Historical Analysis Brief
What is Fascism?
Fascism is a form of ultra-nationalist right-wing politics that was designed first in Italy by Benito Mussolini in the years right after World War I. It was adapted and intensified by Adolf Hitler's Nazi Party in Germany, and has been copied and altered by many political movements since then. There are certain key characteristics that fascist movements share and which define fascism in practice. Here are 12 key traits of fascism:
Fascist Movements:
01
Name the Enemy
Fascism emphasizes the threat to the Nation from internal and external enemies.
02
Cleanse the Nation
Fascist ideology proposes to clean out or purge the Nation of the enemy or whatever group is designates as the "other."
03
Recover Past Glory
Fascism uses an imagined past, full of imperial conquest and triumphs, to encourage citizens to turn against their democratic governments in pursuit of a new era of glory.
04
Impose One-Party Rule
Fascists reject democracy and insist on a one-party state as a more "efficient" form of rule than a multi-party state.
05
Dominate the Culture
Fascism seeks to suppress free speech, especially in universities and in media (film, radio, TV, internet).
06
Use the Oligarchs
Fascists make alliances with wealthy elites and traditional conservatives who share many of their goals.
07
Create Autarky
Fascist government want closed imperial economic systems ("autarky") so they are not reliant on world trade.
08
Police the Streets
Fascists seek to control public space with paramilitary forces of armed men wearing distinctive gear and symbols and carrying weapons.
09
Worship the Leader
Fascist movements all revolve around one infallible Leader who dominates the party and state.
10
Deploy Propaganda
Visual images and political myths are constantly used to promote racial solidarity of fascism against the internal and external enemy.
11
Perpetuate Violence
Fascism promises a violent settling of scores against the nation's enemies, something many of their supporters eagerly embrace.
12
Destroy Communism
Hitler and Mussolini always saw Communism as the great enemy of Fascism, and pledged to wipe out Communists and the Soviet Union itself.
Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present.