Humans in concentration camps were cut off from the world and were treated as if they were nothing. According to Arendt, “these camps are the true central institutions of totalitarian organizational power” (88). What Arendt is saying is that this government had the power to hold a large number of people in one area, while they represented these people to the world as if they never existed, thus proving total domination on the country. These camp were used for testing and minimal work, but were basically used as a way to remove un-wanted people from society and have them vanish from life as if they never were alive. Arendt says “even if they happen to keep alive (the campers), are more effectively cut off from the world of living than if they had died, because terror enforces oblivion” (94). The way she states this makes you understand that the people in these camps are no longer living, but are walking around like zombies. When a person witness death on a day to day basis, as if it is nonchalant, then that person may come to the realization that they are next or that life is no longer precious. When a person gets to this point, they lose hope and they begin to vanish emotionally and mentally, becoming oblivious to the world around them. “The concentration- camp inmate has no price, because he can always be replaced…,” (Arendt 95) this backs up the reasoning behind why these inmates are oblivious. If they know that they can be killed in a second and replaced one second later, then the hope and fear they had in the beginning disappears and most likely, they turn into emotionless creatures.


Arendt, Hannah. “Total Domination.” A World of Ideas; Essential Reading for College Writers. Lee A. Jacobus. 7th ed. New York; Bedford St. Martins, 2006. pp 88-96.