Fascism: Core Concepts and Ideological Traits
Fascism: Origins and Ideology
Fascism, in the singular, is the name given to the system headed by Mussolini, who governed Italy between the two world wars. The term in the plural has gained widespread use, often fraught with problems. Some scholars suggest that its use in the plural should be rejected. Others have used the term fascism to describe a host of undemocratic regimes.
The fact that so many different interpretations have arisen reflects enormous ideological diversity. Several additional problems have emerged: the word fascism itself does not give a clear indication of its political meaning. It also presents political problems; in most cases, the period of these regimes was very brief. It is worth mentioning that Italian Fascism has not lent its name to a multitude of formulas, unlike German National Socialism.
The models of Mussolini’s Italy and Hitler’s Germany are considered finished formulations of fascism. This term can also be used to describe other regimes that emerged in the interwar period and even to identify some subsequent political prescriptions.
Core Ideological Traits
The theoretical development of movements commonly identified as fascist was generally low, much lower than that of liberal or socialist movements. Nevertheless, there are several defining features of fascism:
- Some ideological conceptions of fascism are rooted in royalist and conservative thinking of the nineteenth century. Fascism questions the idea of building a society based purely on rational principles: power is seen as inherent in the nature of things and, as such, should be accepted. Inequality is considered natural, and attempts to stop or limit it are deemed doomed to failure. Authority is the main foundation of the political order.
- The emergence of fascism shows some changes compared to the conceptions of conservative and royalist thought. In fascism, there is a visible attempt to adapt to the demands of a more complex society. Secondly, although fascism is based on a radical critique of key elements of Enlightenment thinking, it still incorporates some ideas from those matrices.
- Thirdly, there is a crucial aspect that distinguishes fascism from both the traditionalist thought of the nineteenth century and many liberal currents. The confrontation with liberal thinking is a central point of articulation for fascisms. This confrontation has several elements: it establishes a rejection of the primacy of individual interests, which must be subordinated to the state. The private sphere of individuals all but disappears. Second, the collective interest is imposed according to the criterion of a leader. The power of this leader becomes a positive factor that demands constant affirmation. The leader should establish the fundamental economic rules; widespread state intervention in the economy should not be ruled out in any way. The role of nationalism is greater than that accorded to it in liberal thinking. In all fascist movements, a fusion occurred between a nationalist substrate and the new ideas brought by fascism. The persistence of nationalist approaches hindered the development of international solidarities and alliances.