1) Characteristics of fascist nations:
- MILITARISTIC
- AUTOCRATIC (“dictatorial, one-party rule”)
- JINGOISTIC (loyalty to the state, obedience
to the leader)
- OPPRESSIVE (persecutes minority groups –
racial, ethnic, religious, political)
- RITUALISTIC use of images, symbols, flags,
uniforms, political rallies
- CAPITALISTIC (supported by middle & upper
class industrialists)
- AUTHORITARIAN (denial of individual rights)
- TOTALITARIAN (state-controlled media,
secret police, censorship, propaganda)
An ultra-nationalist, militaristic dictatorship.
2) Fascism grows after WWI (1920’s & 1930’s):
- Fascist leaders promise a strong response to
economic crisis (inflation, unemployment).
- Fascist leaders promise to restore social order and
national pride.
- Fascist leaders promise “justice” and vengeance, to
punish those “responsible” for national problems.
- Resentment of the terms of the Treaty of Versailles
- No faith in new, weak democracies that lack the
experience to fix problems (i.e. Germany).
- Fear of Communism spreading from the USSR,
turning working-class fears into working-class
revolution across Europe!
3) Fascism v. Communism
Alike:
Both are autocratic, authoritarian & totalitarian,
putting the state ahead of the individual
Different:
Fascism maintains a class hierarchy, generally
has support of middle & upper classes (topdown support), and is ultra-nationalistic
Communism seeks a classless society (of the
proletariat), based on working class support
(bottom-up). May use nationalism for support,
but has more INTERNATIONALIST goals.
Mussolini… Il Duce
Demagogue – a
leader who gains
popular support by
appealing to the
anger, fear,
prejudices, and
anxieties of an
audience.
4) Mussolini becomes fascist dictator of Italy:
- Powerful, charismatic speaker (DEMAGOGUE)
…exploits popular discontent & unrest over economic
problems, fear of the spread of communism, and
resentment of the Treaty of Versailles.
- Uses party militia (“Black Shirts”) to attack political
opponents (esp. Marxists, Communists, Socialists).
4) Mussolini becomes fascist dictator of Italy (continued):
- Italian Constitutional Monarchy is unable to fix national
problems (economy, lost pride, social unrest).
- Mussolini gains support from middle & upper classes as
fears of communism continue.
- Marches on Rome with his Black Shirts, coerces Italian
king to transfer political power to him “legally”.
5) Mussolini tightens his grip on power:
- Implements autocratic rule, abolishes
democracy → outlaws opposing political
parties.
- Uses secret police (control through fear)
- State control of mass media: spread
propaganda, censor opposing ideas.
- Takes control of the economy: outlaws labor
strikes, maintains support of wealthy
industrialists (merging corporations and
the state).
Unstable democratic politics:
• Poor economy (unemployment, high
inflation, limited capital, etc.)
• New government (inexperienced)
• Weak constitution
• Too many political parties
• Party conflict (no compromise)
• Ethnic / race conflict (domestically)
• Class conflict
• International threats / WAR (past, present)
6) Early Nazi ideology:
- Abrogate (overturn) the Treaty of Versailles:
• Stop reparation payments
• Restore a powerful German military
• Irredentism: reclaim all lost German land
- Fight against the spread of communism
7) First attempt by Hitler & Nazis to gain power:
Nazi militia marches on Munich to attempt an
overthrow of the government (an illegal coup).
1923 Beer Hall Putsch
Result:
Short-term failure; Hitler
is arrested, convicted of
treason, sentenced to 5
years (!) in prison…
serves <9 months (!)…
…the Nazi party remains
a small, fringe, radical
party.
8) Hitler makes productive use of his time in jail…
Writes Mein Kampf (“My Struggle”), which publicly
outlines foundational Nazi ideology.
9) Hitler‘s explicit goals, published in Mein Kampf:
Restore a strong and powerful Germany (a “thousand
year Reich”):
- Europe to be dominated by the German “master
race” (“Aryans”); non-German races & ethnicities are
considered “inferior” (Jews, Slavs, Gypsies/Roma)
- Reacquire all ethnically German land lost in the
Treaty of Versailles.
- Conquer Eastern Europe & Soviet Russia for
farmland, resources, and “lebensraum” (living
space
for his master race); Jews are to be
eliminated,
Slavs are to be enslaved, then
starved to death.
Coming out of prison, Hitler has learned his lesson!
Instead of planning illegal coups, he will use his
organization & communication skills to persuade the
public (demagoguery!), and work from within existing,
legal political systems to gain power!
10) Hitler acquires power...
