary world, there is a clear separation between political and religious spheres. However, collusion between these two phenomena is still very widespread in most of the world. Since they can be very intricately linked, politics can help religion assert dominance just as religion can help legitimize dominance of politics. Therefore, to study politics in our secular world, it seems essential not to neglect the religious methodological approach. Hence the birth of the term political religion.

In the XXth century, new phenomena appeared that shook the world. Bolshevism, national socialism and fascism, are all doctrines that can be classified under the totalitarian concept; characterized by strong central rule that attempts to control and direct all aspects of individual life through coercion and repression. Until recently, these phenomena were considered to be exclusively political. It was not until the 1970s, when the Holocaust began to be the subject of all contemporary research, that the religious aspect was taken into account in the analysis of totalitarianism. The very term denoted religion; Holocaust meaning burnt offering.

        Thus, since totalitarianism and religion are defined by the imposition of a principle superior to men, and its objective is to impose on its subjects a particular intellectual and moral attitude; In what way does a totalitarianism constitutes a political religion?

I- The end of a religion dominated world______________________________

A- The secularization of states...

The term “political religion” first appeared in 1938 in a book of the same name written by Eric VOEGELIN. For him, bolshevism, national socialism and fascism are the product of the secularization process in the nations of Europe that “developed late as a nation-state”. By definition, the term secularization means the transfer of an ecclesial property into secular hands, or the transition from a religious to a secular life (secular refers to “in the century”, as opposed to the sacred, timeless).

However, we must not stop at this definition; it also includes a sociological dimension which, according to Peter BERGER, means by extension: “the progressive empowerment of sectors of society from the domination of religious meanings and institutions^[1]”. More broadly, this means that religion ceases to provide individuals and groups with all the references, norms, values and symbols that enable them to give meaning to the situations they experience and to the experiences they make: “religion is no longer the global code of meaning that is imposed on all.”. Thus a distinction is made between what belongs to the secular (profane) and the regular (religious).

Furthermore, the definition of Peter BERGER allows us to note that if the domination is exercised less and less by the religious sphere, it is because of the global development of secularization. Religion has a regressive influence that struggles more and more to apply its norms and expectations which are supposed to give meaning to the existence of men.

Since religion is less important than before in the lives of individuals, another entity must take its place.

B- ... Leaves room for politics

Many phenomena which emerged in totalitarianism are similar to those present in the field of religion. Hans-Günter Hockerts, a contemporary German historian, describes this phenomenon in the following way:

“Mass marches, commemorative parades, choirs and music, speeches and pledges, flags, torches, fiery braziers, anything promising dramatic effect, was integrated. In this manner a ritual mix developed with borrowings from Christian liturgy and bound up with military and folkloric traditions. Added to these were formal appropriations from the youth movements, the world of opera (Richard Wagner) and ancient mythology. The Nazi cult associated itself particularly closely with the traditional series of national days of remembrance and celebration, which, like the ‘Sedanstag’, were founded under the signs of ‘nationalisation of the masses’ (George L. Mosse) and glorification of conflict, war and heroic death. But it also drew upon the great variety of pompous celebratory culture in the worker’s movement and the propaganda arsenal of the Left. The transformation of 1 May into a holiday of ‘national labour’ provides the clearest example.^[2]”

All these things highlight the process of secularization of the states that must seek mass cohesion other than through Christianity.

To achieve this, some regimes will even mystify and deify political events. We will take the example of the German Feldherrnhalle. The Nazi movement took a significant turn in the autumn of 1923. On November 9, Hitler and his followers attempted a coup in Bavaria. It was a failure, and 16 of his comrades perished in the putsch. Survivors were arrested and placed on trial, and the movement was declared illegal and disbanded.

While Hitler was locked up, the NSDAP was caught by an anti-Catholic wave. The partisans blamed the failure of the putsch on the catholic orientation that the movement was taking. As a result, many Catholics who joined the movement in previous years were gradually driven out. The ideal concession between Catholic and Nazi began to crumble at that moment.

Therefore, when the NSDAP was reformed in early 1925, its religious identity was radically different. Having no more Catholic support in its ranks, it is impossible to rely on religious elements to convey its message.  Despite the party’s aversion to religion, it sets up belief systems acting as religious substitutes and in no way political ideologies. Thus, he transformed the death of these 16 partisans into a true myth and made November 9 the most sacred day and the Feldherrnhalle the holiest place for partisans. A memorial was erected on the front of the building, with a bronze plaque decorated with swatsika and eagles. It contains the names of the “sixteen who fell in the faith of the resurgence of the nation”. Because of the guard of honor constantly posted in front of the memorial, each passerby felt a pressure to make a nazi salute in his passage.^[3]

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