Fascism
Fascism is the totalitarian philosophy of
government that glorifies the state and nation
and assigns to the state control over every aspect
of national life.
The State not only is authority which governs and
molds individual will with laws and values of spiritual
life, but it is also power which makes its will prevail
abroad….For the Fascist, everything is within the
State and…neither individuals nor groups are outside
the State...For Fascism, the State is an absolute,
before which individuals or groups are only
relative….Liberalism denied the State in the name of
the individual; Fascism reasserts the rights of the
State as expressing the real essence of the individual.
-- Enciclopedia Italiana, 1932
The Fasces Symbol
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Comes from the
Latin word fasces.
In ancient Rome,
the fasces were
cylindrical bundles
of wooden rods,
tied tightly
together around an
axe.
They symbolize
unity and power.
Characteristics of Fascism
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A form of extreme right-wing ideology.
•  Celebration of nationality or race above all
other loyalties
§  Constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols,
songs, flags etc.
§  Totalitarian
§  Subversion of all segments of society
§  Violence to uphold state ideals
§  Social Darwinism; Anti-democratic
§  Individual is subservient to the state
§  No individual freedoms
§  Credere, Obbedire, Combattere (believe,
obey, fight)
Characteristics of Fascism
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Myth of Rebirth
•  Period of decline will be followed by a period of
strength
•  Cleanse the nation of all that brings it down (moral
decay; “alien” forces)
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Militarism
Sexism = state guards
the family institution
•  Divorce, abortion,
homosexuality suppressed
•  Rigid gender roles
• 
Scapegoating
•  Ills of society blamed on an outsider group
•  Disdain for human rights (scapegoats must be
punished to protect the state)
Characteristics of Fascism
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Religion and government are
intertwined
§  Use whatever religion is most
common with the people
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Censorship
§  Artists & intellectuals
disdained by State
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Fraudulent Elections &
Corruption of Democracy
Propaganda
Corporate States
§  Fear of organized labor leads
business elite & government
to work together
Italian Fascism
Growth of Fascism
•  Dissatisfaction with
World War I
•  Economic
deterioration
•  Growth of militant left
(1920 Turin Strikes)
•  What did Italy gain by
joining the war?
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Blackshirts formed
(1922)
§  Reinforce Fascism and
destroy Communism
Italian Fascism
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1921 election
•  Fascists win 35 seats
•  Join Giovanni Giolitti’s
coalition government
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October, 1922 à Mussolini
threatened a coup d’etat.
§  “March on Rome” à 25,000
Black Shirts staged
demonstrations throughout
the capital.
§  Victor Emmanuel III
refuses to send army
against the black shirts
§  Mussolini becomes Prime
Minister
Italian Fascism
Fascist Italy
•  Supported by all segments of society
§  “A little something for everyone”
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Acerbo Law (1923)
§  Party with the largest # of votes becomes the
automatic majority
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Totalitarian State Established (1924)
§  All non-fascist parties are banned from the
government
§  Special Police Force created
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Lateran Treaty (1929)
§  Peace with the Pope
§  Vatican City recognized as an independent state
§  Catholic Church compensated for lands taken
during unification
§  Catholicism becomes the official religion of Italy
The Lateran Treaty
Italian Fascism
"   1926 à The National Council of
Corporations created.
§  Guilds of employers and employees established
to manage the 22 sectors of the economy.
§  Supported by small capitalists, low-level
bureaucrats, and the middle class
•  They all felt threatened by the rise of Socialist
power!
§  The goal à harmonize the interests of workers,
managers and the state by abolishing class
warfare.
§  The reality à This system retarded
technological progress and destroyed workers’
rights.
Italian Fascism
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Family = traditional family roles and
encouragement of large families
Education = nationalist propaganda
§  “Let us salute the flag in the Roman fashion. Hail
to Italy; Hail to Mussolini
§  Emphasis on glory of Rome and future glory of
Italy
§  Blames geography & western powers for Italy’s
current problems
§  Emphasis on physical fitness
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Anti-Semitism = “Manifesto of the Racial
Scientists” (1938)
§  Exclusion of foreign Jews
§  Banned Jews from teaching, government jobs &
military service
Gli Ebrei in Italia (1937)
"   Provided the
intellectual premise for
the 1938 racial laws.
"   Attacked Jews for:
§  Their alleged Zionist
sympathies.
§  Their championing of
degenerate avantegarde cultural
expressions.
§  For their doubtful
loyalty to the Fascist
regime and its imperial
claims.
Spread of Fascism
"   Germany – Nazi party
grows in popularity
§  Hitler uses Mussolini as a
role model
"   France – Paramilitary
fascist groups emerge
§  Action Francaise; Cross
of Fire
"   Spain – Francisco Franco
overthrows the
Republican government
of Spain
Spanish Fascism
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Alfonso XIII abdicates in favor of a leftwing Republic (April 1931)
§  Civil Liberties; Suffrage to women; Divorce
rights; Equality before the law
§  Disestablished the Catholic Church
§  Unpopular with many groups in Spain
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Civil War (1936)
§  Nationalists led by Francisco Franco
•  Supported by Italy & Germany
§  Republicans
•  Officially supported by the USSR (until 1938)
•  Other governments refuse to get involved
•  International Brigade
§  Franco takes Madrid (1939) and creates a Fascist
dictatorship
Guernica, Pablo Picasso
Valley of the Fallen (1940-58)