本篇論文在解釋極權主義的意識形態及其建立之政體的性格，並且以十九世紀以來自由民主制之發展所形成的「兩極化之對立緊張」為脈絡，闡述「反自由民主制」的思潮以及這股思潮如何在第一次世界大戰後激化成政治的虛無主義與「求贖性的烏托邦」理念，繼而形塑出孕育極權主義的環境。在解釋極權主義之性格上，本文依循，但也修正漢娜．顎蘭的基本觀點，而論證極權主義乃是一種意議形態的全面性之恐怖統治，因此集中營與勞改營的建制即是極權主義的特徵，但儘管如此，極權主義的另一特徵在於透過一黨專政的官僚統治將生活世界構造成一種「一體化之組織結構」，在其中社會與國家以及經濟與文化各種活動之領域的界線全然被抹平。在解釋極權主義與現代民主的關係上，本文論證的主題在於，極權主義承襲「反自由民主制」的激進論，以一種具絕對性之歷史目的論的全盤性意識形態，企圖剷除自由民主中任何兩極化之對立與衝突，並且宣稱這套意識形態才能實現真實之民主。

　　　　　Following Hannah Arendt's classic work on totalitarianism, the first part of the paper gives an account of the formation of political nihilism and redemptive utopia in the generation of the first world war and traces its origin to the predicament of polarized tention in the development of modern liberal democracy. On the basis of this account, this paper tries to argue that the novelty of totalitarianism lies in its attempt at eliminating such a predicament of liberal democracy by means of total control and terrorism founded upon a comprehensive ideology. With regard to the interpretation of totalitarianism, this paper proposes to revise Arend't's thesis that the concentration camps constitute the basic character of totalitarian regime. Concerning this, the other parts of the paper argue that the totalitarian bureaucratic system shaped by one party dictatorship constitutes the political apparatus in terms of which the totalitarian dictatorship totally eliminates the gap between civil society and the state and constructs a monolithic social structure.