Fascism Vs Nazism

What is Fascism?

If you ask most people in the west the question "what is Fascism?", most will not be able to give you an answer let alone an intelligent one. There is a stigma attached to fascism that has not allowed its true definition, its true goal to be known throughout the world and especially in western countries. There is no simple definition of fascism, one can say a fascist regime is ruled by a dictator and they would be right but that may trigger the idea that under a fascist regime one may not have freedom, that every aspect of ones life is being closely monitored to ensure that everyone works solely to the benefit of said dictator. This is simply not true. A fascist recognizes their obligations to the state and their duty to their family and nation. As Jose Antonio Primo De Rivera famously said "One achieves true human dignity only when one serves. Only he is great who subjects himself to taking part in the achievement of a a great task". A fascist knows and understands that the only way one can be truly free is through service to god, family, and state. Fascism eliminates democracy as it only serves as a slow and ineffective system that can be influenced by evil and unintelligent people, and replaces it with a system that works with the people for the benefit of the state which in turn benefits the people. With the implementation a corporatist economic system the individualistic elements of capitalism are eliminated and the way is paved for economic collaboration between all classes. At the end of the day the definition of fascism isn't a simple one because it is more sophisticated than other ideologies and to quote Benito Mussolini "The Fascist conception of the State is all-embracing; outside of it no human or spiritual values can exist, much less have value. Thus understood, Fascism is totalitarian, and the Fascist State -- a synthesis and a unit inclusive of all values -- interprets, develops, and potentiates the whole life of a people."

What is Nazism?

Unlike classic Italian fascism, Nazism is very well known around the world and is generally associated with fascism. While Nazism does borrow some aspects from the fascist doctrine it is important the many areas where it does differ. A simple definition for Nazism could be described using much of the same terminology used to define fascism but with the addition on Hitler's race theory and a very different economic policy. While it may seem like only adding Hitler's race theory and a different economic system to the definition isn't much, if you take into consideration just how much these differences impacted the country, you would be in for a big surprise.

What is the difference?

Well first off we will start with the most significant difference as well as the more controversial one; the race theory of course. This article will not go in-depth with the Aryan race or with Hitler's race theory itself but it is important to note why this is separate from the fascist doctrine as written by Benito Mussolini. In the fascist doctrine it is clearly written "For Fascism the State is absolute, individuals and groups relative. Individuals and groups are admissible in so far as they come within the State." meaning that in a true application of fascist doctrine within a nation, the only thing that matters is that the people of said nation live to serve the state which as previously mentioned, the state then in turn serves the people. When asked about race, Benito Mussolini said "Race? It is a feeling, not a reality. Ninety-five per cent, at least. Nothing will ever make me believe that biologically pure races can be shown to exist today". What this tells us is that even though fascism is a very nationalistic ideology, it does not discriminate (Not to say nationalism has a tendency to discriminate) based off of race. As stated in the doctrine and by Mussolini himself, the implementation of race theory goes against the doctrine and therefore serves as a solid reason why Nazism cannot be compared to fascism as if they are the same. The second example of the difference between Nazism and Fascism is economics. In todays world, the media and the education system both do very little to shed light on Nazism beyond the Holocaust, because of this most people are simply unaware of the economic policy of the Nazi party. Many delusional and uneducated people like to point out that "National Socialism" contains the word "Socialism" and therefore Nazi Germany must have been a socialist country which to any even slightly informed person is just clearly not true. The Nazi party like the fascists of Italy also showed distain towards socialist movements around the world but they did not share the same economic system. The fascists in Italy lived in the corporate state whereas the Nazi party borrowed much of its economic policy from the German National People's Party, a rather conservative party. It may seem as though Hitler put much effort into implementing a certain economic system and one is not wrong for saying so. The reason why this is is because Hitler had a very important goal to achieve which was the rearmament of Germany for the upcoming war he was to commence. The reason this is important to note is because a major focus of the fascist doctrine is on the state itself. Benito Mussolini's goal was to fix the problems that plagued Italy at the time and to implement a system that would eliminate the possibility on instability, this was done with the implementation of the corporate state. Hitler on the other hand had not entirely gained control of the state and therefore had to enter partnerships with major German businesses which he often denounced for not being loyal to the nation in order to fund the Nazi party. The Nazi party was anti-individualistic as was the fascist state but in Germany, those who benefited from the state had to meet very specific requirements. Many of the welfare programs in Germany only helped on a racial basis and many of those who needed help were denied. Another major difference in Germany was that many of the public services and businesses were eventually transferred into the private sector as a way to increase support for the Nazi party.

