Can any single factor explain the emergence of Fascism?

Table of contents
Abstract
1. Rise of Fascism in Italy
2. Ideology of Fascism
Conclusion
References

Abstract
In this article of Fascism referring to growth of the fascist governments, in particular
Italy, and also growth of Fascist thought as a whole is analyzed by evaluating three long term
reasons which are a cultural and political history of Italy, influence of modernization, and, at last,
about weaknesses of democracy. The further in-depth study will help to understand, how World
War I aggravated each of these factors that lead rise to emergence of fascism in Italy. At last, the
conclusion will explain that no single factor can be seen to explain emergence of fascism
occurrence. Instead it was in the course of interaction of these interconnected factors which had
led to occurrence of fascism. (Absalom, 1984).

1. Rise of Fascism in Italy

When the World War I apparently came to an end, it paved a way for the future prospects
of Europe continent. The successful opposition of liberalist democracies against expansionist
policies of the authoritative empire created firm belief for prevailing the democracy and stability
in the continent. Nevertheless, soon after that, these hopes had appeared in vain, giving way to
social turbulence, political erosion instability, economic needs, and series of several sharp inter-

war crises. The destruction of the European regime and in fact the appreciable number of the
countries, most popularly of which were Germany and Italy, abnegated the adherence to basic
principles of the West European societies and need for, the democratic system, parliamentary
government and economic liberalism was the most serious consequences of these crises. (Abse,
1983).
But initially whether it was a support from petit bourgeois society which had started
feeling the scarcity because of its proletarianization, to totalitarian of political decisions, in wider
context of economic and political fluidity, the corresponding reasons that lead to occurrence and
definitive domination of fascist regime? The answer to this question should be resolutely
positive, considering examples of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, which had received essential
growth during the aftermath of World War I, they fully rendered totalitarian control, with infinite
bloodsheds and convulsions the basics of so called modern order, with purpose of carrying out a
new world war.
This research on most part about fascism growth is exposed to problems which approach
towards the contradicting the ideas, asserting that above term mentions only the Italian theme
when the fascism movement was started. Historians and scholars of fascism has emphasized by
arriving at the decision to define fascism while attempts of revisionist were centered on ideology
of fascism and its broad interpretation. (Absalom, 1977)
The analysis follows, from the bibliography of outstanding authors of fascism and their
attempt to establish historical context of fascism, it is at first to cope with a turning point in inter
-war period and a number of crises which had occurred in Europe continent - the main battlefield
of the World War I and the cores to strong pressing from the following of disintegration which
have almost destroyed fascism from the world map. Basically, it will be a question in more
details on a duet from the popularly known examples Germany and Italy and their fascism
regimes; it will study at this conjuncture their internal circumstances which had laid down in a
substratum for fascism strengthening. In Italy the fascism had been launched after victory in the

World War I with the purpose to imply, Roger Griffin's effective phrase and also in Germany,
when after the humiliating peace treaty, the anarchical situation of the newly born the Weimar
republic was quickly worsened by a horrifying crisis, leaned against the ideological and the
political foundations. (Vivarelli, 1992).
During the aftermath of the World War I, the close connection existed between nationalist
sentiments, now a process of political interests and financial gains, within the limits of social
unrests, an economic crisis and unstable political situation which finally led the big recession in
1929 in America, on one breath, there was an internationalization of crisis which had uprooted
the roots of the European artificial prosperity and also the rich societies. Growth of social
degradation followed, unemployment jumped up, and liberal democrats had suffered owing to
deprivation because of their deteriorated circumstances. Whereas in Germany where
considerable development of the industry had come into force, thanking to American funds,
crisis was sharper and in Italy, peasants had revolted because of infringement of pre-war
promises, concerning distributions of land owners and the landed property on them.
As a whole, workers and middle class resulted in despair, basically because of uncontrolled inflation and the economic turmoil turned to ideological crisis; discrediting the party
of parliamentary democracy, and liberalized economic policy which had only got under way in
Europe.
Unstable balance in 1920th years had shown fragility of democratic system. The
unprecedented objectives of supporters and believers of authoritative regime wanted to
overthrow liberal democracy; they took the benefits of the accusations and widely increasing
dissatisfaction, and charged government about economic scandals, the powerlessness to
implement the government programs and the account of requirements of time. Along with large
dispersed fears and concern of proletarianization and absence of an ideological direction,
authoritative, nationalist movements had arisen, having pressed mutiny created by liberal
democratic efforts, which they finally carried out by introduction of anti-liberal and dictatorial

regime, which was supported in most cases by army, church, land owners and the large business
houses. (Delzell, 1961).
This situation had developed in Hungary in 1920 with Admiral Horty during the same
period in Germany, when unsuccessful attempt took place against the Weimar Republic by
favorites of monarchy and the extremely nationalist groups. In the year 1923, General Rivera of
Spain, cancelled parliamentary system by having imposed dictatorship regime of ruling class and
later three years, in Poland the Marshal Pilsudski, with support of army after heading "March to
Warsaw" imposed military dictatorship. Besides, the authoritative regimes established by Spain,
Portugal and Greece were the sample representatives of configuration of fascism or the semifascist states.
Unlike other authoritative regimes the ideological substratum suffices and is simply,
aimed at rectification of the conventional state of affairs, new forms of dictatorship. No doubly
Fascism possessed firm ideology, by declaring, the firm obedience of the person and his value, to
fascist state, whose power is indisputable and infallible.
But how it is possible to define fascism and what were its ideological substances? The
majority of historians can't agree about the general, coordinated theory, and some of them assert
that "fascism" the term is exclusively meant only for the Italian affairs because of its
dissimilarity with the others totalitarian regime. Besides, Mann asserts that these types of
totalitarian regimes, for example, Fascist of Italy and Nazism of Germany, should be considered
during the exact twentieth century social status and structure, so as to distinctively distinguish
them from other authoritative movements which neither include the same sociological bases nor
support the same popular social vision. (Koon, 1985).
2. Ideology of Fascism
Fascism initially was brought into existence by the former prominent worker of the
socialist party of Benito Mussolini. On his ideology, Fascists should struggle furiously both, civil
democratic and communistic regimes, and are directed to lure citizens with the extremely

