Political Ideologies and Regimes: A Comparative Study
ITEM 10: Political Ideologies and Regimes
Democracy
A form of government and state organization in which collective decisions are made by the people through participatory mechanisms. These mechanisms, directly or indirectly, confer legitimacy to the representatives.
Dictatorship
A form of government in which power is concentrated around the figure of a single individual (the dictator), usually through the consolidation of a de facto government. It is characterized by a lack of separation of powers, a propensity to exercise arbitrary control for the benefit of the minority that supports it, a lack of consent on the part of the governed, and the inability of the opposition to come to power through an institutionalized process.
Totalitarianism
An ideology, political movement, or regime where freedom is severely restricted and the state exercises all power without divisions or restrictions.
Fascism
An ideology and political movement that emerged in Europe during the interwar period (1918-1939).
Racism
A form of discrimination against people, where some are considered superior to others. Racism seeks the reduction or cancellation of the human rights of those discriminated against, based on any distinction, exclusion, restriction, or preference based on race, color, descent, or national or ethnic origin.
Anti-Semitism
Prejudice or outright hostility toward Jews as a generalized group.
Italian Fascist Combatants
An ultra-nationalist paramilitary group whose members were identified by their black shirts and military caps. It was founded by Mussolini in Milan in 1919.
Squadristi
Armed militant local leaders organized by fascists. They were distinguished by their unmistakable black shirt uniform.
Confindustria
Confederation of Italian Businesses.
Duce
The title designated to the head of state in Italy during the fascist era.
Fascistissime Laws
Laws that Mussolini developed between 1925 and 1926, which included: the creation of a court for political crimes and a new secret political police (the OVRA), the elimination of other political parties and labor unions, and the introduction of censorship.
OVRA
Organization for Vigilance and Repression of Anti-Fascism. A secret political police force created during the Italian Fascist dictatorship.
Corporatism
A system chosen by fascism for its labor and economic policy. It was based on organizing the economy and controlling social organizations (trade unions) on the principle of class collaboration, overcoming social conflict.
Autarky
Refers to dictatorships where the government, a group with absolute power over the state, dictates and changes laws according to its interests.
Spartacists
A minority group within the German Social Democratic Party that supported revolution. In 1919, they formed the German Communist Party (KPD).
Reichstag
The German Parliament.
Weimar Coalition
A coalition government formed by three moderate parties: the Centre Party, the Democratic Party (DDP), and the Social Democratic Party.
SA (Sturmabteilung)
(Assault Sections) A Nazi paramilitary organization. They were distinguished by their brown uniforms and armbands with the swastika symbol.
Putsch
A coup d’état produced by ultra-right-wing groups in 1923, amid hyperinflation and nationalist fervor resulting from the Franco-Belgian occupation of the Ruhr.
SS (Schutzstaffel)
(Protection Squads) Founded in 1925 as Hitler’s personal guard. In 1929, Himmler was appointed its head and transformed it into the elite corps of National Socialism. It constituted a privileged caste closely tied by oath to Hitler and Himmler.
Gestapo
The German state secret police.
Third Reich
Germany during the period between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler ruled the country under the foundations of the totalitarian ideology of Nazism.
Final Solution
A program for the total elimination of the Jewish population of Europe, carried out through a vast network of labor and extermination camps. Over five million Jews were killed.
Living Space (Lebensraum)
A war that took place in Germany to seize territories from other countries, aimed at economic recovery.