Hannah
Arendt

Hannah Arendt was a prominent political theorist and philosopher known for her critical analysis of power, authority, and totalitarianism. Born in Germany in 1906, Arendt studied philosophy at the University of Marburg under the tutelage of renowned thinkers like Martin Heidegger and Karl Jaspers. Fleeing from the rise of Nazism, she emigrated to the United States in 1941, where she became a naturalized citizen in 1950.

Arendt's groundbreaking work on totalitarianism culminated in her seminal book "The Origins of Totalitarianism" published in 1951. She was also known for her coverage of the trial of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann, where she coined the phrase "the banality of evil" to describe the ordinary people who perpetrate horrific acts under an oppressive regime. Arendt's other major works include "The Human Condition" and "On Revolution," where she delved into themes of politics, freedom, and individual responsibility. Her insights into the nature of power and the potential for tyranny continue to be highly influential in the fields of political theory and philosophy.