nationalist and ant capitalist slogans. Simultaneously it intends to create a dictator, capable to
transform Italy in strong, dominating force to take European affairs into its hands. It is the
authoritative rule based on: dominance of unopposed single party, nationalist lifting and trade
unions, dominated during the period from 1922 to 1943 in Italy.
The question that arises for the interwar period, hence, is: what were favorable
circumstances for fascism occurrence in Italy? Considering a situation in 1919 in Italy and
disturbing time prevailed, the nation was rocking into score of internal problems. The
circumstances prevailed right after the World War I and indirect economic, social and political
crisis seriously affected the stability in the country. (Cohen, 1979)
Though Italy had won the World War I, her backward economic, social and political
structure had put huge pressure upon its public life. This backwardness had led to the clash of
interests between bourgeoisie, which represented industrially developed North and a class from
the basic land owners which represented the feudal South, because of formers crusade to capture
power. For seizure of power thus the bourgeoisie leaned against the support of land owners from
the South. The compensation for this support, appeared to failure for agrarian reforms, that
created chain reaction, thereby resulting mass display of discontentment and hundreds agrarian
strike, with participation of half million peasants in 1920. Aforementioned problems have
resolutely shown that the in Italy, civil regime didnt rest on the solid structure, an impotence and
failure which had caused the regime for ideological and economic crisis. The trade unions also
during the same time couldn't intercede because of its internal quarrels, concerning the
opposition between social democrats and communists.
Powerlessness of the bourgeoisie class to establish strong civil regime and stable
capitalist economy was a starting point of social crisis. Economy basically stood on foreign
capitals basically (French, English, and German). Thus, the collection of forward
monopolistically capital was born, while the country till that period haven't passed through the
phase of liberalistic capitalist competition , consequently the Italian state were in huge debts

against foreign creditors. In these conditions, economic crisis had become more and sharper
while processing and a cottage industry, the backbone of the countrys economy was seriously
damaged by the monopolistically capital.
As it was already mentioned, "mutilated victory" of Italy in the World War I, caused
disappointment in outstanding promises thus leaving its allies with strong bitterness in
connection with peace conference, restriction concerning migration and, at last, romantic, but
widely to be supported by actions of nationalist poet of Italy, Gabriele DAnnunzio which
grasped disputable Fiume and the commander of the voluntary army, Arditi at the end of 1919
had strengthened already existing hot nationalism, that caused serious moral crisis and struggled
a long way to ease weak liberal structure of Italy. Mussolini used nationalists demand and
manipulated discontent of the people against a victory and benefit from war of allied powers,
with a view of power achievement. (Snowden, 1972).
It is possible to assert, hence, during this moment that favorable conditions for fascism
occurrence nearly reached to maturity. Besides, we should take into consideration pitiable
position of economy, shortage of raw materials and labor in plants, in connection with hecatomb
and heavy losses that war had left behind, and default of north province of the state due to
military operations. The Italian government was forced to accept the inflationary policy in
connection with war expenses which led, to inflation in prices and demand of a proportional
salary of the working class, an aggravation of inflation and unemployment explosion which had
pushed to questions in a condition of disorganization and mass riots.
We should also not forget that the soldiers, after their arrival from battlefield were
mistreated as they were considered responsible for causing harm to the country which had
followed after war and they were not provided with necessary means to their assimilation in
social system. Corner asserted that as Italy gained power of the fascism, a cult of violence,
dangers and adventures, became a high place in a society thereby uniting all dissident groups.

In the boundaries of social unrest, ideological instability and an economic crisis since
1919, moderate political circles had started to unite against communists who at that time were
preparing themselves to capture the opportunity caused by general crisis. Hence, widespread
fears of the Bolshevism and spreading of the revolutionary ideas across all Europe since 1918, a
social disorder prevailed in the Italian social class in 1920 ran into extremes and leaded a
channel of political thought, the big business, land owners and church in relation to find the
influential person who could be tenacious communication between masses, petit bourgeoisie and
radical social elements of soldiers which had returned from front, and waiting for action. At this
critical moment, fascism had arisen as a progressive and advanced movement that could protect
the country from danger of communistic revolution and considered strongly as a stronghold of
national modernization. (Arendt, 1951)
Conclusion
Undoubtedly, the fascism was the World War I Heritage, which emerged from
consecutive crises in ideological, economic, military and political sphere which liberal
democracies weren't able to solve. Revolutionary movements of radical rights under the direction
of charismatic cunnings demagogues as Hitler and Mussolini, both were capable of aggravating
all pro fascist sociable tendencies in powerful ideology which had mobilized national
communities, became national parties of masses and promised to give an effective solution to
consequential problems arisen due to Great World War. It can be, hence asserted that the
fascism cannot be named as only negative ideologies, anti-liberal, anticommunist, anticonservative, but extremely culmination of political democratic system that has replaced
absence of parliamentary institutes and liberal democracies.

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