In short, fascism is a far-right political ideology which is focused on nationalism and authoritarianism. The ideology is best seen in the regimes of Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini. In a fascist regime, you can expect the following:
Emphasis on race and nationality
A belief in a natural social hierarchy
Upholding the good of the race over the individual
An opposition to Marxism, communism, and liberal democracy
Of course, with democracy shunned, it gives way to militarism and dictatorship. Fascists are obsessed with the idea of the "strong man" who will lead the nation through a palingenetic transformation that will restore order and bring about greatness. There is the constant idea of "cleansing" the nation of undesirables, and war is always on the agenda.
From research, it is clear that the term is somewhat nebulous and scholars disagree with each other regarding what constitutes fascism. However, I have found these traits to be recurring:
Exclusionary populist nationalism
Fixation with perceived national decline, humiliation, or victimhood
The use of political violence
Fixation on age and gender roles, as well as social hierarchies
Lastly, there is typically a distinction made between Fascism and fascism. Fascism with a capital letter F specifically refers to Mussolini's regime, while fascism with a small f refers to the general political ideology which has been implemented outside of Italy.
Thoughts? Is this comprehensive or am I leaving anything out?
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I prefer my definition of fascism: when my political opponents have too much power, it's fascism. When I have more power than everybody else, it's democracy.
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