The reasons for the emergence of the ideology of fascism

The emergence of fascist ideology in Italy and Germany in the first half of the twentieth century. has a number of common grounds that determined the formation of totalitarian regimes in these countries on the basis of the fascist doctrine developed by their ideologists. During this period, prerequisites arose that contributed to the emergence and strengthening of fascism. First of all, such a prerequisite was the national crisis caused by the post-war devastation, affecting all social strata and groups and exacerbating social, including interethnic, contradictions. This is compounded by the weakening of the real power of the liberal democratic state and its inability to propose and implement effective measures to bring society out of the crisis. The situation was aggravated by the use of harsh measures by the government, which positions itself as democratic. “The slowness of liberal policies caused growing discontent. Added to this was justified indignation at those who, hiding behind liberal phrases, defended antisocial privileges.” Citizens began to distrust political institutions. At the level of mass psychology, a feeling of loss of social security arose, often developing into aggression towards the state as a whole.

An important role was played by the weakening of the country’s international positions, both in the case of Italy, which lost its former role in the political processes of Europe, and in the case of Germany, which was forced to sign the Versailles Peace Treaty, which traumatized the national consciousness of the Germans. The activities of the left parties (communist, social democratic) frightened not only big capital, but also the middle strata of society with their revolutionary prospects.

At the head of the fascist movement were skillful demagogue leaders who skillfully played on social contradictions, manipulated the masses, and promised to lead the country out of the crisis through quick and decisive action. The charismatic abilities of such leaders often solved many questions, which he could answer clearly and unambiguously: “The more complex a civilization becomes, the more individual freedom is limited.” It is impossible to overestimate the fact that the material support of the big bourgeoisie eliminated many of the difficulties that stood in the way of the fascist party on the path to power.

The crisis of public consciousness, the disappointment of the masses in liberal and democratic values ​​forced people to turn not to a rational solution to the problem within the framework of liberal democracy, but to appeal to emotions, feelings and the search for an irrational way out of a catastrophic situation.

In relation to Germany, it is possible to clearly identify the fundamental reasons that led to the establishment of fascism:

The monopoly bourgeoisie found in fascism the desired way out of the acute political situation created by the economic crisis;

The petty bourgeoisie and a certain part of the peasantry saw in the demagogic promises of the Hitler party the fulfillment of hopes for mitigating economic difficulties caused by the growth of monopolies and aggravated by the crisis;

The German working class found itself split into two workers' parties, each of which was not strong enough to stop fascism.

For both Germany and Italy, general instability played a significant role, feeding nationalist, militaristic and revanchist sentiments. You should also pay attention to the complexity of the international situation during this period. It was characterized by the leading powers of the world underestimating the fascist threat, connivance with the aggressor, and contradictions in the international arena. France was interested in preserving the Versailles system and sought to create a bloc of European states for this purpose. England and the United States were inclined to restore the German military-economic potential, hoping to prevent French hegemony on the continent and, most importantly, to direct the aggressive aspirations of German fascism to the east with the prospect of war between Germany and the USSR.

Don't underestimate and psychological underlying fascist ideology. Perhaps it was she who played a significant role in strengthening the spirit of “righteousness” of fascism among poorly educated people and marginalized people. “In addition to the problem of the economic and social conditions that contributed to the emergence of fascism, there is also the problem of man as such, which also needs to be understood.” The essence of this prerequisite for the emergence of fascist ideology is that a person, being in an unstable but relatively free state, is ready to sacrifice this very freedom in order to receive a guarantee “ tomorrow" In times of crisis, people are ready to buy order and stability for free will and conscience.

The simultaneous presence of all these factors and their interweaving allowed fascist ideology to acquire wide scope in Europe in the 1920-30s. The results of the partial implementation of the doctrine of fascism are terrifying - suppression of the individual, total state control, war, repression, concentration camps and millions of human victims.

The concept of fascism and its basic ideological principles

Fascism (from the Italian fascio - bundle, bundle, association) is a right-wing radical political movement and ideological movement that denies both liberal and socialist values. It is one of the main types of totalitarianism, but is quite tolerant of private property. It is characterized by chauvinist nationalism, anti-Semitism, racism and aggressiveness in foreign policy.

“Classical” examples of fascism are Italian fascism and German Nazism. The main distinguishing quality of fascism is militant anti-communism, as well as social and nationalist demagoguery. Despite the complexity of the class composition of the fascist movement, its anti-proletarian character is decisive. Fascism is a direct reaction of the entire anti-proletarian front to a possible socialist revolution in conditions of the collapse or crisis of the bourgeois state, a split in the ruling class, and social hysteria in all layers of society. The establishment of fascism represents a radical revolution, leading to the complete and final destruction of bourgeois democracy by the bourgeoisie itself, since the social basis of its dictatorship has disintegrated.

With the establishment of fascism, there is no change in the class essence of state power, and the nature of the socio-economic system does not change. The most reactionary part of the bourgeoisie comes to power, which establishes a regime of arbitrariness and lawlessness. Being a product of the era of the general crisis of capitalism, fascism is an openly terrorist dictatorship of the most reactionary and chauvinistic elements of finance capital. What distinguishes fascism from other totalitarian regimes is, first of all, the preaching of “national socialism,” which also eliminates bourgeois democracy, but this is done without “theoretical justification” and not under “socialist” slogans. This is due to the fact that the fascists’ understanding of socialism was very specific. Mussolini saw it as a great act of destruction, and Hitler saw it as a complete commitment to the ideas of the nation. The fascists emphasized what was popular in the 1920s and 30s. the ideas of socialism are mainly based mainly on demagogic considerations.

TO basic principles The following fundamental provisions can be attributed to fascist ideology:

· Conservative revolution, the essence of which is the elimination of the liberal order, which led the country to a state of economic crisis and a proletarian-revolutionary situation. The Conservative Revolution is the path along which the country will return to its former historical greatness. Fascist revolutionaryism, special, based on the need for “order, discipline, obedience to the moral commandments of the Fatherland.”

· Totalitarian state. Mussolini said that a party that rules in a totalitarian manner is “a new fact in history”; analogies and comparisons are inappropriate here. The state subjugates society, destroys its civil foundations, subjecting all aspects of its life to the state, including private (even intimate) relationships.

· The idea of ​​a nation. National revival is possible only within the framework of a totalitarian state in which national interests are decisive. The nation is “absolute”, a single whole. “The state educates citizens in civic virtues, it gives them a consciousness of its mission and encourages them to unity, harmonizes interests according to the principle of justice; ensures the continuity of the achievements of thought in the fields of knowledge, art, law, and solidarity; lifts people from elementary, primitive life to the heights of human power, that is, to an empire; preserves for future centuries the names of those who died for its inviolability and in the name of obedience to its laws; sets an example and exalts for future generations the leaders who increased his territory; geniuses who glorified him."

