Understanding Fascism: Italy and Germany

Fascism in Europe

Europe suffered a series of events that were experienced as catastrophic social upheavals and economic depressions. The nineteenth-century liberal system was accused of being the cause, and values of reason and progress had lost credibility. During the 20s and 30s, political and social movements became authoritarian, demanding the demise of the liberal regime, as well as the imposition of the state over the masses. The most representative examples of fascism were Mussolini's Italy and Hitler's Germany.

Common Traits of Fascism

They shared the bourgeois rejection, contempt of liberal politics, rejecting parliamentary democracy, the harsh repression of Marxism, a strong nationalism, xenophobia and racism, and the tendency to rely on militarism to physical violence. A feature that distinguished them was that they were defined as modern and revolutionary. They wished to attract masses and to build a new society, mobilizing those using propaganda and demagoguery to capture them, and were directed by a charismatic leader, stranger to social groups, to achieve their own ends.

The Rise of Fascism

They imposed their dictatorship in two waves: the first concerns the countries of eastern and southern Europe, including Spain and Italy. In the second wave, with the achievement of Hitler's Germany, fascism spread throughout the world, triumphing easily and without opposition.

Mussolini's Italy

Fascism in Mussolini's Italy rose due to several factors: the desire to review peace agreements in Paris, which had not rewarded the country; the economic crisis and fear of social revolution, because of the weak Italian economy; and fragmentation of Parliament, where a rally, with Mussolini's fascist head, stormed government buildings and demanded all power to the king. Later, his power was consolidated in the chambers. The political opposition and legislatures were suppressed and dissolved, starting with the birth of a dictatorship and fascist totalitarian state. In the 30s, the regime became more autarchic to protect Italy from the Great Depression, imitating the Nazi model and militarizing the country.

Nazi Germany

After its defeat in World War I, Germany's regime was democratic and parliamentarian, which had numerous problems. Many political forces sought to revise the agreement, and military and nationalist parties were numerous, such as Hitler's Nazi party. The republic faced communist revolutionary attempts to separate the state and fascist coups. These were suppressed, but so was the labor movement that the coups affected. The electoral system prevented the parties from obtaining a majority to govern alone, which forced them into temporary coalitions. The Nazi party had social and economic support and became powerful. With the crisis of 1929, the votes received increased and Hitler rose to power.

Hitler's Consolidation of Power

He decreed a state of emergency, banned political parties, and even got rid of his own party leaders to grab power. The repression was brutal, and Nazism of the Jews was the biggest. Later, they would be enslaved and exterminated in mass extermination camps, in a slaughter called the Holocaust.