A beginner’s guide to fascism

Here’s a beginner’s guide to fascism (my title!) from Spiked. It summarises Mussolini’s rise to power in early twentieth century Italy.

The war of 1914 to 1918 was as disastrous for Italy as it was for most other European countries, leading to economic and political chaos. In Russia the Bolsheviks had already swept away the old regime and communist parties in Italy and elsewhere aimed to do likewise.

As in Russia, the Italian monarchy and liberal government were failing to provide effective political leadership and practical action. Mussolini chose the fasces of ancient Rome as a ’logo’ along with uniforms and a show of disciplined organisation to communicate his alternative to chaos.

The author’s description of all this as ’style’ hits the nail on the head. Speaking for myself, nothing symbolises Italy of today better than ancient Rome, ostentatious sports cars and Milanese fashion. And political chaos.

In Europe and the USA, ’fascist’ has long been used by leftists to insult anyone who disagrees with them. For the left the word denounces authoritarianism backed by violence, and there is no doubt that this was part of Mussolini’s formula. The emotional force of the insult however owes more to conflation of Mussolini’s regime with that of Nazi Germany.

There are many important common factors of course. Both grew out of post-war chaos, the failings of old regimes and the perceived betrayal of the common people. They promoted quasi-military discipline along with territorial conquest to gain national wealth and prestige. Both were anti-communist. On the other hand the Nazis’ programme for the extermination of Jews and other people was their idea not Mussolini’s.

Like other political terms – socialism, communism, capitalism, liberalism or conservatism for instance – the meaning of fascism is elusive. What such terms reveal is interesting but what they conceal is vital. For those who want to dig deeper, Tim Black’s short article provides a beginner’s guide to fascism.