· The idea of ​​a “new order”. The establishment of an order of national prosperity and social justice requires the formation of a “new” person, devoted “with all his heart” to the state and nation.

· Denial of class antagonism. The fascists argued that this idea of ​​struggle and class rivalry was nothing more than an invention of liberals, “inflated” by Marxists. The idea of ​​classism in its essence contradicts the idea of ​​the unity of the German nation.

· Anti-parliamentarism and anti-multi-partyism. From the point of view of fascist ideology, parliamentarism leads to negative consequences for society, because The division of state power between groups of “rogues” who are trying to realize their private interests causes political instability. At the same time, the real interests of the nation are being grossly neglected. “There is not a single principle as deceitful as parliamentarism,” Hitler wrote. There can only be one party that merges with the nation into a single movement and monopolizes power, the rest must be banned and destroyed.

· Ban on trade unions. Trade unions express the interests exclusively of the working class, but workers are, first and foremost, citizens of their country. They are obliged to cooperate with fellow citizens who are not workers, and cannot allow speeches against their own compatriots.

· Anti-communism. The fight against communists took place both directly on the territory of fascist states (where communist parties were destroyed and banned), and had an international focus, primarily on the “homeland of communism” in the USSR. The Nazis partially defined their intentions and goals for this country in a political, ideological and strategic document - "Drag Nach Osten". A. Hitler expressed his attitude and view of the communists as follows: “They literally trampled everything into the mud... The nation, since it was considered a product of the capitalist classes; The Fatherland, because it was considered a tool of the bourgeoisie to exploit the working class; the rule of law - because for them it was a means of keeping the proletariat in line; religion, which was considered a means of stupefying the people for subsequent enslavement; morality - as a symbol of stupid and slavish obedience.”

· Non-recognition of the Versailles system. According to the Versailles Peace Treaty, a ban on having an army, obligations to pay reparations, and the introduction of a demilitarized zone were introduced. The Nazis first neglected these requirements and then violated them. France and England allowed Germany to behave this way and did not resist, hoping to direct the growing aggression towards the USSR.

· Nationalism, racism, anti-Semitism. The fascists developed a radical degree of nationalism, the essence of which is that a nation “strong in spirit and will” is obliged to subjugate other nations and increase its own living space. Concepts such as “purity of blood”, “superior race” were introduced, on the basis of which plans were made for world domination and the transformation of some races into slaves: “these peoples have one and only justification for their existence - to be useful to us economically”, the rest were subject to extermination. Ideological anti-Semitism was expressed in practice by the mass genocide of Jews - the Holocaust, because Jews were recognized as “the source of capitalism, Marxism” and accused of all their negative manifestations (unemployment, inflation, revolution): “If the Jews, with the help of their Marxist faith, conquer the peoples of the world, their crown will be a funeral wreath for humanity,” Hitler believed, and also pointed out the desire of the Jews to “denationalize, due to the degeneration” of representatives of the “superior race”. Thus, it is obvious that the principles of nationalism, racism and anti-Semitism have inseparably grown together and reincarnated into a completely new and ultra-radical concept.

· Expansionism. From the first days of power, the fascists and Nazis began to prepare for a “great war”, which was supposed to provide the German and Italian nations with dominance over the entire world. The build-up of military power occurred at a tremendous pace. Militarization filled all spheres of life. The idea of ​​war as a manifestation of the strength of a nation and its purpose is absolutely clearly visible in the speeches of both Hitler and Mussolini. "War is a sign vitality nations, the meaning of history” proclaimed by the Duce in his “Doctrine of Fascism”. And the Fuhrer wrote in Mein Kampf: “Whoever wants to live must fight; who does not want to fight in this world where eternal struggle is the law of life, has no right to exist.”

· Communitarianism. The meaning of this idea is that the individual and society are completely inseparable, and the state is society; accordingly, there are no rights and interests of the individual outside the state. An individual can and should realize all interests only through communitarian, common things. To implement this approach, it is necessary to begin to educate a “new person” whose interests will coincide with the interests of the nation and state. First of all, communitarianism addresses the economic sphere, where national goals in the economy must be shared by each individual, guided and subordinated to the leader of the party.

· Leaderism. Fascism is built on a charismatic principle - on leaderism. The supremacy of the Fuhrer, the Duce, is “the embodiment of the racial, national and popular spirit.” The leader has unlimited power. He is a symbol of the greatness and unity of the nation. Social groups rally around the leader, thanks to which he skillfully manipulates and leads them to mobilize the nation and solve pressing problems.

To summarize this chapter, it should be noted that fascist ideology has a number of specific features, which together make it possible to define it as follows: firstly, there is a clear distinction between the ideology of the ruling elite and the masses. The elitism of the top was justified, among other things, by biological arguments. Secondly, fascism is characterized by militant irrationalism and an extreme simplification of slogans and ideological clichés. Thirdly, it was built on a charismatic principle - on leadership. The Supreme Leader (Duce in Italy, Fuhrer in Germany), possessing unlimited power, is the embodiment of the racial, national and popular spirit. The fourth characteristic of this ideology is the cult of force, the absolutization of the force factor in history, the denial of humanism. Combined with racism, the cult of violence became one of the reasons for the outbreak of the bloodiest war in human history.



IDEOLOGY OF FASCISM AND PROPAGANDA SYSTEM AS PART OF THE FASCIST REGIME

Introduction

1. The essence and concept of fascism

3. Ideology of fascism. Propaganda system

Conclusion

Modern science, following the theory of Charles Darwin, classifies us humans as primates. We are the highest primates, Homo sapiens - Homo sapiens. Why reasonable? Human nature is dual: it combines two principles - the animal and the spiritual, which constantly compete with each other for dominance in the human soul. For a long time it was believed that the spiritual principle in a person cannot overcome his animal instincts, although many representatives of the human race tried to prove the opposite throughout their lives.

At all times, people have tended to dream. But each person dreams in his own way: some according to their immediate needs, others according to their ambition. However, human ambitions sometimes know no boundaries, which often leads people to various tragedies.

As you know, evolution, according to Darwin, occurs through natural selection, when the strong displace the weak. Moreover, for some time now he (the strong) began to require moral justification for his actions, and for this it was enough to find in the weak some qualities that would irritate him, and blame them for him. This helped the strong to camouflage their greed.

