But "self-government" is a sham, equated for the most part with conducting a vote. It's a sham because there is no way to rein-in the growth of unaccountable government. Further, at this point, a majority of the public sees the government as its sugar daddy, so elections are driven by nonsense, not by sound principle.
And totalitarianism, be it via a dictator or a monarch, is not per se "bad." Some dictators have done better for the populace they govern, than our elected officials do. By "better," I mean that the dictators give the public more freedom than our elected aristocracy and governing class allow.
I’d have to agree with what you have written. My Dad used to say his preference for government was a “benign totalitarian” one. : )
You're confusing totalitarianism with authoritarianism (at least I hope you are). The latter can be benevolent. The former is always a nightmare.