Fascism and Nazism - UPSC PDF Download

Fascism and Nazism rose as a result of the political crisis that plagued Europe from the late nineteenth century to the end of World War I. Read here to know the concepts of fascism and nazism, as well as a comparison between the two ideologies.

• The driving forces behind Fascism and Nazism were the profound fears of social and political disintegration and revolutionary upheaval experienced by the ruling elites and substantial segments of the middle and lower classes. 
• These ideologies were marked by the idolization of specific leaders, the employment of violence, and the repudiation of both communism and democracy.

Fascism

Fascism is an Italian term that translates to "bundle" and signifies a political union or league. This far-right political ideology advocates for a dictatorial, hierarchical system of governance, opposing democracy and liberalism. Key elements of fascism include extreme nationalism, discrimination based on ethnicity and gender, support for violence and warfare, and a strong opposition to socialism.
Fascism is built upon the following principles:

1. Nationalism, with or without expansionism: Fascism emphasizes the importance of nationalism and envisions a nation as a single organic entity that unites individuals through their shared ancestry. To overcome economic, social, and political challenges, fascists strive for a national rebirth that places the nation above all else and promotes unity, strength, and purity.
2.  Totalitarianism: Fascist regimes are characterized by the totalitarian rule of the state, which opposes liberal democracy in favor of one-party governments. Fascists believe that single-party governments are more beneficial to the country than multi-party systems. To indoctrinate society, fascist governments use propaganda in media and educational institutions and control the production of content to suppress opposing viewpoints.
3. Economy: Fascism presents itself as an alternative to both socialism and free-market capitalism. It promotes economic self-sufficiency and aims to resolve domestic class struggles to ensure national solidarity. Fascist economics support a state-controlled production system that allows for a mix of private and public ownership. Economic planning is applied to both sectors, with the success of the private sector depending on its alignment with state objectives. In fascist economic theory, national interests take precedence over private profits.
4. Action: Fascism places a strong emphasis on direct action and considers political violence a valid form of protest. This support for violent action is rooted in social Darwinism, which argues that a superior race has the right to dominate weaker races. Fascism originated in Italy under the leadership of Benito Mussolini, who organized armed gangs against socialists and communists in 1919.

Rise of fascism in Italy

• Following World War I in 1919, Italy faced weak governance and economic hardships. Events such as the Russian Revolution and the Great Depression diminished hopes for economic prosperity in post-war Europe, with countries like Germany and Italy being hit the hardest. This environment led to the rise of Fascism and Nazism.
• During this time, the Italian government neglected the well-being of agricultural and industrial workers, who faced dire working conditions. Instead, the government focused on obtaining colonies and dragged Italy into the First World War. The peace treaties that followed did not meet Italian expectations, and the war resulted in the deaths of nearly 700,000 Italians, further worsening the situation for the general population.
• Amidst this chaos, the Italian socialist movement gained power, threatening the existing political system. Capitalists and landlords, who largely controlled Italian politics, began to feel vulnerable. In order to achieve their colonial ambitions and protect themselves from the growing influence of socialism, these groups started to support anti-democratic movements. This contributed to the rise of Fascism in Italy, as the country grappled with political and economic instability.

Benito Mussolini

• After serving in the Italian army during World War I, Benito Mussolini sought a way to unite the Italian people. In 1918, he began delivering impassioned speeches calling for a dictator to lead the nation, arguing that the country's post-war issues, such as widespread unemployment, political party divisions, and socialist and communist strikes, could only be resolved by a strong leader who could bring the people together.
• In 1919, Mussolini founded his fascist movement in Milan, a city in northern Italy. He organized groups of black-shirted street fighters, known as the "Blackshirts," who targeted and attacked socialists and communists, removing them from local governments and assaulting them. The recent communist revolution in Russia fueled anti-communist sentiments among businessmen, property owners, and middle-class professionals like teachers and doctors, who quickly joined Mussolini's fascist movement.
• In 1921, Mussolini established the National Fascist Party, although he still lacked a clear fascist platform. His primary goal was to take control of Italy. In October 1922, he organized a march on Rome, and the Italian government did not resist Mussolini's volunteers. Instead, the king of Italy invited Mussolini to join the government, allowing the fascists to seize power without any violence.
• On October 29, 1922, Mussolini, at the age of 39, became Italy's youngest prime minister. His rise to power was followed by a reign of terror as the fascist government took control.

