Fascism also encourages common ownership and collectivism, but collectivism not for the community as a whole but as a sacrifice for the state. Fascists hoped that this collectivism would encourage social harmony because they too were disillusioned with the nineteenth century class ridden society. This leads on to the fascist banning of trade unions – after all, these would not be necessary when there were no longer class tensions within the state.
The idea of the dominating state even extends to such rights as equality, which socialists would hold as one of the most important of their beliefs. In Fascism, there is equality, but this equality is not evident. It is built into the state, and is therefore unnecessary. Connected with this, the leader is above all others in the state. This is where equality breaks down: there is the leader, and then there is everyone else. This, along with other of the fascist values, is based on a rejection of the rationalism of the Enlightenment. This can also be seen in the way in which fascists have discarded the ‘ballot box’ system of government where people could vote. Instead, the leader, who has only become leader after years of struggle and is a man of the people, is the only person in the state who can understand and interpret the people’s needs into Rousseau’s idea of ‘the general will’. This is where socialism breaks down in the fascist state, since there is no accountability of the leader: he cannot be judged by anyone else. All the accountability that a fascist leader needs is himself: accountability is the general will, and since the leader can always understand that, the leader is never wrong.
Fascism also diverges from socialism in other ways, mainly to do with internationalism. Fascism, unlike the Communism demonstrated in Russia, is very nationally based, as will be shown in later examples of nationalism. The fascist encouragement of an autarky society – in which society is fully self-sufficient – shows a great distrust of international involvement, even in trade. This contrasts with the enthusiasm for internationalism shown by the socialists. Socialism is also an all-inclusive ideology which is active in protecting the needs of all in the state, including women and minorities. However, the fascists treated women very differently and many minorities, most famously the Jews in Germany, suffered greatly under Fascist rule.
Fascism also shows signs of embracing some of the most destructive characteristics of nationalism, and therefore has often been tied in with the idea of ultra-nationalism. However, it cannot be said that Fascism is truly nationalistic in parts because there are several different strains of nationalism. Liberal and Conservative nationalism, for example, are peaceful and cooperative and respect international cooperation, whilst chauvinist and expansionist nationalism encourage militarism and the idea of superiority of races. It is clear to see that this latter form of nationalism bears some similarities to fascism.
The tradition of nationalism embraced by fascism was one which had developed in the late nineteenth century. It regarded nations not as equals but as rivals. The nationalism most commonly found in Nazi Germany was racial nationalism, expressed clearly in the ideas of Aryanism. This differed from the type of nationalism found in Italy, although both countries had suffered badly in the wars of the early twentieth century and wished to rejuvenate their country. However, whilst Italy encouraged a more rational form of nationalism which was more inclusive, based on citizenship not race, and more concerned with civic loyalty, Germany’s nationalism was based on exclusivity: rival nations, cultural unity and anchored in decent. This was the more emotional response to the rationalism of the Enlightenment.
In nationalism, as in fascism, the state is the strongest state unit within the nation which is important above all things. Nationalism sees no need for international cooperation, and this is where fascism comes into conflict with socialism, since socialism encourages internationalism and fascism abhors it. However, whilst some very nationalist countries, such as America, encourage individualism to flourish, this was not an option in fascist Germany, where minorities were frowned upon and eventually removed from Germany society. This is where a division needs to be made within patriotism and nationalism. The latter is a much stronger emotional feeling and a judgement of values, whereas the former is often seen as a much more passive and innocent belief. However, ironically, the former was especially found in German nationalism among the minorities in Germany.
Fascism justifies expansion and the use of violence with the excuse of racial purification. Germany especially saw themselves as racially superiority to others, and this had dated back to the rights that the Germans had demanded over the Slavs in the late nineteenth century. Unlike most strains of nationalism which, whilst not respecting many of the rights of other nations, allow them some nation rights to language or culture, fascism denies the nation rights of other countries and imposes everything from language to culture on other countries. Also, whilst nationalism sees war as a necessary evil for the education of other nations, fascism glorifies war above all other things.
In conclusion, it can be seen that whilst fascism embraces many of the raw ideas of nationalism and socialism, it has adapted many of them to its own ends. This can be seen in the way in which it used nationalism to encourage anti-Semitism in Germany. It picks and chooses from the ideologies and this may have been in order to attract as wide a section of the populous of the fascist country as possible.
Aileen Thomson 07/05/2007
