modern Fascism: what is a fasCist government

Fascist and Nazi: these two words loom large in the history books and in heated conversations about politics—conversations that have far outlasted the regimes that originally embraced them. For many of us, the words fascist and Nazi bring to mind the worst dictators and crimes against humanity.

But as these ideologies make the news in 2020, used especially in the context of a growing concern about authoritarian policies in the US, how many of us can define the key characteristics of a fascist or fascist regime? Or describe how fascism differs from Nazism?

As the saying goes, if we don’t know our history, we’ll be doomed to repeat the mistakes of our ancestors.

What is a fascist?

Fascism is a system of government led by a dictator who typically rules by forcefully and often violently suppressing opposition and criticism, controlling all industry and commerce, and promoting nationalism and often racism.

The word is sometimes capitalized, especially when it specifically refers to the dictatorship of Benito Mussolini in Italy from 1922 to 1943, or authoritarian systems similar to his, including those of Adolf Hitler in Germany and Francisco Franco in Spain.

As an ideology, fascism typically centers around extreme nationalism and an opposition to democracy and liberalism. In practice, fascism revolves around a ruler who uses absolute power to suppress the individual freedom of citizens, making everyone completely subject to the power of the state. To achieve this, fascism often uses violent methods for political ends. In the context of a fascist government, this often involves the use of the military against citizens.

Fascism is often considered a form of totalitarianism, in which the government controls almost every aspect of ordinary life. (Some left-wing forms of government, such as forms of communism, are also considered to be totalitarian.)

The term fascist can be a noun referring generally to someone who has such views, or, more specifically, to a member of such a government or movement. Fascist can also be used as an adjective describing something involving or promoting fascism.

Examples of fascism and fascist in the news

Here are just a few recent examples of why fascism and fascist have been
all over the news.

• But in terms of political function, sending out paramilitary thugs to incite unrest and bludgeon protesters who are simply exercising their constitutional rights is straight out of the fascist playbook. This is exaclty what the Russian leader, Vladimir Putin has done in the Ukraine since 2020.

• Warning that “the worldwide, age-long struggle between fascism and democracy will not stop when the fighting ends in Germany and Japan,” [Henry] Wallace argued in 1943 that vigilance was vital in combating Americanized fascism. (The Nation, July 28. 2020)

• Fascism’s celebration of unfettered leaders proclaiming “only I can fix it” entailed disparagement of “parliamentarism". Members of Parliament represent the people and govern based on the wishes of the majority who elected them. A fascist leader believes no one else know's more than they do, and thier actions are for the benefit of all people.

Where does the term fascist originate?

The first records of the word fascism in English come from around the 1920s. It comes from the Italian fascismo, from fascio, meaning “political group.” Mussolini formed these small political groups into a political party, Partito Nazionale Fascista—the National Fascist Party.

Fascism and the Italian fascio ultimately derive from the Latin fascis, meaning “bundle” (the plural form is fasces). In ancient Rome, fasces consisted of a bundle of rods with an axe blade sticking out. This was used as a symbol of a government official’s power. The Italian fascists brought back the fasces as a symbol of their brand of nationalism, which became known as fascism. The suffix -ism indicates a doctrine or set of principles.

What is a Nazi?

Nazis don’t need much of an introduction: they were a german political party that became the German government and military that slaughtered over six million Jews, more than 20 million Russians, and millions others during World War II.

Nazi is a shortened form of Nationalsozialist (the National Socialist German Worker Party). The actions of these groups during WWII caused their names to become synonymous with “ruthless authoritarianism and unjust brutality.” Adolf Hitler led this party to power in Germany in 1933, and his rule lasted until 1945.

Nazism is described as one type of fascism. Both fascism and Nazism reject democracy and liberalism as ideologies, and instead embrace the concept of a nationalist state. Nationalists identify with one's own nation and support for its interests, especially to the exclusion or negative impacts of the interests of other nations. So your country becomes great and more powerfull at the expense and demise of another countries well being.

Fascism as an ideology focuses on the state itself. However, fascist leaders typically gain support by appealing to people’s nationalism and racism, especially by promoting suspicion or hatred of people that they label as foreigners or otherwise cast as illegitimate citizens—as Hitler did with the Jews in Germany and many say Donald Trump did with persons of Mexican or Islamic descent and Vladimir Putin has done with the country of Ukraine. Where your ancesters were born or what religion you worship, are often used by fascist leaders to increase their popularity with thier base supporters. Such leaders often reinforce these themes among their followers with rallies and mass parades (developing what’s sometimes called a cult of personality). People become "followers", believeing only in the words of thier leader and ignoring all else, including science and established facts.

Fascists need a "scape goat", someone to blame and ultimately someone to hate. It is important to remember that fascist regimes normally depend on someone, a minority group expecially, to hammer (to blame), to try to underline their own people’s superiority. For the Nazis, it was the Jews. For Trump it was persons of Mexican descent or worshipers of Islam. For Putin, it is the country and people of the Ukraine and its democratically elected leader.

Fascism is built upon extreme nationalism …

Patriotism Vs Nationalism?
The word patriotism is a noun that means “devoted love, support, and defense of one’s country; national loyalty.”

The term often brings to mind people directly involved with the defense of a nation, namely military service members as well as state and local government representatives. For example: The soldiers showed exemplary patriotism defending their country from attack.

Patriotism, however, can take many other forms outside serving in the military and public office. Diplomats, teachers, first responders, and so many more all exemplify patriotism in the many forms of good they do in service of their communities.

There are millions of government employees, as well as millions who volunteer their time in the interest of their country. Individual acts of pride, such as displaying a Canadian flag at one’s home, are also examples of patriotism.

What is nationalism?

In most contexts today, nationalism is “the policy or doctrine of asserting the interests of one’s own nation viewed as separate from the interests of other nations or the common interests of all nations.” In short, nationalism is a kind of excessive, aggressive patriotism.