This desire of the strong to find fault with the weak was vividly illustrated by the great Russian fabulist I.A. Krylov in his fable “The Wolf and the Lamb”. First, the wolf angrily asks the lamb who came to the stream to drink: “How dare you, insolent one, muddy my pure drink with your unclean snout?!” And in the end, unable to bear the hunger any longer, he openly declares to the lamb: “It’s your fault that I want to eat!”

Until the 20th century, all these phenomena existed in human society mostly separately. And only at the end of the second decade of the 20th century, having absorbed all of the above phenomena, a new ideology was born in Italy - fascism (from the Italian fascio - fascio - bundle, bundle, association), which was not slow to manifest itself in practice, capturing the minds of a wide variety of segments of the population . Less than a decade and a half has passed since this ideology has driven almost the entire people of Germany crazy, taking there its ugliest form - German National Socialism (Nazism).

The purpose of this work is to study the ideology of fascism and determine the essence and identify the background of Nazi ideology.

To do this, first of all, you need to trace the history of Germany from ancient times, while understanding how the Germanic peoples were able to maintain and increase their warlike ambitions, testing their strength at every opportunity. It is especially important to understand the mood that reigned in German society after Germany’s defeat in the First World War.

Then you need to figure out what the Nazi theory of the superman was based on.

Then it is necessary to comprehensively consider the changes in German society that occurred as a result of the Nazis coming to power.

The essence and concept of fascism

At its core, fascism is political system, based on the idea of ​​preserving the integrity of the nation and state, and implying, first of all, the unification of the people around the idea of ​​national salvation, the delegation of broad, and, if necessary, emergency powers to the authorities.

Accordingly, fascism is, first of all, a strong state apparatus, formed along ideological and political lines, strict or military discipline, without which it is impossible effective management state in conditions of internal and external conflicts and contradictions. However, the word totalitarianism is absolutely inappropriate here, at least in the pure understanding of the concept of “fascism”, and not in the specific forms of its manifestation, which are also often extremely inappropriate and are examples of stereotypical thinking.

Fascism: it is, first of all, a political and ideological theory. The main postulates of this theory:

1. Divisions of society along racial lines. Proclamation of the main nation as “chosen”, “infallible”. // In this it is similar to other theories, for example, communism in the interpretation of the Bolsheviks, which divides society along class lines //. In addition, alien nations are removed from the legal field, in this fascism is different from the apartheid system in which other nations are allowed to exist as a labor force, which nevertheless has certain legal guarantees.

2. The main task is to achieve common goals for the nation. This is where the name comes from - it can be translated, of course, as a bunch, but it means a sheaf of wheat - the unity of a nation to achieve a goal. For example, building a thousand-year Reich.

3. Means of achieving goals. Declares the priority of the nation's tasks over the individual, legal institutions, and generally over any norms and previous ideology. Affirms the chosenness and infallibility of the leader as the highest embodiment of the will of the nation.

Signs of fascism as a state system:

1. The form of government is dictatorship (how the transition of power is carried out and whether it is even possible is difficult to say - as a rule, it is not provided for either ideologically or legislatively)

2. Economic structure – private capitalism with a significant predominance of government orders.

3. Management and legal structure - a vast, highly centralized bureaucracy. The rights structure applies only to the primary nation and can be revised at any time. The Fuhrer and the top leadership of the state are above the legal structure and are not controlled by it in their decisions.

4. State policy of aggressive rejection of alien nations up to and including their physical destruction.

Adolf Hitler's fascism is the extreme and highest form that a state built on the ideology of fascism could achieve. He started and subsequently lost the Second World War. Accepted and put into practice the concept of the physical destruction of some unwanted nations (Jews and Gypsies).

Fascism as a term: a currently widely used political and propaganda cliche to designate any political opponents, practically a curse word that does not carry a significant and precise semantic load.

2. History and background for the development of fascism in Germany in the 20s - 40s of the XX century

Fascism in Germany appeared immediately after the end of the First World War as one of the varieties of reactionary militaristic nationalist movements, when anti-liberal, anti-democratic movements acquired a pan-European character.

Economic troubles, the flabbiness of the then government agencies, fierce political conflicts and confrontations - all these kinds of things, taken together, gave rise in the mass worldview to a feeling of impending turmoil, an extremely uncomfortable feeling of the fragility of social existence. It is not surprising that apathy, irritation and anxiety prevailed in the public mood. The deepest and most general became the desire for calm and stable order.

Economic stability, authoritative and firm political leadership, guarantees against social upheavals in different groups German society. However, for many, the desire for calm, stability and order was transformed into a demand to create a “strong state”, free from such “vices” as “democracy”, “parliamentarism”, “pluralism”, etc.

The longing for a “strong state”, for an all-powerful single centralized power capable of adequately ensuring the “highest interests of the nation”, was fueled by the hostility towards the Weimar system intensively cultivated by reactionary figures and National Socialist propaganda. Historically, it happened that the first German republic was born as a result of the military defeat of Germany. In the minds of the majority of the country's population, she was somehow identified with this defeat and thus everyone associated with her negative consequences war. Therefore, the republican-democratic structure, which was enshrined in the German Constitution of 1919, was considered by many to be a forced form of political structure, imposed by extremely unfavorable circumstances, and subject to dismantling over time.

Particular irritation and protests were caused by the fact that stemming from the results of the First World War, that the greatness and honor of Germany were insulted and humiliated. The Weimar regime was branded as “criminally inactive,” not doing anything significant for the national self-affirmation of the Germans, for the revival of “great Germany.”

The decision of the General Staff to end the war was the impetus for processes that later had many unforeseen consequences. The defeat of Germany was, as it were, a catalyst for new phenomena both in domestic politics and in international affairs, and led to socio-psychological upheavals in the very foundations of society.

At that time there was a general coarsening of European morals. As a result of the defeat, the traditional hierarchy of public authorities also changed. First of all, the collapse of the worldview affected the bourgeois strata: they collapsed or best case scenario The traditional symbols of power and society for the bourgeois and petty bourgeois environment - the state, the monarchy, the family - have lost their former meaning. With the decline of these familiar authorities in society, a need arose for new ones that would return people a sense of order, security and their place in the new society.

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2. Kravchenko, A.I. Political science [Text]: textbook / A.I. Kravchenko. – M.: Prospekt, 2008.

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1. The concept of political ideology, its functions and levels.

The word “ideology” comes from the Greek idea - idea and logos - teaching, i.e. etymologically means "the study of ideas." Political ideology is a certain doctrine that justifies the claims of a particular group of people to power and, in accordance with this goal, achieves the subordination of public opinion to its own ideas.

