Definition: a political philosophy, movement, or regime that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regiment, and forcible suppression of opposition (Webster’s)

        History:  Fascism was developed in Italy and other European nations after 1919 as a reaction to the political and social    changes brought by the first World War, and the spread of socialism and communism.  Fascism is a way that people become subordinate to a totalitarian dictator.  The first fascist dictator of Italy was Benito Mussolini in 1922-1943.  Between 1933 and 1945 Germany had its own fascist dictator in Adolf Hitler.  Fascism spread because of the hurting economy in Europe.  After the fall of the Kaiser in Germany the people of Germany were left with a country in shambles.  This had the people struggling to find a leader.  After the treaty of Versailles Germany was very upset with the deal they were given and the held the pseudo government to blame.  This led the way to the fascist dictators.

        Characteristics:  Fascism is most readily identified by these traits.  First the freedom of speech is highly restricted.  Many fascist dictators through time have restricted the speech of the people.  The thought is if you restrict what people can say you restrict what they can think.  Making the dictator a complete and total power.  Another main characteristic is the violation of many human rights.  Hitler was the most famous for this.  The holocaust was the worst violation of humanity in history.  The last main attribute is the presence of one big authoritarian leader.  A big central leader is the biggest part of the entire idea.  The leader makes himself the center of the government and eliminates any opposition, usually by violent means. 

          Hitler: Adolf Hitler served in WWI and while there he decided that Jews caused Germany’s defeat.  Therefore he would become in the political system and save his country.  When he returned after WWI he was selected to become a political speaker.  He was a very successful speaker and therefore he was selected as an observer of political parties in Germany.  During his studies he discovered the German Workers’ party, which was a very nationalistic and racist group.  The German Workers’ soon renamed themselves and became known as the Nazi party.  This party became Hitler’s main focus and he became one of the most recognizable spokesman for the Nazi’s.  He appealed to a wide variety of people and effectively passed his views of national revival, racial pride, hatred for France and other non-German races, especially Jews.  In the election 1932 the Nazi party received more votes than any other party.  Hitler demanded he become chancellor of Germany.  During Hitler’s reign, he greatly improved Germanys economy, but he also started WWII.  After the war was over, Hitler killed himself in 1945 and left Germany and much of the world in ruins.

        Mussolini: After WWI Benito Mussolini and other veterans founded the Fasci di Combattimento in March 1919, it was a nationalistic, antiliberal, and antisocialist movement.  The movement had many supports and allowed fascism to move rapidly, by 1926 Italy was transformed into a totalitarian country.  In 1943 Mussolini was distressed but was rescued by Hitler who helped him organize a Social Republic in northern Italy.  However, soon after, he was captured and shot by Italian partisans.
        
        Conclusion:  Fascism has staked everything on war, and with the defeat of Germany as well as Italy, it was completely discredited.  After the war a few scattered groups tried to revive belief in fascism, but they were entirely without influence except in Franco’s Spain and for a brief period in Argentina under Juan Peron.  For all practical purposes Fascism, which had been born out of the distressed conditions left by WWI, was killed as an active political philosophy and form of government by the overwhelming defeat of the Fascist nations in World War II.