Utopia and Terror in the 20th Century

By: Vejas Gabriel Liulevicius, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Vejas Gabriel Liulevicius

From the trenches of World War I to Nazi Germany to Saddam Hussein's Iraq, the 20th century was a time of unprecedented violence. Yet while such monumental violence seems senseless, it is not inexplicable. If we can understand the origins of violence, we may prevent even greater horrors in the century to come.

These 24 necessary lectures trace the violent history of the 20th century, beginning with its early roots in the American and, especially, the French revolutions. With each passing lecture, you will see how the 20th century's-violence was the result of specific historical developments that eventually combined, with explosive results.

You'll see how

• the French Revolution proved that ideological movements could mobilize the public and, through violence, transform society;
• the Industrial Revolution and subsequent technology created vastly more powerful weapons; and
• Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection was perverted into Social Darwinism and eugenics.

The most sinister development of all, however, was the notion that utopia was not just a perfect paradise to look forward to in the afterlife. Instead, utopia could be built right now, in this life. Such 20th-century ideologies as Marxism, Nazism, Communism, and Fascism embraced this idea willingly - even enthusiastically - and used terror to implement it.

You'll see how leaders of totalitarian governments act as mobsters, and how regimes create fear and command allegiance through the use of bureaucratic "machines," such as the cult of the leader, secret police, and the media. In the final lectures, Professor Liulevicius considers recent figures such as Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden and assesses terrorism in the contemporary world.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2003 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2003 The Great Courses

A little off the mark

I the beginning of the book is true to the title of the lecture, but beyond that it goes in depth into the different movements. I wasnt able to connect the idea of utopia to the regimes discussed. For one thing, I don't understand what elements of Utopia the citizens of Rwanda and Nazi Germany were expecting to achieve.


The professor does does a great job of describing the regimes and the leaders, but I still dont see why regular people went along with this

Good, but not as outstanding as his other courses

I am a YUUUUGE fan of Prof. L. His other two courses are exceptional. This one was not. Although his delivery and fairness are outstanding, the structure doesn't make sense to me. Most of these events are not really related. "Greatest Hits of Modern Atrocity."

Not bad

I liked the beginning and end but felt that the middle felt a bit general. I did learn a few things though. The overall premise of terror being linked to utopian ideals is very compelling.

Informative

Professor is well spoken and unbiased. Good overview of communism, Islamist and nazism. Would recommend.

Excellent course!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Utopia and Terror in the 20th Century?

The consistency across various totalitarian regimes that I had heard about but before this course did not have much knowledge about.

Any additional comments?

This definitely increased my understanding of how totalitarian regimes come to be, and the importance of both being an active citizen as well as recognizing the dignity of each human being.