Mussolini was now Il Duce (ihl DOO chay), or the leader

• Mussolini, also known as Il Duce (the leader), abolished democracy in Italy and banned all political parties except the Fascists. He established a secret police force to imprison his opponents, and enforced strict censorship on radio stations and publications to promote only Fascist ideologies. Mussolini prohibited strikes and attempted to control the economy by aligning the Fascists with industrialists and large landowners.
• In 1935, Mussolini invaded Ethiopia, a poor African country that had previously defeated Italy in battle. In 1939, he signed the "Pact of Steel" with Hitler, committing each country to support the other in times of war. Shortly after, Hitler invaded Poland, triggering World War II. Mussolini hesitated to join Hitler until France was on the verge of defeat in June 1940.
• Mussolini then decided to attack Greece, but his army faced a devastating defeat and required German forces to save them. In 1941, he sent 200,000 troops to help Hitler invade the Soviet Union. Many German and Italian soldiers perished due to the harsh winter and Soviet guerrilla fighters.
• By 1943, Mussolini's army had been defeated in North Africa, Sicily had been captured, and Rome had been destroyed. The Italian people lost faith in Il Duce, and the Grand Council called for his resignation. King Victor Emmanuel ordered Mussolini's arrest and imprisonment, but German commandos helped him escape to Germany.
• Mussolini returned to northern Italy, near Milan, where the Germans had taken control and established a new Fascist government. However, he was merely a puppet for the Nazis. As the Allies approached Milan, Mussolini attempted to flee but was captured and executed by Italian anti-fascist fighters on April 28, 1943. His body was publicly displayed in Milan the following day, marking the end of the Fascist movement he had started 25 years earlier.
• Mussolini's Italy served as a model for Fascists in other countries, but he never achieved the same level of absolute control as Joseph Stalin in the Soviet Union or Adolf Hitler in Germany.

Nazism

• Nazism is a common word for National Socialism and is a far-right ideology.
• Adolf Hitler’s National Socialist German Workers’ Party promoted the far-right ideology of nazism, which emphasizes racial superiority and a totalitarian state.
• It began in the 1920s and continued until 1945 when World War II concluded.
• Nazism had many characteristics in common with Italian fascism, including passionate nationalism, widespread popularity, and authoritarian authority.
• Nazism is a type of fascism that despises parliamentary government and liberal democracy. Hence, Fascism and Nazism are two sides of the same coin.
• Its ideology includes ardent anti-Semitism, anti-Communism, scientific racism, and the application of eugenics.
• Pan-Germanism and the ethnic-nationalist neopagan Völkisch movement, which had been a significant component of German nationalism since the late 19th century, were the origins of its extreme nationalism.

It was also greatly influenced by the paramilitary Freikorps groups that arose following Germany’s defeat in World War I, from which the party’s underlying “cult of violence” emerged.

Rise of Nazism in Germany

• The outbreak of revolution in Germany towards the end of the First World War led to the collapse of the German monarchy.
• However, even though Germany became a republic, the forces behind the monarchy the industrialists, the big landowners, and the officers of the army remained quite powerful.
• The government of the German republic was not able to destroy its power.
• These forces began to turn to the anti-democratic forces represented by Nazism to extend their power and check the power of the socialist movement
• Nazis capitalized on the sense of humiliation that many Germans felt at their defeat in the war and the unjust provisions of the Treaty of Versailles.
• They also exploited the misery of the people which had worsened due to the reparations that Germany was made to pay to the Allied powers.
• In 1929 occurred the most serious economic crisis affected all the capitalist countries of the world.

Adolf Hitler
After World War I, Hitler moved to Munich and joined a small right-wing political group in 1920. The group shared his belief that Germany should reject the Treaty of Versailles and fight communism. This organization later became known as the National Socialist German Workers' Party or simply the Nazi Party. Supported by the lower and middle classes, the Nazi Party gained popularity throughout Germany.

