National Security vs. the Right to Privacy Essay

Considering how harsh Hitler’s dictatorship was, it is hard not to wonder how and why the population accepted his dictatorship. Hitler brought the population to this point mainly by the use of propaganda, the manipulation and brainwashing of German youth, and, most importantly, the use of terror .

The need to protect National Security is far more important than individual privacy. The greatest part of living in the United States of America is the freedom that we have. That freedom and the right to live freely is protected by various government agencies. From time to time, the privacy a person has may have to be invaded to guarantee the security of the country and other citizens. Everyone has the right to not have their life controlled by the government, but it has the right to make sure that citizens are not doing anything to threaten the security of

Totalitarian leaders used propaganda to make their people do what they wanted and

case could have been legal by the constitution, but it was not part of the

Over the years one ruler that was known for his huge actions was Joseph Stalin. The Soviet Union was a communist country and Stalin wanted to do anything he can to have this country under his complete rule. One action he took was to instill fear on his citizens. “Creating fear was easy…the NKVD had blanketed the country with informers” (Marrin Doc 8). Another thing he did was use his power to influence the people to do what he pleased. Such as using the Pravda Newspaper to only promote what the communist party wanted people to know. “Although its name means “truth” Pravda reported only what Communist Party wanted

The 20th century was marked by many unforgettable events such as World War I, World War II, and the Cold War. Some of these events occurred because of the birth of a government system called totalitarianism. A totalitarian regime is gained either through legal or illegal means and transforms the entire society into a single party regime with the sole purpose of conquering society (Zani, 2003). One of the founding fathers of totalitarianism, Joseph Stalin, ruined the lives of many by taking complete control over their lives through brainwashing techniques and destroying their rights to express their opinion.

“In Hitler's Germany there were many characteristics of a Totalitarian state. The Government ran and censored the media. All forms of communication were liable to interference from above and could, and were, heavily censored. This removes freedom of speech, therefore enabling the government to influence popular opinion via propaganda and false news messages” (“Was”, n.d.).

Through the use of fear, many totalitarian leaders obtain and maintain control over others by using intimidation seeing as when one possesses this emotion it is not possible

Through the years the government has tried to control us through many different ways, and in my opinion the main source they use to do that is the media. From televisions, to radios, to newspapers and the Internet, this giant swirl of information, is designed to keep us, the members of society informed and educated on the issues and events going on in the world. But what we are seeing, hearing and believing, is far from that. Not only are we being lied to for the use of monetary gain, but we are also being influenced on many aspects of our lives. The media is manipulating the information they give, pulling an imaginary blanket over our eyes, so that we believe what they want us to believe. The world of modern media has become a tool of de-evolution, propaganda and social control. If we keep being ignorant of what is going on sooner than later we will eventually become like Oceania and it will be too late to stop

Which one would you rather have, privacy or national security? Look at it this way, you are offered a room with safety from any harm with food and shelter for the rest of your life but you would be under surveillance of the government who would know absolutely everything that you do including who you text, your friends, what you say on social media, and every other aspect of your life. Or you have the ability to travel down the road of endless possibilities with the chance of getting hurt or even death but you would have to fend for yourself. In today’s world, terrorism poses a high threat against most Western Countries including The United States of America as shown by many terrorism plots like 9/11, a shooting attack at a night club, or

First, dictatorships can arise from popular fear when one person tries to promise the people what they think they need and another tries to give them what they want. This is shown through Hitler’s rise to power (“Causes of World War II: Hitler’s Actions”). Hitler became powerful because he promised the German public something that the Weimar Republic and its leaders couldn’t: a chance to become powerful

The populace is scared into believing that any expression of defiance, even in their own homes, is illegal. Any violation or possible threat to the Party?s power will result in re-education and then, usually, death by vaporization or gunshot to the head. Telescreens constantly monitoring the public keep them weak and afraid. The omnipresent posters reminding them that the supposed Big Brother is watching them at all times also keeps them rigid and on alert. Citizens become hyperaware of their facial expressions, and everything they say has to first be mentally checked for any possibility that the phrase could be taken in a different manner, an illegal one. The Party also keeps the population in a near-constant state of exhaustion, the result of working long, hard, and tedious jobs. People are too tired to bother rebelling or harboring rebellious thoughts and ideas. By keeping them feeble and powerless, the government can make sure they won?t rise up against the Party.

What’s even worse is that it’s not only the dictator who will abuse power. His family, his close friends, and his political allies can also abuse their position to fill their coffers and get what they want. 2. It prevents people from enjoying free speech.

Today, individuals are sacrificing privacy in order to feel safe. These sacrifices have made a significant impact on the current meaning of privacy, but may have greater consequences in the future. According to Debbie Kasper in her journal, “The Evolution (Or Devolution) of Privacy,” privacy is a struggling dilemma in America. Kasper asks, “If it is gone, when did it disappear, and why?”(Kasper 69). Our past generation has experienced the baby boom, and the world today is witnessing a technological boom. Technology is growing at an exponential rate, thus making information easier to access and share than ever before. The rapid diminishing of privacy is leaving Americans desperate for change.

The attacks on American soil that solemn day of September 11, 2001, ignited a quarrel that the grade of singular privacy, need not be given away in the hunt of grander security. The security measures in place were planned to protect our democracy and its liberties yet, they are merely eroding the very existence with the start of a socialistic paradigm. Benjamin Franklin (1759), warned more than two centuries ago: “they that can give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” Implementing security measures comes at a cost both economically and socially. Government bureaucrats can and will utilize information for personal political objectives. The Supreme Court is the final arbitrator