Fascism: Definition & History

The Mussolini government in Italy invented the word, Fascist.

Definitions: Fascism is a system of government marked by centralization of authority under a dictator, stringent socioeconomic controls, suppression of the opposition through terror and censorship, and typically a policy of belligerent nationalism and racism. (American Heritage Dictionary). Fascism is a political philosophy, movement, or regime that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition. (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). Fascism is an authoritarian political ideology that considers individual and other societal interests subordinate to the needs of the state, and seeks to forge a type of national unity, usually based on, but not limited to, ethnic, cultural, or racial attributes (Wikipedia).

Fascism has become a Slur: Since the end of World War II, the term has become a slur word. The word "fascist" has come to mean "tyrannical," "oppressive," "intolerant," "chauvinist," "genocidal", "dictatorial," and "racist." All these concepts that are at least loosely inspired by the ideology of actual fascism. The terms like "Nazi" is often used in a similar way. Various attribute of fascism proper included the following: nationalism, authoritarianism, statism, militarism, corporatism, populism, totalitarianism. This sence that it is used on this Blog. According to these dictionary definitions and common use of the word today, Socialism including Communism and Islam are fascist in nature.

Fascism Governments: The governments and parties most often considered fascist include the Mussolini government in Italy, Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler, Spain's Falange, Portugal's Estado Novo, Hungary's Arrow Cross Party, Romania's Iron Guard. Other similar movements existed across Europe in the 1920s and 1930s. Fascism attracted political support from diverse sectors of the population. In countries such as Romania and Hungary (and to a lesser extent in other states), Fascism had a strong base of support among the working classes and extremely poor peasants. Other supporters have included members of big business, farmers and landowners, nationalists, and reactionaries, disaffected World War I veterans, intellectuals such as Gabriele D'Annunzio, Curzio Malaparte, Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, Carl Schmitt and Martin Heidegger.

Fascism and the Roman Catholicism: Pope Leo XIII's 1891 encyclical, Rerum Novarum included doctrines that fascists used or admired. Forty years later, the corporatist tendencies of Rerum Novarum were underscored by Pope Pius XI's May 25, 1931 encyclical Quadragesimo Anno. In the early 1920s, the Catholic party in Italy (Partito Popolare) was in the process of forming a coalition with the Reform Party that could have stabilized Italian politics and thwarted Mussolini's projected coup. On October 2, 1922, Pope Pius XI circulated a letter ordering clergy not to identify themselves with the Partito Popolare, but to remain neutral, an act that undercut the party and its alliance against Mussolini. Following Mussolini's rise to power, the Vatican's Secretary of State met Mussolini in early 1923 and agreed to dissolve the Partito Popolare, which he saw as an obstacle to fascist rule. In exchange, the fascists made guarantees regarding Catholic education and institutions. In 1924, following the murder of the leader of the Socialist Party by fascists, the Partito Popolare joined with the Socialist Party in demanding that the King dismiss Mussolini as Prime Minister, and stated their willingness to form a coalition government. Pius XI responded by warning against any coalition between Catholics and socialists. The Vatican ordered all priests to resign from the Partito Popolare and from any positions they held in it. This action led to the party's disintegration in rural areas where it relied on clerical assistance. The Vatican subsequently established Azione Cattolica (Catholic Action) as a non-political lay organization under the direct control of bishops. The Vatican forbid Azione Cattolica to participate in politics, and thus it was not permitted to oppose the fascist regime. Pius XI ordered all Catholics to join Catholic Action. This order resulted in hundreds of thousands of Catholics withdrawing from the Partito Popolare, and joining the apolitical Catholic Action, which in turn caused the Catholic Party's final collapse. Aside from certain ideological similarities, the relationship between the Church and fascist movements in various countries has often been close. An early example is Austria, which developed a quasi-fascist authoritarian Catholic regime some call the "Austro-fascist" Ständestaat between 1934 and 1938. There is little debate over Slovakia, where the fascist dictator was a Catholic monsignor; and the Independent State of Croatia, where the fascist Ustashe identified itself as a Catholic movement.

Fascism and Protestantism: In Italy and Spain Protestants were persecuted under Mussolini and Franco. Mussolini's sub-secretary of Interior issued a memo closing houses of worship and imprisoned Protestant leaders. In some instances, people were killed because of their faith. However, the German form of Fascism, Nazism, and Lutheranism was close or at least collaborative. In his manifesto, Mein Kampf, Hitler listed Martin Luther as one of Germany's great historic reformers. In Luther's 1543 book On the Jews and Their Lies, Luther advocated the burning of synagogues and schools, the deportation of Jews, and many other measures that resemble the actions later taken by the Nazis.

Much of this article comes from Wikipedia.