Characteristics of a totalitarian regime include centralized control, suppression of dissent, and a lack of democratic processes. Such regimes often maintain power through propaganda, state surveillance, and the use of violence or coercion against opposition. Key features are the dominance of a single political party, state control over the economy, extensive censorship of media, and the erosion of civil rights. Historical examples include regimes like Nazi Germany and Stalinist Soviet Union, where individual freedoms are heavily restricted in favor of state goals.