European Fascism

Mr. GieslerGlobal Studies

Small Group Activity

Using your text, your notes, and working

cooperatively -

Summarize each of the following ID’s

Marxism

Democracy

Totalitarianism

Socialism

Capitalism

The Treaty of Versailles

Benito Mussolini

Adolf Hitler

What is Fascism

Fascism is right-wing - against: Marxism, Socialism,

Anarchism, Communism, Environmentalism

Nationalistic - strong emphasis on patriotism and

nationalism

Totalitarian in practice -

Extreme reactionary form of capitalist government -

corporate power is absolute, and all vestiges of workers'

rights are destroyed

Started in Italy (1922-43), Germany (1933-45), Spain

(1939-75)

The origin of the term comes from the Italian word

fascismo, derived from the Latin fasces (a bundle of elm or

birch rods containing an ax: once a symbol of authority in

ancient Rome). Benito Mussolini adopted the symbol as the

emblem of the Italian Fascist movement in 1919.

Approaches to Fascism

Marxism: Blame the Capitalists

Capitalism: The Totalitarian Model (AKA Blame the Marxists)

German Apologists: Result of Versailles

Balanced View: A Result of Modern European Crises

CausesLong-Term Problems that Produced Fascism

Change to Mass Politics - People were turning to other

forms of Gov’t due to immense economic problems

Industrialization

Resentment toward Liberalism, Emancipation, and

Enlightenment

Short Term Problems

World War I

Inflation

Great Depression

Bolshevik Fear

Why Italy

A method to stop the spread of socialism and communism

Mussolini was backed by wealthy industrialists and

landowners

Middle-Class feared socialist reforms

Church viewed Fascism as a method to normalize State-

Church relationships

Lack of faith in Italy’s institutions

March on Rome 

King offered the post of Prime Minister to Mussolini

The violence of the Fascists (i.e.: blackshirts) intimidated

opponents

The complicity of the police and the army

Quest for a new Roman Empire

Mussolini’s March on Rome

Why Spain Spanish Civil War

A long period of decline since the great days of the Spanish

Empire

Little progress, lost her empire, and fallen behind in the

industrialization process

Deep divisions in Spanish society: Landowners vs. Peasants.

Church vs. Anti-Clerical movements: sought to reduce the

Church’s influence.

Conservatives vs. Liberals.

No Middle -extremists elements were increasingly popular.

Massive divisions between countryside and towns.

Why Spain The Spanish army had a tradition of interfering in politics.

A history of violence within Spanish politics

Democracy had never really been established

Corrupts Gov. and undermined the concept of democracy

The weaknesses of the Gov’t

Failure to carry out reforms

Failed to maintain law and order.

Army concern at the possibility of a communist takeover.

The assassination of the right wing leader Calvo Sotelo in July

1936

Franco’s regime marked the end of democracy for the next 40 years

Francisco Franco

Why Germany

The economic collapse of Germany after 1929

The lack of democratic roots in Germany

Under the Weimar republic

The president had the authority to declare a state of emergency

(Hitler used Hindenburg’s ability to do this in order to establish his

dictatorship

Why Germany

The fear of communism (Hindenburg appointed Hitler as

chancellor as a result of such fears)

The Nazis exploited the weakness of the Weimar system and often

used violence against their opponents

The Nazis made use of propaganda to shape public opinion

The Nazis used resentment against the Versaille Settlement to

their ends.

Some other political parties did not support democracy and

represented potential allies for Hitler

Homework 1-page Précis Read the statement below and respond

Resolved: “The rise of Fascism within Italy, Spain, and Germany may be best attributed to social unrest, economic strain, and political frustration., particularly after the end of World War I.”

Do you agree with the former statement? Please defend your assessment