To institute an effective totalitarian system or indeed any system at all you must offer some benefits and freedoms, at least to a privileged few, in return for those you remove.
In "The Handmaid's Tale," Margaret Atwood explores the mechanics of a totalitarian regime, suggesting that such a system cannot fully succeed without providing some advantages to a select group. This creates a pragmatic balance where those in power maintain control by offering certain privileges, which helps mollify dissent and consolidate authority.
This quote highlights the paradox of totalitarianism: it often imposes severe restrictions on the majority, yet it must simultaneously create a facade of stability or improvement for a minority. Such strategies are essential for the regime's longevity, as they exploit human nature's need for security and belonging while enforcing oppression.
