What is Facism?

SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1 What is Fascism

Few political terms have been as emotionally saturated as this one . The term is basically a political insult , a charge that has implications of authoritarianism and arbitrary rule . Therefore , getting to a technical definition of the term is very important , and in so doing , one must avoid the emotional content that has so damaged the term . This shall deal with not so much as to what Fascism was , but what Fascism is

There is a sense that Fascism is based on some form of nationalism

. The typical regimes called Fascist ' by commentators usually are temporally based in the 1920s and 1930s , and include Hitler 's Germany the Arrow Cross government in Hungary , the Iron Guard in Romania Mussolini in Italy and Francisco Franco 's military government in Spain The problem is that these regimes have as many differences as similarities

One might be able to extract a few similarities given the above regimes

A . Generally , these regimes are anti-capitalist , and hold that all economic activity be aimed at strengthening the nation and state

B . Generally , these governments hold to a specific civilization or culture as worthy of protection . Usually this is an ethnic group , or a more general culture

C . There is a strong sense of leadership vested in one man or party

D . There is a dire predicament these peoples are in that demands strong leadership and mobilization to defeat

This is a radically incomplete summary , but shows , in a...