fasc

Fascism, sometimes abbreviated as fasc in some discussions, is a far-right, authoritarian political ideology and movement that emerged in early 20th-century Europe. It emphasizes centralized autocratic government, vigorous nationalism, and the subordination of individual rights to the interests of the nation or state. The term comes from the Italian fascio, meaning a bundle, symbolizing unity and strength through collective action; it was popularized by Mussolini’s movement, Fasci di Combattimento, founded in 1919, and the subsequent Italian regime.

Core features commonly associated with fascism include a one-party state and suppression of political pluralism, civil liberties, and independent institutions; a strong, centralized leadership often portrayed as a unifying genius; militant nationalism and often expansionist or militaristic aims; and an economic system that blends state intervention with private enterprise in a corporatist framework. Fascist movements typically reject liberal democracy, socialism, and liberal individualism, while promoting an idealized national community, mythic national greatness, and a mobilized citizenry through propaganda, ceremonial rituals, and youth organizations.

Variants and influence: Nazism in Germany is a related but distinct form that adds racial hierarchy and genocidal antisemitism to the fascist template. Other movements in various countries adopted fascist styles or inspired governance models during the interwar period. After World War II, most fascist regimes collapsed, and modern scholarship views fascism as a dangerous anti-democratic and anti-liberal force, though contemporary political rhetoric sometimes uses the term pejoratively to describe movements perceived as authoritarian or extreme.