fascism

Fascism is a political ideology that emphasizes centralized autocratic rule, intense nationalist mobilization, and the subordination of individual rights to the interests of the nation. It arose in early 20th-century Europe as a reaction against liberal democracy, socialism, and pluralism, and it often presents itself as a means to restore unity, order, and strength after social or economic upheaval.

Core features commonly associated with fascist movements include a powerful, charismatic leader; a one-party state and suppression of political pluralism; extensive use of propaganda and mass mobilization; and a willingness to employ violence or paramilitary groups to intimidate opponents. Economically, fascism favors state-directed or corporatist arrangements that coordinate between the government, employers, and sometimes workers, while suppressing independent trade unions. Ideologically, fascism stresses ultranationalism, militarism, and xenophobia or racism, often seeking expansionist power and the creation of a homogeneous national community. It rejects liberal individualism, parliamentary liberal democracy, and most forms of pluralism.

Historically, fascism emerged with Benito Mussolini’s regime in Italy after World War I. It spread to other countries, most notably Nazi Germany, which shared authoritarianism, nationalism, and militarism but also incorporated a racialized and genocidal program. After World War II, fascist regimes collapsed, and the term has since been used to describe movements or governments that exhibit similar authoritarian, anti-democratic, and ultranationalist traits. There is ongoing scholarly debate about the precise boundaries and definitions of fascism, and the term is sometimes applied variably in contemporary discourse.