(ELI5) what actually is a facist
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Contrary to use on the internet, it’s actually quite a specific thing born of the early 20th century and really only applicable there.
Fascism is very nationalistic. Everything is about the nation. It forgoes liberal ideals for the good of the nation. Distinct from earlier nationalism that was also liberal, like say the French revolution. It sees the nation, or race, as superior and of the upmost importance. Which leads into Naziism as an extreme, though not all fascist were to that extreme. But this does lead to internal hierarchy and discrimination. It is very militaristic, and sees conquest as justified. It also in no way conservative, but does lean heavily on the myth of a glorious past. Mussolini, for example, was basically claiming the glory of Rome. Fascism is actually radical and progressive, just not in the way we normally think of that going. It’s about rejuvenation, not the status quo.
Fascism is authoritarian and totalitarian. It is not democratic, but may take over via popularism within democracy. It will snuff out opposition, often violently. It seeks to control the population and most aspects of life, both economically and personally. Though it leads into working with corporations, rather than dismantling them. Fascism is actually really weak on any sort of economic policy or ideology. It has a central dictatorial figure, with a cult of personality.
Fascism is, pretty much by definition, opposed to communism. It’s a core pillar of it. Both communism as in socialist, and communism, as in the oddly similar in execution Bolsheviks and Stalinists. Both in totalitarianism, conquest, political violence, and collectivism over liberalism. Street fighting and all out war between communists and fascists occurs in Nazi Germany, but as well the Spanish civil war.
It’s all this taken together that makes fascism. A totalitarian monarchy centuries old is not fascism. Imperial Japan was not fascist and was its own thing born separately, but was similar in many ways. It was more of a military junta behind a religiously fueled God emperor. A bunch of oligarchs is not fascism. A police state is not fascism. A conquering nation is not fascism. A dictatorship is not fascism. Racism is not fascism. Throw the right mix together in the early to mid 20th century, and you have fascism.
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