Along with economic and political power ideology can be called spiritual power over society.

Functions of ideology:

· Mastering public consciousness and introducing into it your own criteria for assessing the past, present and future.

· Creation of a system of values ​​and orientations of human activity.

· Organizing purposeful actions of society to achieve set goals.

· Uniting and cohesiveness of society based on certain goals and values.

Any ideology proclaims goals and ideals that people are expected to accept on faith. The purpose of ideology is to serve real public policy; its main task is to idealize reality. Political ideology claims to have universal significance, therefore it seeks to suppress other ideologies and declares its calling to change the world for the better. It demands from its supporters adherence to the values ​​and norms that it cultivates.

Ideology is closely related to propaganda, but they must be distinguished. Ideology is the form of existence of political ideas, and political propaganda is a means of their dissemination. Propaganda purposefully forms in citizens the political orientations necessary and desirable for the party, elites, and leaders, inducing citizens to a certain course of action. Propaganda exercises “control over people’s minds,” using the media, which have become the “fourth estate,” for this purpose. From the media, society mainly draws proper ideas about ongoing processes in politics, and very often a targeted interpretation of real events replaces information about real events. This serves as a prerequisite for political manipulation, which is a way of controlling the political consciousness and behavior of people, shaping their readiness for certain political actions.

It is important to distinguish between real facts, which need to be accurately established, and their interpretation for certain political purposes. A certain interpretation of facts is the goal of political ideology.

Political manipulation based on the systematic introduction into the mass consciousness of political myths, illusions, and ideas that prescribe certain standards of behavior, values ​​and norms taken for granted.

Mass consciousness most susceptible to manipulation in transitional periods, when it is necessary to form ideas divorced from reality on the basis of lies, half-truths, and manipulation of facts. Thus, at the beginning of the perestroika reforms in Russia, a myth was cultivated about the attractiveness of capitalism, the complete failure of socialism, and the urgency of breaking the existing economic relations in favor of the market and competition. On the eve of elections, ideas about the advantage of one or another leader usually begin to be massively hammered into the consciousness of society, and all sorts of methods are used to create the ideal picture.

If an ideology influences the entire society and is capable of influencing the worldview level, it is total. If an ideology is aimed at partially changing the forms of government, election systems, and state functions and is not capable of influencing the ideological views of citizens, then it acts as a private one. The decline in the influence of ideology on public opinion talks about promotion general culture population.

Main ideological trends:

Liberalism.

The concept of “liberalism” entered the political lexicon at the beginning of the 19th century. It was formed on the basis political ideas English educators John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, A. Smith at the end of the 17th and 18th centuries. This was the time of the formation of capitalist relations and the bourgeoisie as a class. Therefore, despite all the differences in the views of these thinkers, what they had in common were ideas aimed at realizing the need to revise established but outdated values ​​and approaches to solving socio-economic and political problems, and at restructuring socio-political and state institutions.

The turning point in the formation of liberalism was the Great French Revolution of the 18th century. The main ideas of liberalism were formulated in the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen of 1789 and the Constitution of 1791. Liberalism had a huge influence on the formation government systems many Western countries. In Russia, the liberal worldview took root in the 19th century. 20th century.

In general, liberal ideology can be divided into classical liberalism and neoliberalism.

Ideas classical liberalism .

1. At the heart of liberalism is the recognition of the ideal of individual freedom. Every person has the inalienable right to spiritual, political and economic freedoms. Freedom means the destruction of external restrictions in the economic, physical, and intellectual spheres of activity. The equality of all people in their natural right to self-realization is proclaimed. Liberalism declares all forms of heredity and class privileges to be invalid. The ideals of private property, competition, market, and entrepreneurship are proclaimed. These ideals become the basis for the economic and political development of society.

2. The relationship between state and society, state and individual is being reconsidered. The state should not control the economic, social, religious spheres of society. The pluralism of political movements and ideologies, their tolerance towards each other, the priority of the individual in relation to society and the state are proclaimed. The principle of non-interference by the state in private life is proclaimed. The main task of the state is to guarantee individual rights and freedoms, monitor compliance with laws, order in society and protect the country from external danger.

3. Liberalism laid the foundation for the formation of the principles of civil society, constitutionalism, parliamentarism and the rule of law. The idea of ​​dividing power into three branches was formulated - legislative, executive, judicial. The state should be ruled not by individuals, but by laws, and the task of the state comes down to regulating the relations of free citizens on the basis of laws.

These ideas lead to the fact that the individual receives opportunities for self-realization in any field of activity, and above all in the economy. Everyone gets a chance to move up the social ladder, which stimulates entrepreneurship, hard work, and risk. All this allows capitalism to become an effective, dynamic system and contributes to the development of the individual and society.

But it must be said that the classical type of liberalism is only a kind of ideal and does not entirely reflect reality. The end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries was a kind of boundary of liberalism, at this time both its strengths and weaknesses were revealed.

Thus, free competition has led to the suppression of weaker competitors by stronger ones; concentration and centralization of production occurs in the hands of a small number of corporations and financial magnates (Carnegie, Rockefeller, Hearst). This leads to a sharp polarization of society into a rich minority and a poor majority. The inconsistency of many ideas of classical liberalism was demonstrated by the global economic crisis of 1929–1933. As a result, liberalism underwent significant changes and appeared in an updated form as neoliberalism, with American President Franklin Roosevelt becoming its main political spokesman.

At the heart of neoliberalism On the one hand, some “eternal” values ​​of liberalism are preserved, but, on the other hand, new ideas are introduced. For example, laws were adopted that strengthened the regulatory role of the state, and the principle of state intervention in the economy was introduced. The right to private property, although it remains the main one, ceases to be fundamental, since in reality other rights turn out to be more important for a huge part of society. For example, for workers, the main right is the right to work, and for the poor, the right to a living wage.

Modern liberalism recognizes as unsatisfactory the classical concept of freedom and equality of opportunity, in which the state should not interfere in the economic and social sphere of society. In reality, the “starting opportunities” of individuals depend on various reasons, for example, on family background. Thus, people from wealthy families automatically get a chance for much more better education, education, medical care, not to mention the obvious advantages in the form of inherited real estate and finances. Therefore, the state cannot withdraw from participation in the socio-economic sphere of society. It must provide the opportunity for representatives of different strata to realize their individual abilities, including providing free access to education, medical care, etc. for those who, due to their origin and financial situation, cannot independently provide themselves with equal starting opportunities.

