Ideology
FascismFar right
A far-right ideology that exalts the nation or race above the individual, embraces dictatorial leadership, strict social control, aggressive nationalism, and militarism, and rejects liberal democracy as well as class-based socialism.
Core ideas
- The nation or race stands above the individual.
- A dictatorial leader and centralized autocracy replace liberal democracy.
- Militarism, aggressive nationalism and strict regimentation of society.
- Opposition to communism, liberalism, pluralism and class-based socialism.
- Violence is treated as a means to national rebirth.
Where it sits on the 12 axes
The economy axis (Collectivize to Privatize) is 40, a little toward Privatize and close to the middle. The government axis (Security to Freedom) is 90, near the Security end. Diplomacy (Internationalism to Nationalism) is 10, near the Nationalism end, and society (Progressive to Traditional) is 10, near the Traditional end. Only these four values are compared, using straight distance, and the nearest ideology is your match.
The bar shows the position on each of the four axes an ideology is matched on; the middle mark is the centre.
History
Fascism emerged in early-20th-century Europe during and after World War I, then spread to other European countries. Benito Mussolini founded the Italian Fasces of Combat in Milan in 1919; it became the National Fascist Party two years later. In the 1932 'Doctrine of Fascism', written by Giovanni Gentile and credited to Mussolini, it was described as a new, 'revolutionary' order. Fascist regimes were dictatorial and ultranationalist and carried out systematic persecution and mass atrocities, and the war waged by the Axis powers in World War II brought catastrophic human loss. Since 1945 fascism has been largely disgraced, few parties openly use the label, and the term is often used pejoratively. What counts as a precise definition has been debated by scholars for decades.
Associated thinkers
- Giovanni Gentile
Common misunderstandings
- Calling anything authoritarian 'fascist' is common but imprecise. Scholars have long debated the definition, and the term is often used pejoratively by political opponents.
- It is not a form of conservatism or reaction. Some scholars describe it as anti-conservative, and its own doctrine called it revolutionary.
Related ideologies
Is Fascism your closest ideology?
Take the test and see which of the ideologies your answers sit closest to.
Questions
What is Fascism?
A far-right, authoritarian and ultranationalist ideology and movement that rose to prominence in early-20th-century Europe. It supports dictatorial leadership, centralized autocracy, militarism and forcible suppression of opposition, and it subordinates the individual to the perceived interest of the nation or race.
Is Fascism left or right?
Far right on the traditional spectrum: it opposes communism, democracy, liberalism, pluralism and socialism. The four axes show it near Security on government, near Nationalism on diplomacy and near Traditional on society. Economy is close to the middle, so economics is not what places it.
Fascism vs communism?
Fascism opposes communism and class-based socialism, placing nation or race above class. The two are often grouped as authoritarian systems, but fascists attacked communists, socialists and parliamentary liberals alike, drawing their support mainly from the far right.
How does the 12 Axes test decide I am Fascism?
It compares your economy, government, diplomacy and society scores with the four values stored for each of the 38 ideologies. The smallest straight-line distance is your match. It measures closeness on four axes, not an endorsement of anything.