- Strong, charismatic, speaker & organizer... relentless
political campaigning, rallies, propaganda.
- The Nazi Party had its own paramilitary organization:
the “Brown Shirts” (a.k.a. “stormtroopers, or the SA),
used
to intimidate and terrorize Nazi enemies… and
who
outnumbered the German national army.
- Uses skills as demagogue to exploit economic &
political
chaos of the Treaty of Versailles, a weak
Weimar
Republic, fear of communists, and,
ultimately, the
desperation of Germans from the
effects of the Great
Depression.
•
In (January) 1933, a coalition of
Weimar Republic leaders appoint
Hitler as Chancellor of Germany,
thinking he, his party, and the SA
can be controlled.
•
In (February) 1933, the Reichstag
(German parliament) burns down
following an arson attack... the
communist party gets blamed, and
Hitler issues an “emergency decree”
that arrests communist leaders and outlaws their party.
•
In (early March)1933, new parliamentary elections are held,
without communist party opposition; the Nazis win a large
plurality (not majority), but convince other conservative
parties to join them in a coalition, in order to form a Nazi-led
parliamentary majority.
•
In (late March) 1933, a Nazi-led majority passes a new
law: the ENABLING ACT, which gives Hitler total
dictatorial powers as the “Fuhrer” of the German Third
Reich.
"I solemnly prophesize that this accursed
man will cast our Reich into the abyss
and bring our nation to inconceivable
misery. Future generations will damn you
in your grave for what you have done.”
- Retired WWI General
(and former Nazi Party member)
Erich Ludendorff, in a letter to
German President Hindenburg,
February, 1933.
11) Hitler maintains power:
- Uses the legal political process to create laws reinforcing
his autocratic rule.
- All other political parties are banned, and opponents are
arrested, imprisoned, or killed.
- Highly organized intimidation: first the Brownshirts (SA),
later the Gestapo (secret police) and S.S.
- State-controlled media (newspapers, radio films) are used
to spread Nazi propaganda; opposing ideas are censored
(inc. book burning ceremonies).
- Uses public education for indoctrination (i.e. the “Hitler
Youth”)
- Took over the economy, employing Germans to build
industry, infrastructure, and re-arm the military; labor
unions and strikes are outlawed.
- All members of the military must swear an oath of
allegiance to Hitler directly, not Germany.
12) Pre-WWII Nazi persecution of Jews:
- Nuremberg Laws,1935:
German Jews are stripped
of all citizenship rights,
branded for targeted abuse
(Star of David patch).
- Kristallnacht (“Night of Broken Glass”), 1938:
Government-organized
persecution and terrorism
of German Jews (pogroms);
public mobs attack Jewish
homes, businesses,
synagogues.
13) 1930’s… democracy, or dictatorship?
- Nations with strong democratic traditions,
experience, and constitutional structure will
manage the effects of the Depression.
- Nations lacking democratic experience are
unable to manage this economic crisis,
and
instead turn to strong dictators to fix
problems.
14) HOW will dictators “fix” this?
Militarism and imperialism:
Fascists will build up their militaries for economic
and national strength, and then use the military to
conquer neighboring nations, and steal from them
to pay for their economic recovery.
15) Reasons for voluntarily voting away your freedoms:
- desire for PERSONAL SECURITY
- ECONOMIC fear & desperation
- desire for a stronger, more effective government
- membership in a group with privileged status
(favorable treatment at the expense of others)
- nationalistic pride
- always EASIER to follow than lead!
- human susceptibility to propaganda & demagoguery
(ignorance!)
HOW TO PRESERVE YOUR FREEDOMS:
READ! A LOT! (multiple, independent sources)
EMBRACE YOUR EDUCATION (esp. history!); watch out for indoctrination!
THINK CRITICALLY, QUESTION! (esp. authority and the status quo)
DEMAND LAWS THAT REGULATE A STABLE ECONOMY THAT PREVENTS
UNSUSTAINABLE INCOME DISPARITY
MAINTAIN SEPARATION OF POWERS IN GOVERNMENT w/ CHECKS & BALANCES
MAINTAIN CONSTITUTIONAL GUARANTEES OF MINORITY RIGHTS!
PROTECT FREE SPEECH & EXPRESSION! (OUTLAW CENSORSHIP!)
RECOGNIZE PROPAGANDA AND DEMAGOGUERY (beware of he who shouts
loudest and tells you what you want to hear… without providing details)
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT & ACTIVISM: SPEAK, WRITE, COMMUNICATE, AGITATE,
DEMONSTRATE (be the squeaky wheel!)
WHY DO WE
STUDY THIS?