In modern liberal ideology The concept of social justice occupies an important place. This is not about social equality, since liberals deny the idea of ​​mechanical equalization and defend the idea of ​​rewarding initiative and talents, but about the principle of state redistribution of national wealth to eliminate extremes of inequality, provide a living wage and social protection to all citizens, to adequately reward those social categories who are obviously excluded from market mechanisms, for example, teachers, doctors, workers social sphere.

So, the main idea of ​​neoliberalism is that an individual should have the opportunity for self-development based on his talents, abilities, and healthy competition, but the state must mitigate the negative consequences of the market system.

Conservatism.

The emergence of conservatism as a political ideology is also associated with the Age of Enlightenment and the Great French Revolution of the 18th century. Conservatism became a reaction to the threat posed by the revolution traditional values, habitual way of life and thoughts. Initially, this was the ideology of the nobility, but gradually wider layers joined it. In general, this is the ideology of the middle class and those social strata that primarily suffer from various kinds of transformations in society.

The English politician and philosopher Edmund Burke is considered the ideologist of conservatism. In 1790, his book “Reflections on the Revolution in France” was published, in which the basic principles of conservatism were first formulated: public life should be based on traditions, customs, moral and material values ​​inherited from previous generations and interconnected. To ensure the future, society must be stable, balanced and gradually renewed.

The term “conservatism” itself was first used by the French writer Chateaubriand, who in 1818 began publishing the magazine “Conservator”, since then the term has been widely used to denote a certain way of thinking, mentality, style of behavior, etc. But most often, conservatism is understood as a political ideology focused on protecting the traditional foundations of public life, unshakable values ​​and opposing the drastic renewal of society.

Over the two hundred years of its existence, conservatism has undergone great changes; there are many approaches to the typology of conservatism. But we will divide all conservatism into classical and neoconservatism.

Classic version.

Conservatives believe that the real world has a certain unchangeable vital principle, and a person, due to the limitations of his mind, should not undertake the reconstruction of the world, since he can destroy this vital principle, which will lead to the destruction of the very foundations of society.

Conservatism denies conscious progress in society. Social progress is the result of trial and error, during which experience is accumulated and passed on from generation to generation, which is embodied in institutions and values. These institutions and values ​​are not created consciously and purposefully because their nature cannot in principle be understood.

Society is a set of institutions, norms, moral beliefs, customs, and traditions that go back to deep history. Their interconnection and unity is a miracle of history; it cannot be explained by rational arguments, i.e. it is impossible to explain why everything exists in this particular form and not in another. Therefore, already established institutions and connections should always be given preference over any innovations, no matter how perfect they may seem from a rational point of view.

The Constitution is considered as a manifestation of the highest principles that cannot be arbitrarily changed by a person; the principle of the supremacy of law and civil obedience to the law is proclaimed.

In the process of social development, many principles of conservatism have undergone significant changes. Neoconservatism emerges in Western Europe as a reaction to the economic crisis of 1973-1974. This movement combines many ideas and values ​​of classical conservatism with the ideas of liberalism. For example, the idea of ​​social development, historical, social and political activity of man, the idea of ​​democratization of politics and social relations was accepted. The political exponents of neoconservatism were Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan.

Modern accelerated pace of life, disruption of spiritual and environmental balance leads to instability of society and confusion of people. In these conditions, neoconservatism proposed a return to traditional values ​​and ideals, for example, the priority of family and religion, social stability based on the moral mutual responsibility of citizens and the state, respect for law, a strong state order and stability are proclaimed. Those. in a society plagued by unemployment, inflation, loss of spirituality, sexual revolution, etc., universal moral laws and morality were placed at the forefront as the basis of society.

Responsibility for preserving these foundations rested with the individual himself, who must rely primarily on his own strength, initiative and resilience. And do not consider the state as a “cash cow”. But the man was not left to his own devices. The state must provide the individual with the necessary living conditions and provide the opportunity to form political associations. The state must also support and develop civil society institutions.

Although neoconservatism was unable to solve many economic problems, it provided support for the stability of society and was able to protect people and the spiritual sphere of their life in an industrially developing society. Non-conservative ideology is adhered to in modern world Many large political parties in Western countries, for example, Republican in the USA, liberal-conservative in Japan, conservative in England, the influence of this ideology is very great in Western society.

Social democracy.

Social democracy arises at a certain stage of development of bourgeois society in countries that have reached an average level of industrial development. This ideology expresses the interests of workers, intellectuals, and entrepreneurs. Theoretical foundations Social democracy was laid down in the work of E. Bernstein “The Prerequisites of Socialism and the Tasks of Social Democracy” (1899). The basic ideas of social democracy were formulated at the Congress of Social Democrats in Frankfurt am Main in 1951.

The main values ​​are the ideas of freedom, justice, and solidarity. Freedom means everyone's right to self-determination. Equality of all in their rights and freedoms means justice. Solidarity means mutual assistance, mutual support.

The ideology of social democracy is characterized by the following features:

1. Promotion of the concept of democratic socialism. But socialism is understood not as a type of society, but as a process aimed at realizing the basic values ​​of social democracy.

2. A large role is given to the trade union movement.

3. Also great value attached to political agreement and agreement when solving various problems. The transformation of society must occur through gradual reforms.

4. The priority of developing the social sphere is recognized, rather than achieving maximum economic profit. The tasks of the Social Democrats are to create and develop a system of social security and services. Solving environmental problems plays an important role.

In the economic sphere, Social Democrats advocate a mixed type of economy. Key industries industries must be socialized or under state control. At the same time, public control over investments, participation of workers in joint decision-making at the level of companies and trade unions in the development of national economic policy, self-governing cooperatives of workers and farmers, state-owned enterprises with democratic forms control and management, etc.

In the modern world, social democratic ideology is represented by different parties - social democratic, socialist, labor, workers. In total, there are about 80 such parties, which unite about 20 million. people, more than 200 million people vote for these parties. voters. In many Western countries(England, Germany) the main political struggle is unfolding between parties of the social democratic type and between neoconservative parties.

Communism.

Communist ideology was formed on the basis of Marxism, a doctrine that arose in Western Europe in the mid-19th century. The founders are Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Marxism developed the doctrine of building a just society, in which the exploitation of man by man, the alienation of man from power, from property and the results of labor will be ended. Such a society was called communist. The proletariat became the bearer of this ideology.

Marxism is a radical ideology; it assigns the main role to violent methods of transforming the old society and revolutionary methods of building a new society. Marxism recognizes the possibility scientific knowledge surrounding reality, objective social laws, and the steady progress of society.

