How does totalitarian control affect personal choices?

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Prepare for UCF POT4314 Contemporary Democratic Theory Exam. Access flashcards and multiple choice questions with explanations. Pass your exam with confidence!

Totalitarian control heavily influences personal choices by positioning the government as the central authority that determines what is permissible for citizens. In such systems, individual freedoms are significantly curtailed, and all personal decisions – whether related to daily life, expression, occupation, or belief – are subject to the approval and permission of the state. This creates an environment where citizens may feel they have the ability to make choices, but those choices are strictly limited and guided by what the government allows.

In contrast, the other options fail to accurately capture the nuances of this control. While it's true that citizens do not have the same level of freedom as in democratic systems, the assertion that they have no choices at all oversimplifies the reality; people may make daily decisions, but those are often constrained by overarching regulations. The idea that choices are unlimited is fundamentally incorrect in a totalitarian regime, as the essence of totalitarianism is to restrict freedoms and dictate lifestyles. Finally, while all choices being based on government permissions aligns closely with option B, suggesting that the only aspect at play is permission neglects the complexities of how citizens might navigate their limited choices within such a system. Therefore, the assertion that all choices are based on government permissions encapsulates the core dynamics of personal agency under