20th Century and Information: A Mystery

Information in the 20th Century is an interesting topic.  And I will tell you why.

With the invention of the telephone in the late 19th century, with the transcontinental railroad already established, and with Henry Ford's innovative mass-production of automobiles which began in the early 20th century, information could spread at a once unimaginable pace.  People no longer had to ride horses to send letters to each other.  Information spread at an alarmingly fast pace, allowing citizens to be informed and aware of political, social and economic events.  Information was becoming cheaper and more accessible; people received substantial information everyday with all of these innovations.  I'm sure people were ecstatic that they could talk to their friends across the country(or world) by simply picking up some strange device with numbers on it.  Or that they could drive to town with ease and speed.

But, WHY, in a century where so many people have access to information, and could actively participate in current events, did characters like Stalin, Zedong, Hitler, and Mussolini rise up and take totalitarian control of their respective nations?  Were people just deciding not to respond to these people?

Well, Germany's situation can be partly explained.
After World War I, Germany was forced to take all the blame for the battles and losses that occurred, so the rest of the world incurred a multi million dollar debt on it.  Germany was forced to live in desperate poverty for the next few decades, trying to work off an enormous debt.  This debt probably made the citizens of Germany feel hopeless, and when a strong leader like Hitler rose, they looked up to his strength.

But in other places like Italy and China, it's hard for me to grasp the idea that people actually supported the totalitarian leaders.

Even when people have access to information, it seems to me they don't fully utilize it as they should.

This reminds me of this era, where many young adults don't take an active role in their government, or in current  events.

For example, a couple weeks ago, I asked my friend what she thought of SOPA.  She had no idea what I was talking about.  Now I'm not saying this person is uneducated(I think quite the contrary), but I simply believe people nowadays don't take advantage of the internet, news, and other technological advances to help them understand current events and the world around them.  I believe that is one of the most vital things us citizens of the earth can do to prevent more chaotic rulers like Stalin and Hitler.