The type of society, according to Marxism, is determined mainly by the level of development, productive forces, but also cultural, psychological, spiritual and other factors. Historical progress consisted of a change in socio-economic formations: from slaveholding to feudal, and then to capitalist. All three formations are based on private property, on the exploitation of classes and the irreconcilability of their interests. The economic basis of the communist formation, as an ideal towards which the development of society strives, is public property. But the communist formation and its first phase, socialism, can only be achieved through a proletarian revolution and the dictatorship of the proletariat, the goal of which is the expropriation of private property and its transfer into the hands of the working people.

Communist society presupposes the formation of a new person who focuses primarily on the moral incentives of work (pennant or challenge flag), work for the good of society, etc. In building a new state, emphasis was placed on the leading role of the communist party, which merged with the power structures of the state. But it is assumed that in subsequent development the state and its bodies will be replaced by a system of public self-government.

Fascism.

Translated from Latin as a bundle, bundle, association. Fascism is a phenomenon of the 20th century, it is society’s reaction to problems and contradictions in various fields society. Fascism draws its strength from the mass protest movement. A mass movement needs an ideology that can clearly formulate goals and ways to achieve them, as well as create an image of an enemy whose overthrow will open the way to success. The ideology of fascism appeals to passions, innate instincts, and base feelings of man.

For the emergence of fascism, it’s not just a crisis in society, but a protracted crisis that shook the whole social structure society, its moral principles, disrupted economic processes, caused general disappointment in official ideology etc.

Basic ideas of fascism.

1. Arrogantly negative attitude towards human personality as a being subject to all sorts of vices, a “vessel of sin”, in need of a constant rein and a firm guiding hand.

2. The inability of the human mind to understand the world is recognized. The mind is the source of confusion and disappointment.

3. The main emphasis in the historical development of mankind is on the nation. The basis for changing levels of development of society is the relationship between nations, the spiritual rise and decline of nations.

It must be said that these values ​​themselves can be the basis not only of fascist ideologies, but at the same time there are no fascist movements that are not based on these ideas.

A disdainful attitude towards the individual, the interpretation of man as a “vessel of evil” justify a system of strict control over society by that part of it which, according to fascist theorists (Mussolini, Hitler), thanks to biological heredity and self-improvement, rises above the average human level (Nietzsche’s concept "superman" and "aristocracy of the spirit"). For the activities of public institutions to be effective, leadership based on a single will is required. Hence the natural need for a leader who realizes this will. And so that various processes in society do not weaken a single strong will, violence is justified, which should be used not only as a response to actions, but also as a reaction to intentions.

Declaring the nation as the driving force of social development solves two problems. Firstly, the idea of ​​fighting for the salvation, strengthening and expansion of one’s nation is put forward, which is the bearer of a positive principle and is capable of making humanity happy (National Socialist slogan: “The German spirit will make the whole world healthier”). And secondly, a specific enemy appears, to whose account all failures and troubles can be attributed, this is another nation - the bearer of all conceivable and inconceivable negative traits, an attacker making sinister plans. For example, they may be declared a certain national minority. Such an enemy is useful for domestic politics, since dissatisfaction can be directed towards him to ease the internal tensions of society. This enemy is also useful for foreign policy, for explaining failures in international affairs, justifying aggressive policies, unleashing military conflicts, etc.

So, the goal of fascism is the revival and recovery in its “titular” country, i.e. main, nation. The priority of state interests, a rigid management system that is limited to the personality of the leader, opposition is excluded. The methods of fascism are the organization of a mass movement, its fertilization with the national spirit, the unification of public life, suppression by any means of counteraction.

For example, in Germany, a fascist ideology was created on the basis of the myth of the superiority of a certain people of the “Aryans”, and a policy of state support for “culturally creating races” was proclaimed, which included the Germans and the British; restrictions on living space for ethnic groups “serving cultural races,” such ethnic groups included the Slavs and residents of some states of the East and Latin America; and the merciless destruction of “culture-destroying” peoples was proclaimed; blacks, Jews, and gypsies were included in them.

Fascist ideology was widespread in Germany, Italy (30-40s), Spain and Portugal (1943-1960s). Greece in the 60s, Brazil, Chile. IN modern Russia fascist ideology is present in the persons of the LDPR and RNE parties.

What is fascism? This is a collective name for ideologies, extreme right-wing political movements and the principle of dictatorial-type government that corresponds to them. Fascism, which we defined above, is characterized by chauvinism, xenophobia, mystical leaderism, anti-communism, militaristic nationalism, contempt for liberalism and electoral democracy, belief in a natural social hierarchy and the supremacy of the elite, statism and, in some cases, genocide.

Etymology, definition of concept

The word “fascism” is translated from Italian “fascio” meaning “union”. For example, the political party of B. Mussolini, distinguished by its radical views, was called the “Union of Struggle” (Fascio di combattimento). The word "fascio", in turn, comes from the Latin "fascis", which translates as "bundle" or "bundle". In ancient times, it was used to denote the symbol of the authority of the magistrate - the fasces (a bundle of rods with an ax stuck into it), which was a characteristic sign of the lictors - the honorary guard of the highest magistrates of the Romans. At the same time, the fasces gave its owner the right to use force on behalf of the entire people, and even carry out the death penalty. The image of a bundle of rods with an ax can now even be seen on the emblem belonging to Federal service bailiffs of the Russian Federation. In addition, fasces are present in symbols of power in many countries around the world.

What is fascism in a narrow sense? historical sense? This is a mass movement of a political nature. It existed in the 1920s - 1940s. In what country did fascism originate? In Italy.

As for world historiography, fascism is also understood as far-right political trends in third world countries, the Portuguese regime of the New State, and Francoism.

What is fascism if we consider this phenomenon through the prism of the historiography of the CIS countries, the Russian Federation and the USSR? In addition to all of the above, this is also German National Socialism.

Currently, there are at least four directions of interpretation of the phenomenon under consideration:

Standard Soviet definition;

Fascism as a Western form of extremism;

Interpretation of the term, including the widest range of nationalist and authoritarian trends;

Definition of fascism as right-wing conservative revolutionism.

In addition, fascism, the definition of which we are considering in detail, is interpreted by some authors as a pathological deviation in the individual and/or public consciousness, which has psychophysiological roots.

As the American philosopher Hannah Arendt noted, the main sign of this phenomenon should be considered the formation of a cult of hatred towards an external or internal enemy, fueled by a powerful propaganda machine, which, if necessary, resorts to lies in order to ensure the desired effect.

