What strategies did totalitarian leaders use to maintain control over their populations?

Totalitarian leaders maintained control over their populations primarily through the strategic use of propaganda, censorship, and imprisonment. This approach ensured that the government could shape public perception and suppress any dissenting views that might challenge their authority. Propaganda was utilized to promote the regime's ideology, glorify its leaders, and create a sense of national unity, often by demonizing perceived enemies. Censorship played a crucial role in controlling the information available to the public, limiting access to independent media and opposing viewpoints. Imprisonment and state-sanctioned violence were often used to instill fear among the populace, discouraging opposition and dissent.

In contrast, the other choices suggest methods that aim to increase individual freedoms, such as democratic participation and open debates, which would be counterproductive for totalitarian regimes seeking absolute power. Encouraging political dissent would undermine their efforts to maintain control, as would the promotion of free speech, which would allow for the expression of ideas that might challenge the ruling authority. Thus, the correct answer highlights the oppressive measures inherent in totalitarian governance.