Characteristics of a totalitarian state include centralized control by a single political party, suppression of dissent, and extensive state surveillance of citizens. In such regimes, the government seeks to regulate nearly all aspects of public and private life, often employing propaganda to maintain an ideology that justifies its authority. Individual freedoms, such as freedom of speech and assembly, are typically curtailed, with dissenters facing severe repercussions. Totalitarianism aims for total loyalty to the state, eroding personal autonomy and fostering a climate of fear and compliance among the population.