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| Question | Answer |
| Fascism: Why Should We Care? | “Fascism was the major political innovation of the 20th century, and the source of much of its pain.” - Robert Paxton, The Anatomy of Fascism |
| The Origins of Fascism | - Early twentieth century in Italy - Riots in Milan, spring 1919: violence, murder - Attack on socialism and the rule of law: in the name of the nation |
| Fascism: Some Features | - ‘Fasces’: symbol of social unity under political leadership → Leadership is equivalent of the axe blade, social unity is equivalent of the wood - Totalitarian (state runs everything: it is the law, the judge, your family, etc.) - Reactionary (there is a mighty nation, and that mighty nation is led by a great leader, and that great leader is everything -- individuals, classes, and etc. are irrelevant) - Cult of leadership (identify with the leader) |
| Fascism: More Features | - Mass mobilization through a monopolistic political party - Destruction of all intermediate organizations (such as trade unions) - Abolition of privacy - Rule of law replaced by arbitrary violence |
| Fascism: Background Ideas | - Counter-Enlightenment (does not have scientific/logical backing, but only in human emotion) - Nationalism: nation comes first to morals, do whatever you must to care for the nation - Elitism: the group/individual that gets things done - Irrationalism: people need to believe the leader, and feel what they are feeling, it isn’t really logical |
| Mussolini’s Fascism | - National unity - Liberalism ‘No’; Obedience ‘Yes’ - Celebration of war and violence - Individual sacrifice and state worship |
| Fascism: Hitler’s Nazism | - The novelist Thomas Mann’s evaluation of the rise of Hitler - Two explanations for Hitler’s rise to power 1) Economic 2) Charismatic - Resentment about the end of WW1 - German people (‘Volk’) must defeat Jews, Communists, and Liberals who promote ideas of universal brotherhood - Need a strong, dominant leader (‘Fuhrerprinzip’) - Nationalism - Lebensraum (living space) → The Germans need more space, and need to be in control of more space - Social Darwinism (to Hitler, there is a master race -- eliminate them and you will be left with the best) - Racism and anti-semitism (under rooting basis for fascism) |
| Fascism: Key Themes (Robert Paxton) | - Senses of crisis needing radical solution - Subordination of individuals to the group - One’s group is a victim whose enemies must be attacked - Fear of liberalism, class conflict, and other alien forces - Promote community integration by violence if necessary - Need for authority by natural (male) leaders embodying group’s destiny - Superiority of leader’s instincts over abstract and universal reason - Celebration of violence and will, when devoted to the group’s success - Right of the chosen people to dominate without restraint |
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