• The swastika was chosen as the party's emblem, and the stormtroopers (also known as Brownshirts) were established as a private militia. Due to his exceptional speaking and organizing skills, Hitler quickly became the leader of the Nazi Party, which helped the party gain more political power.
• In 1923, inspired by Mussolini's march on Rome, Hitler and the Nazis attempted to overthrow the government in Munich but failed. Hitler was arrested and charged with treason. However, he received a lenient sentence of five years in prison, serving less than nine months. During his time in prison, Hitler wrote Mein Kampf (My Struggle), which outlined his vision for Germany and later became the Nazi Party's guiding doctrine.
• In Mein Kampf, Hitler argued that Germans were a superior "master race" and considered non-Aryan groups like Jews, Slavs, and Gypsies to be inferior. By 1932, the Nazi Party had become the most powerful political force in Germany. Conservative leaders mistakenly believed they could control Hitler and use him to their advantage, leading President Paul von Hindenburg to appoint Hitler as chancellor in January 1933. This allowed Hitler to rise to power legally.
• Once in power, Hitler established a totalitarian regime in Germany, outlawing all opposition parties and imprisoning his opponents. He also created the SS (Schutzstaffel), an elite, all-black military force, which was loyal only to him. In 1934, the SS arrested and killed hundreds of Hitler's opponents, effectively silencing any opposition and instilling fear in the German population.
• Anti-Semitism, the hatred of Jews, was a central aspect of Nazi ideology. Jews were scapegoated for Germany's post-war problems, despite making up less than one percent of the population. This led to widespread anti-Semitism in Germany, and the Nazis passed laws in 1933 that stripped Jews of many of their rights. Jewish-owned properties were destroyed, and Jews were increasingly attacked in their homes and on the streets, culminating in the violent events of November 9, 1938, known as Kristallnacht.
• In 1939, Hitler invaded Poland, sparking World War II. As Germany's defeat became imminent in 1945, Hitler committed suicide in his bunker.

Difference between Fascism and Nazism

Fascism and Nazism have numerous similarities as they are ideologically the same, but they have differences too like:

Fascism	Nazism
Fascism advocates corporatizing all aspects of society to create an “Organic State.” The state was a minor component of fascist ideas.	Racism was a focus of Nazism. The concept promoted the idea that a state headed by members of a specific race—in this case, the ‘Aryan’ race—would be superior.
The class system was valued by fascism and preserved for a better social structure.	A class-based society was seen by Nazism as a barrier to racial unification and was actively seeking to be eradicated.
The state was seen by fascism as a method of furthering nationalism.	Nazism saw the government as a means of preserving and advancing the master race.
Benito Mussolini and Oswald Mosley are the notable leaders of Fascism	Adolf Hitler and Joseph Mengele are famous Nazis

Conclusion

In conclusion, Fascism and Nazism emerged as a result of the political crisis that plagued Europe during the late 19th century to the end of World War I. Both ideologies share common characteristics, such as extreme nationalism, totalitarianism, and the use of violence. However, they also have differences, such as Nazism's strong emphasis on anti-Semitism and the concept of a "master race." Both Mussolini's Fascist Italy and Hitler's Nazi Germany left a dark legacy in history, marked by their oppressive regimes and the profound impact they had on the world during World War II.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) of Fascism and Nazism

What is the main difference between Fascism and Nazism?

The main difference between Fascism and Nazism is their focus on race and ethnicity. While both ideologies promote totalitarianism and extreme nationalism, Nazism specifically emphasizes racial superiority, anti-Semitism, and the concept of a "master race." Fascism, on the other hand, does not focus as much on racial ideology and is more concerned with national unity and authoritarian control.

Who were the key leaders of Fascism and Nazism?

The key leaders of Fascism were Benito Mussolini in Italy, while Nazism was led by Adolf Hitler in Germany.

How did Fascism and Nazism contribute to the rise of totalitarianism in Europe?

Both Fascism and Nazism contributed to the rise of totalitarianism in Europe by promoting authoritarian rule, suppressing opposition, and controlling various aspects of public and private life. Both ideologies sought to create a strong, centralized state that would promote national unity and strength, often at the expense of democratic institutions and individual freedoms.

What role did economic factors play in the rise of Fascism and Nazism?

Economic factors played a significant role in the rise of Fascism and Nazism. Both Italy and Germany experienced severe economic hardship following World War I, leading to widespread unemployment and social unrest. These conditions created a sense of desperation and disillusionment among the population, making them more receptive to the promises of strong, authoritarian leaders who claimed they could restore national pride and economic stability.

What was the ultimate fate of Fascism and Nazism in Europe?

Fascism and Nazism ultimately met their end with the defeat of Italy and Germany in World War II. Mussolini was captured and executed by Italian anti-fascist partisans, while Hitler committed suicide in his bunker as Allied forces closed in on Berlin. Following their defeat, both Italy and Germany underwent a process of de-Nazification and de-fascistization, leading to the establishment of democratic governments in both countries.