The Evolution and Global Reach of Fascism and Nazism

The German Nazi State and Party Merger

In Germany, the state exhibited greater strength. There was a merger between the state and the Nazi Party. The fact that the rise of the Nazi Party proceeded more slowly than in the case of Italian Fascism forced numerous initial adaptation efforts and negotiations with representatives of the traditional German right.

The need to win over the electorate made the Nazis exercise restraint and assume a relative willingness to express commitments set forth in the rule of law. Ultimately, Adolf Hitler gained undeniably greater power than Benito Mussolini.

The Spread of Related Movements in Europe

Beyond Italian Fascism and German National Socialism, many other movements were more or less related to them.

Fascist Affinities in Northern and Eastern Europe

In Northern Europe, movements emerged in a confusing amalgam with the traditional right. In Eastern Europe, the ideological sway of German National Socialism became visible.

Countries such as Croatia, Austria, Slovakia, Norway, and Romania were the scene of the introduction of puppet regimes under German military occupation in the years before or during the course of World War II.

Specific Cases: Spain and Portugal

Regarding Spain, there have been bitter disputes over the status of the Spanish Falange. Although it had links with Italian Fascism, several key differences existed:

• The weight of a spiritual and religious understanding.
• Distrust of existing elites.
• Exaltation of agrarian life.
• Rejection of industry and its progress.

Something similar can be said of the political currents that led to the emergence of the Estado Novo in Portugal, led by António de Oliveira Salazar.

Classifying Non-European Authoritarianism

Regimes outside the European continent pose many problems when considering them as fascist, as they often fit the definition of authoritarianism better. Consequently, there have been disputes regarding their classification status.

The Survival of Fascism: Neo-Fascism and the Radical Right

We must also mention the survival of the fascist phenomenon through neo-fascism. Since 1980, some self-proclaimed fascist or Nazi movements have proliferated, determined to recover many of the symbols of the past.

These movements are not easy to distinguish from some of the political formations of the radical right. The latter has become an undeniable force, evidenced by electoral successes in countries like France, Germany, Italy, and Russia.