I.

Introduction

Fascism, form of totalitarianism that seeks the strict regimentation of national and individual existence in accordance with nationalist and often militarist ideals; conflicting interests being adjusted by total subordination to the service of the state and unquestioning loyalty to its leader. In contrast to the left-wing totalitarianisms identified with Communism, fascism draws its ideas and form from extreme conservatism. Fascist regimes often resemble—and sometimes change into—dictatorships, military governments, or authoritarian tyrannies, but fascism itself is distinguishable from any of these as a specifically political movement and doctrine often maintained by political parties out of power.

Fascism emphasizes nationalism, but its appeal has been international. It first flourished between 1919 and 1945 in several countries, mainly Italy, Germany, and Spain. In a narrow sense, the word Fascism applies only to the Italian party that originally coined it, but it has been expanded to cover any comparable political ideology. Japan similarly endured in the 1930s a militarist regime exhibiting strong fascist characteristics. Fascist regimes also existed for varying lengths of time in many other countries. Even such liberal democracies as France and England had important fascist movements during the 1920s and 1930s. After the defeat of the Axis powers in World War II, Fascism suffered a long eclipse, but it has recently resurfaced in various more or less overt forms in modern Western democracies, particularly France and Italy.