Fascism

Explanation

Fascism emerged in Europe between the two world wars, most completely in Mussolini's Italy and Hitler's Nazi Germany. Key features include extreme nationalism, the primacy of the nation-state over individual rights, a charismatic leader with dictatorial power, suppression of opposition parties, control of the press, militarism, and often racial or ethnic hierarchy. Fascism is explicitly anti-communist and anti-liberal. Scholars debate whether to classify contemporary far-right movements as fascist — most argue modern movements are "post-fascist" or "neo-fascist," sharing some elements (ultranationalism, authoritarian tendencies, vilification of minorities) without fully replicating the totalitarian state structures of the 1930s.