{"id":81001,"date":"2022-10-08T15:38:00","date_gmt":"2022-10-08T19:38:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=81001"},"modified":"2022-10-14T11:33:53","modified_gmt":"2022-10-14T15:33:53","slug":"origin-of-fascism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/origin-of-fascism\/","title":{"rendered":"The Origin of Fascism: History & Common Traits"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What is the origin of fascism? What are the common traits? How does fascism arise in society?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fascism is defined as a far-right, authoritarian, and repressive political philosophy or system. Historically, fascist ruling parties led to widespread poverty, people living in fear, and the loss of basic human rights. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep reading to learn the origin of fascism, its common traits, and how it arises in a society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

The Origins of Fascism<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The origin of fascism began after World War I as the brainchild of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini<\/a>. From Italy, fascist ideology quickly spread to several other countries in Europe\u2014most notably Nazi Germany\u2014as well as to Japan, Argentina, and other places around the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The word fascism <\/em>comes from the Roman fasces<\/em>, meaning a bundle of wooden rods tied around an ax. The fasces symbolizes unity and strength<\/a>: One rod could be snapped easily, but tied together they become nearly unbreakable. In ancient Rome, the fasces was also a symbol of office and a tool of punishment\u2014rods to beat lawbreakers and an ax to execute the worst offenders.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Fascism Arises<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In addition to recognizing the origins of fascism, it\u2019s helpful to know what conditions tend to give rise to it. Such an extreme political system won\u2019t find traction during normal times; totalitarian systems like fascism arise because scared and desperate people seek strong leadership and clear direction<\/a> to give them hope for the future<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One interpretation of fascism, made popular by leading Marxists such as Leon Trotsky<\/a>, is that fascism appears when capitalism<\/a> collapses. In other words, when a capitalist nation faces a severe economic crisis or political crisis (such as Germany and Italy, respectively, faced after World War I), the government will naturally turn to fascism as a means of finding stability and maintaining control. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, others believe that fascism is not a desperate attempt to prop up a collapsing capitalist society<\/a>, but is in fact a revolution against global capitalism<\/a>. Capitalism, seeking maximum efficiency and profit, naturally tends toward globalization. Therefore, fascism\u2014which, remember, features extreme nationalism and xenophobia\u2014could be a pushback against that trend as people try to reclaim \u201ctraditional\u201d values and beliefs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Either way, a frightened and angry populace is perhaps the most crucial predictor of fascism.<\/strong> Whether their country is facing an economic crisis or they fear their culture is being overrun by outside forces, fascism takes root in places where people are desperate for stability, strong leadership, and assurance that their beliefs and traditions will be protected. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Common Traits of Fascism<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to understanding the origin of fascism, it’s important to also know the common traits associated with a fascist regime. While the specifics have varied from country to country, fascism can be identified by several common elements<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n