Fascism is a far-right, authoritarian ultranationalism characterized by dictatorial power, forcible suppression of opposition and strong regimentation of society and of the economy. First fascist movements emerged in Italy during World War I, before spreading to other European countries. Since the end of World War II in 1945, few parties have openly described themselves as fascist, and the term is instead now usually used pejoratively by political opponents.
About Fascism in brief
Fascism is a far-right, authoritarian ultranationalism characterized by dictatorial power, forcible suppression of opposition and strong regimentation of society and of the economy. The first fascist movements emerged in Italy during World War I, before spreading to other European countries. A fascist state is led by a strong leader such as a dictator and a martial law government composed of the members of the governing fascist party to forge national unity and maintain a stable and orderly society. Since the end of World War II in 1945, few parties have openly described themselves as fascist, and the term is instead now usually used pejoratively by political opponents. According to many scholars, fascism – especially once in power – has historically attacked communism, conservatism, and parliamentary liberalism, attracting support primarily from the far- right. Professor Jason Stanley says recent events have substantiated his concern about how fascist rhetoric is showing up in politics and policies around the world. He argues that there is no such thing as generic fascism and that states such as Nazi Germany and Italy are more different than similar states in other countries. The descriptions neo-fascist or post-fascist are sometimes applied more formally to describe parties of the far right with ideologies similar to, or rooted in, 20th-century fascist movements. The Italian term fascismo is derived from fascio meaning ‘a bundle of sticks’ and ‘fascio’ means ‘strength through unity’.
The symbolism of the fasces suggested strength through unity: a single rod is easily broken, while the bundle is difficult to break. Similar symbols were developed by different fascist movements: for example, the Falange symbol is five arrows joined together by a yoke, which could be used for corporal and capital punishment at his command. The idea of ‘purity’ has motivated fascist regimes to commit massacres, forced sterilization, genocides, or forced deportation against a perceived other. The extreme authoritarianism of fascism usually manifests itself in the belief in a ‘pure race’, usually synthesized with some variant of racism or bigotry. It is a palingenetic form of populist ideology having three core components: the mythic rebirth, ultra-nationalism, and ultra-populism. It claims the rebirth is a myth whose core in its various permutations is ‘the rebirth of the nation,’ ‘nationalism’ or ‘autarky’ It also claims that the rebirth of a nation is the only way to achieve national rejuvenation, and that the only people who can help achieve it are those who have been ‘born into it’ The term “fascism” has been used to refer to a variety of political movements, including the Italian Fasces of Revolutionary Action, the National Fascist Party and the Italian Fascist Movement, which was founded by Benito Mussolini in 1915. It has also been used as a name for a number of political parties and movements in the 20th century, such as the Communist Party of Italy.
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This page is based on the article Fascism published in Wikipedia (as of Dec. 19, 2020) and was automatically summarized using artificial intelligence.
