Editing Totalitarianism (section)

===== Criticism of the classification of Islamism as totalitarianism =====
[[Enzo Traverso]], a critic of totalitarianism as a theoretical concept of historical and political sciences, is also critical of the usage of it in relation to [[Islamism|Islamist]] movements like [[Islamic State|ISIS]] and the [[Taliban]] and their state formations: according to Traverso, such notion contradicts the very theoretical concept of totalitarianism. Systems which are commonly described as totalitarian, fascism and communism, sought to create a [[utopia]]n "New Man" and as a result, they set their projects toward the future, not to revive old forms of [[Absolutism (European history)|absolutism]], as noted by [[Tzvetan Todorov]]. "The [[reactionary modernism]] of [[Islamic terrorism]], on the contrary, employs modern technologies in order to return to the original purity of a mythical Islam. If it has utopian tendencies, they look to the past rather than the future." More to it, totalitarianism has been applied to secular movements which have been described as irrational "political religions" which seek to abolish traditional religions, liturgies and symbols and replace them with their own liturgies and symbols, while [[Islamic fundamentalism]], on the contrary, is a politicized religion and a reaction to secularization and modernisation. Besides that, as a form of violence, [[terrorism]] is usually described as antipodal to state violence; while fascism was a reaction to democracy, Islamism arose in authoritarian, but weak states. "Speaking of a "theocratic" totalitarianism makes this concept even more flexible and ambiguous than ever, once again confirming its essential function: not critically interpreting history and the world, but rather fighting an enemy". Traverso writes that the usage of the term began after [[9/11]] by Western propaganda, which previously used it against the other enemies while maintaining the geopolitical interests of the West. He notes that the Islamic state which most resembles the concept of totalitarianism, [[Saudi Arabia]], is an ally of the West and as a result, it cannot be considered a part of the "[[Axis of Evil]]", and for that reason, as he believes, Saudi Arabia is rarely described as "totalitarian", unlike [[Iran]].<ref name="trav2"/>