Characteristics

Under the fascist regime, there is a strengthening of the regulatory functions of the state not only in the economy, but also in ideology. At the same time, the ruling elite is actively creating a system public associations and mass organizations, initiates violent methods of suppressing dissent, and does not accept the principles of political and economic liberalism. The main signs of fascism are as follows:

Statism;

Nationalism;

Traditionalism;

Extremism;

Militarism;

Corporatism;

Anti-communism;

Anti-liberalism;

Some features of populism.

Often leaderism;

Statements that the main support is the broad masses of people who do not belong to the ruling class.

I. V. Mazurov expressed his thoughts about what fascism is. He noted the following: it is incorrect to compare this phenomenon with authoritarianism, since it is exclusively totalitarianism.

Origins

In which country did fascism originate? In Italy. The country's Prime Minister Benito Mussolini took a course towards authoritarian nationalist politics in 1922. He was the son of a blacksmith, a former socialist, and bore the official title of “Duce” (translated from Italian as “leader”). Mussolini remained in power until 1943. All this time, the dictator put his nationalist ideas into practice.

In 1932 he first published The Doctrine of Fascism. It could be read in the fourteenth volume of the encyclopedia Enciclopedia Italiana di scienze, lettere ed arti. The doctrine served as an introduction to an article entitled “Fascism.” In his work, Mussolini reported disappointment in past policies, including socialism (despite the fact that he was its active advocate for a long period). The dictator called for the search for new ideas, convincing everyone that if the nineteenth century was a period of individualism, then the twentieth would be the era of collectivism, and therefore the state.

Mussolini tried for a long time to develop a recipe people's happiness. In the process, he formulated the following provisions:

Fascist ideas about the state are all-encompassing. Outside of this movement, there are simply no human or spiritual values. Fascism interprets, develops and directs all human activities.

The reasons for the emergence and development of the trade union movement and socialism should not be discounted. Some importance should be attached to the corporate structure of the state, in which the current government is responsible for the coordination and harmonization of divergent interests.

Fascism is the absolute opposite of liberalism in both economics and politics.

The state must manage all areas of the people's life through corporate, social and educational institutions.

Fascism is unacceptable in Russia. That is why in June 2010, Mussolini’s work was declared extremist. A corresponding decision was made about this in the Kirovsky District Court of Ufa.

Features of ideology

In which country did fascism originate? In Italy. It was there that the ideas about the denial of democratic values, the superiority of one nation over all others, the establishment of the cult of the leader, the justification of terror and violence to suppress dissent, and also that war is a normal means of resolving interstate disputes were first voiced. Nazism and fascism go hand in hand in this regard. Moreover, the first is only one of the many varieties of the second.

National Socialism (Nazism) is the official political ideology of the Third Reich. Her idea was to idealize the Aryan race. For this purpose, elements of social democracy, racism, anti-Semitism, chauvinism, social Darwinism, the principles of “racial hygiene” and the principles of democratic socialism were used.

Nazism and fascism were based on the theory of racial hygiene. According to it, people were divided into representatives of the so-called superior race and lower elements. The need to make appropriate selection was proclaimed. The ideology of fascism cultivated the idea that the existence of true Aryans must be supported by all means. At the same time, the reproduction of all undesirables had to be prevented. According to fascist principles, people suffering from epilepsy, alcoholism, dementia and hereditary diseases were subject to mandatory forced sterilization.

The ideas of expanding “living space” have become particularly widespread. They were implemented through military expansion.

Germany

The organizational base of the first fascist party was formed in 1921. It was based on the “Führer principle,” which presupposed the unlimited power of the leader. The main goals of the formation of this party were the following: the maximum spread of fascist ideology, the preparation of a special terrorist apparatus capable of suppressing the forces of democrats and anti-fascists, and, of course, the subsequent seizure of power.

Fascism in Germany moved to a new level in 1923. Adherents of the ideology in question made the first direct attempt to seize state power. This event is known in history as the Beer Hall Putsch. Then the fascists' plans failed. For this reason, the tactics of the struggle for power were adjusted. In 1925, the so-called Battle of the Reichstag began and a mass base for the fascist party was formed. Three years later, the changed tactics brought the first serious results. The result of the work was the receipt of twelve seats in the Reichstag. And in 1932, the fascist party was in the absolute majority in terms of the number of mandates.

On January thirtieth, 1933, the history of fascism was supplemented with another important fact: Adolf Hitler was entrusted with the post of Reich Chancellor of the country. He came to power as the head of a coalition government. Hitler was supported by all walks of life. He managed to build the broadest social base thanks to those people who simply lost the ground from under their feet after Germany’s defeat in the war. The huge aggressive crowd felt deceived. Along with their property, the majority of the country's population also lost their life prospects. In such a situation, Hitler skillfully took advantage of the psychological and political unsettledness of the people. He promised different social strata exactly what they needed most at that time: workers - employment and bread, monarchists - restoration of the desired way of life, industrialists - enough military orders, the Reichswehr - strengthening its position in connection with updated military plans. Residents of the country liked the nationalist calls of the fascists much more than social democratic or communist slogans.

When German fascism began to dominate the country, there was more than just a change of cabinet. All institutions of the state of the bourgeois-parliamentary type, as well as all democratic achievements, began to systematically collapse. A terrorist anti-people regime began to be built. At first, anti-fascist demonstrations were actively held, but they were quickly suppressed.

The movement in question reached its apogee during the Second World War. During that period, eleven million people disliked by the regime were killed in fascist camps. The Soviet Union is given a leading role in defeating the cruel system.

Liberation of Europe from fascism

In order to throw off Nazi bonds from the occupied states, in 1944 and 1945, the Soviet armed forces successfully carried out several major strategic offensive operations. Troops from eleven fronts took direct part in them. In addition, four fleets, fifty combined arms, six tank and thirteen air armies were involved. Three armies and one air defense front made no less of a contribution. The number of fighters involved reached 6.7 million people. During the same period, anti-fascist national movements strengthened, not only in the occupied countries, but even in Germany.

Finally on European territory The long-awaited second front opened. The fascists, squeezed by active hostilities, were rapidly losing strength for further resistance. However, the bulk of the shock troops were still concentrated on the line of the Soviet-German front, which was the main one. From August 1944 to May 1945, the largest offensive operations were carried out. They played decisive role in the liberation of European states from fascist invaders. As a result, the Soviet army partially or completely cleared the territory of ten countries in Europe and two in Asia from the enemy. Two hundred million people, including Bulgarians, Romanians, Hungarians, Poles, Yugoslavs, Czechoslovaks, Austrians, Danes, Germans, Koreans and Chinese, were delivered from the enemy.

