They had no real power or authority to enforce their laws, taxes, and/or polices.
B. The ottomans promoted free trade on the silk road
Those were called Bolsheviks, which literally meant majority in Russian. The members of the liberal minority were called Mensheviks ("minority"). The battle for power between these two fractions played a crucial role in the start of the early Union and the Bolsheviks won out.
In a totalitarian state, the state has a total control over its citizens, and it tries to have absolute over all the political, social and personal life. Typically, there is only one party, and all citizens have to be involved in it in some way (i.e. by a Youth organization).