Fascism

What is fascism? The word gets thrown around a lot—sometimes carelessly, yet it refers to one of the most destructive political phenomena of the 20th century, and one we can’t afford to misunderstand today. Historical Origins Fascism first emerged in early 20th century Europe, born from the chaos of World War I and economic upheaval. Benito Mussolini coined the term in Italy around 1919, drawing from the ancient fasces, a bundle of rods symbolizing a ruler’s power. Adolf Hitler later adapted these ideas in Germany during the 1920s and 1930s. ...

Let’s try to define (or at least describe) fascism, shall we? Fascism: “a populist political philosophy, movement, or regime (such as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual, that is associated with a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, and that is characterized by severe economic and social regimentation and by forcible suppression of opposition” (Merriam-Webster) Notoriously difficult to define, Umberto Eco nevertheless highlighted 14 aspects of what he called “Ur-Fascism” (PDF): ...