Conclusion

This article focused mainly on two differences between Fascism and Nazism. As previously stated, it may not seem like just two areas of dissimilarity would be enough for one to say that Nazism isn't Fascism. It is well know that Hitler drew a lot of inspiration from Mussolini's march on Rome, but it is extremely important to note that Hitler saw what Mussolini accomplished as a way to get himself into power and push his own ideas. Hitler was not interested in being a fascist, and in the words of Joseph Goebbels "One might almost say that fascism has reacted upon the creative life of the Italian people somewhat like sterilization. It is, after all, nothing like National Socialism". The main goals of National Socialism in 20th century Germany was the upbringing of a pure Aryan race and the elimination of the Jewish people, the goal of fascism was to repair a nation crippled by Socialism and the individualism brought on by liberalism. Fascism will always be an ideology that supports its own above all others and any deviation from this cannot be considered the same at all.

Important excerpts from the Fascist Doctrine

Those who perceive nothing beyond opportunistic

considerations in the religious policy of the

Fascist regime fail to realize that Fascism is not only a

system of government but also and above all a system

of thought.

Anti-individualistic, the Fascist conception of life

stresses the importance of the State and accepts the

individual only in so far as his interests coincide

with those of the State

In rejecting democracy Fascism rejects the

absurd conventional lie of political

equalitarianism, the habit of collective

irresponsibility, the myth of felicity and

indefinite progress.

The Fascist State is not indifferent to religious

phenomena in general nor does it maintain an

attitude of indifference to Roman Catholicism,

the special, positive religion of Italians. The State

has not got a theology but it has a moral code.

The Fascist State sees in religion one of the

deepest of spiritual manifestations and for this reason

it not only respects religion but defends and

protects it.

For Fascism the State is absolute, individuals

and groups relative. Individuals and groups are

admissible in so far as they come within the

State.

Not a race, nor a geographically

defined region, but a people, historically

perpetuating itself; a multitude unified by an

idea and imbued with the will to live, the will to

power, self-consciousness, personality.

The Fascist State organizes the nation,

but it leaves the individual adequate elbow

room. It has curtailed useless or harmful

liberties while preserving those which are

essential. In such matters the individual

cannot be the judge, but the State only

The Fascist State expresses the will to exercise

power and to command. Here the Roman tradition

is embodied in a conception of strength. Imperial

power, as understood by the Fascist doctrine, is not

only territorial, or military, or commercial; it is

also spiritual and ethical. An imperial nation, that

is to say a nation which directly or indirectly is a

leader of others, can exist without the need of

conquering a single square mile of territory.

Thus many of the practical expressions of Fascism

such as party organization, system of education,

and discipline can only be understood when

considered in relation to its general attitude toward

life. A spiritual attitude. Fascism sees in the world

not only those superficial, material aspects

in which man appears as an individual, standing by

himself, self-centered, subject to natural law, which

instinctively urges him toward a life of selfish

momentary pleasure; it sees not only the

individual but the nation and the country;

individuals and generations bound together by a

moral law, with common traditions and a mission

which suppressing the instinct for life closed in a

brief circle of pleasure, builds up a higher life,

founded on duty, a life free from the limitations of

time and space, in which the individual, by self-sacrifice, the renunciation of self-interest, by death

itself, can achieve that purely spiritual existence in

which his value as a man consists

IMPORTANT SIDE NOTE

There are more than two differences between Fascism and Nazism, it is simply too much to put all in an article that is meant to help people understand why traditional fascists do not like being associated with Nazi's. The best way to learn about the differences is to read works written by the likes of Mussolini, Giovani Gentile, Hitler etc. We live in a world where all the information we could ever need is readily available to us within a moments notice and there is no excuse for being uninformed.