Millions of people fought and gave their lives so that the propaganda of fascism would never again be heard from the stands, in order to erase from the face of the earth the remnants of the bloody dictatorship, misanthropic ideology, Nazism and racism. This goal was achieved in 1945.

Millions of dead

Every year on the second Sunday of September, the Russian Federation celebrates the International Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Fascism. Most countries in the world honor those who died at the hands of bloody ideologists. This day was established back in 1962. The main goal for which the victims of fascism are regularly remembered is to prevent the re-distribution of fascist or other misanthropic ideas.

Current state of affairs

It is believed that fascism is being reincarnated today in some Western countries. This is explained by the need of large capitals to obtain inexpensive labor and new raw materials through the seizure of Western European territories. In this regard, the ruling coalitions of both the United States and the European Union do not prevent the revival of fascist traditions that bring hatred towards the Russian world.

It is noteworthy that ambiguity in the discussion of the phenomenon under consideration is still observed. The concept of fascism is recognized as one of the key ones in the twentieth century. It has its own history and, undoubtedly, influenced the course of modern history.

If we take into account the multitude of fascist movements and regimes, the predominance of the claim that unified theory the emergence of this direction does not exist. To clearly define the phenomenon under study, we outline the main features of fascism: it is an ideology based on chauvinist, anti-socialist, anti-liberal and conservative views. Special significance at the same time, they have occult, mythological anti-Semitic and romantic ideas, coupled with elements of a militant political culture. Capitalist systems and societies that are in the so-called transitional stage are considered fertile ground for the emergence of fascist parties. However, such trends do not develop within socialism.

The study of fascism in its classical sense has now reached a phase of balance, synthesis and systematization. However, this cannot be said about studies of modern trends - right-wing extremism and fascism. The process is significantly complicated by complete chaos in subject delineation and terminology. A variety of concepts are used, including neo-Nazism, neo-fascism, right-wing populism, extremism...

Past and present

How do the views of classical fascists and modern European far-rights differ? Let's try to answer this difficult question. So, fascism is characterized by an authoritarian nationalism that advocates the protection of a corporate-class version of petty-bourgeois capitalism. He controls the militaristic party and armed groups. A constant attribute is a charismatic leader. As for the current ultra-right, they sharply criticize cosmopolis and talk about the decline of modern society, they also do not allow the mixing of races and peoples, and they cultivate the myth of the Enlightenment tradition. The basic ideological samples presented above are generously flavored with local prejudices and flavor.

Fascism is still disproportionately dangerous to civilized society. Despite the fact that it was originally an Italian-German-Japanese project, many other states were infected with similar ideas. Information about the Second World War eloquently confirms this.

As we well know from school history textbooks, the Germans were responsible for the extermination of six million Jews. Other nations also suffered, but they tend to be remembered less often. At the same time, society is not sufficiently informed that representatives of some nations, inspired by bloody ideas, not only helped the fascists realize their terrible mission, but also, under their protection, achieved their own dark political goals. Not everyone today can openly say that a certain part of Ukrainians, Latvians, Hungarians, Estonians, Lithuanians, Croats and Romanians took a direct part in the most brutal atrocities. To confirm this fact, it is enough to look at history. Thus, for the Croats, fascism became a widely supported national idea and the basis for the formation of a political course. The same can be said about Estonians.

It is an indisputable fact that the Holocaust would not have been realized without Hitler, Himmler and some other Germans. However, according to the Hamburg historian M. Wild, they could not have destroyed the great multitude of European Jews on their own. For these purposes, they undoubtedly received serious assistance from outside.

The USA remained on the sidelines

Fascism in Russia is an unambiguously negative phenomenon. They are fighting it at different levels. However, not all players in the global political arena support the desire to eradicate bloody ideas.

On December 23, 2010, the plenipotentiary representatives of the Russian Federation presented the Resolution to the UN General Assembly. This document called for a fight against the glorification of fascism. The resolution was supported by one hundred and twenty-nine countries. And only America opposed its signing. There were no comments from the media or US officials on this matter.

Conclusion

In the above article we answered the question of in which country fascism arose. In addition, the characteristic features of this phenomenon, features of ideology and the consequences of the influence of misanthropic ideas on the course of world history were examined.

Fascism(Italian fascismo, fascio - bundle, bundle, association) - a political and ideological movement that arose in Western Europe during the crisis of capitalist (industrial) society in the 30s. XX century and expressing the interests of the most reactionary and aggressive forces. It denies both liberal democratic and egalitarian socialist values ​​and is one of the varieties of totalitarianism. The political aspects of the ideology of fascism are contained in the works of famous functionaries of Italian and German fascism A. Rocco And A. Rosenberg, as well as leaders of the fascist movement A. Hitler(“meine kampf” – “My struggle”) in Germany and B. Mussolini in Italy.

Basic ideas of fascism:

– the need to use extreme forms of violence to suppress dissent and opposition;

– anti-communism;

– chauvinism, racism – theory of racial inequality and superiority of the corresponding race, anti-Semitism;

– nationalist geopolitical concepts;

– widespread use of state-monopoly methods of regulating the economy;

– the omnipotence of the state machine, the state apparatus (“the theory of the total state”);

– maximum control over all manifestations of people’s public and personal lives; the ability to politically activate the population through nationalist and social demagoguery;

- leaderism - the principle of the Fuhrer of the National Socialist organization;

– aggressive and aggressive foreign policy.

Fascism is based on mass totalitarian political party(coming to power, it becomes a state-monopoly organization) and the indisputable authority of the “leader”, “Fuhrer”. The Fuhrer is both the exponent and personification of the racial, national and popular spirit. The strength of the state comes from him, he gives certain powers to lower leaders.

Ideology of fascism identifies society with the nation, and the nation with the state. The interests of the state are immeasurably higher than the interests of individuals, groups and organizations. The power of the fascist state depends on the spiritual unity of the masses, which must be protected by any means. Apart from the fascist party - the only bearer of power and the fate of the state, no other parties with their inter-party struggle have the right to exist. Any democratic movements and organizations, as well as manifestations of free thought, were strictly prohibited under fascism. To fight dissent, fascist states used developed police forces, special paramilitary organizations, a total system of surveillance and control, concentration camps in which many tens of thousands of democrats, cultural figures and opponents of fascism, millions of Jews, Slavs and simply representatives of the “non-Aryan” were exterminated. » population.

World War II, unleashed by fascist states - Germany, Italy and others, brought the greatest disasters to the peoples of the world. More than 50 million people died during it. The defeat of fascist Germany and its allies in 1945 by the forces of the anti-Hitler and anti-fascist coalition dealt a decisive blow to fascism and contributed to the revival of democratic states.