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The difference between fascism vs communism is that the former is about nations, hierarchies, and obedience, and the latter is about class equality and common ownership. The similarities between the two stem from the fact that both have created authoritarian states. The differences between the two stem from the definitions of what a fascist and a communist are, what enemies should be targeted by their states, what property is, and who should belong to the state. The best answer would differentiate the ideal state from the one implemented during the 20th century. It would mention repression, censorship, and one party rule.
In This Article
- Fascism Vs Communism In Simple Terms
- The Main Difference Between Fascism And Communism
- How Fascists And Communists View Class
- How Each Ideology Treats The Nation
- Social Order, Class, And Hierarchy
- State Power, Repression, And One-Party Rule
- Economic Systems: Private Enterprise Vs Central Planning
- History Of Fascism And Communism In Practice
- Modern Examples And Political Labels
- Can Fascism And Communism Exist Inside Capitalist Systems?
- Similarities Between Fascism And Communism
- Frequently Asked Questions
Fascism Vs Communism In Simple Terms
In the simplest terms possible, the difference between fascism and communism is that fascism binds society together via nationalistic identification, a hierarchy of social classes, militarism, and allegiance to a ruler or the state; while communism attempts to do so via class conflict, common ownership and the abolishment of all social classes. It may be said that both ideologies produce dictatorships, but neither term is equivalent to the other. Fascism believes that social stratification is acceptable or even positive if it is conducive to the state; whereas communism believes that class inequality is the greatest wrong and can be corrected through public ownership of the means of production and distribution.
To give an example: communists believe that the workers must own the factories, mines and land so that capitalists won’t be able to exploit them. Fascist governments allow capitalists to operate but under the supervision of the state. Fascism usually rejects democracy, individual rights and enemy nations. Communism generally rejects the capitalist exploitation of workers and private ownership of resources. But history is full of communist or fascist states that betrayed the ideals of their respective ideologies, so we have to look at the ideologies and their implementations in tandem.
Communist Beliefs And Goals
The roots of communism are in the concept of class struggle. Marx and Engels’ Communist Manifesto asserted that class warfare was the driving force behind all historical progress, especially between the bourgeois and proletarian classes in industrialized capitalist economies. This is where communism diverges from fascism; because communism seeks to abolish private ownership and replace it with collective ownership of the means of production. Almost all communist states have practiced some kind of economic planning, whether that be price-fixing, rationing, or even direct control of the workforce. The goal is the establishment of a classless society, although the one-party rule of communist states creates a new elite.
Fascist Beliefs And Goals
Fascism, however, is not premised on egalitarian values. The premise of is communism fascism goes against the grain of fascism. Fascist movements revolve around a strongman leader, venerate military strength and regard dissent as an act of treason. Moreover, they foster patriotism, homogeneity, and narratives of national rebirth after times of weakness or defeat. The fascist ideology of Nazi Germany promoted the idea of racial superiority and genocide against Jews. Fascism in Italy was represented by the National Fascist Party led by Benito Mussolini, which advocated for authoritarian government, public demonstrations, anti-communism and colonial expansion. Fascism accepts and celebrates inequality, so long as it is advantageous to the state.
The Main Difference Between Fascism And Communism
The answer to the question of how is fascism different from communism is that it is a matter of which group is seen as the primary subject of politics in each system. The communist ideology believes that the class is the true essence of politics; the working class must triumph over the capitalists and all classes must be eliminated. The fascist ideology believes that the nation is the true essence of politics; the individual must serve the national collective that is directed by the state. Everything else is secondary to this difference. This includes the identity of the enemies to be defeated, the rights of property ownership, and whether the ultimate allegiance of the individual is to class or nation.
To take an example of the difference, consider fascism example. The Italian fascist government did not try to abolish the private ownership of businesses and factories; it wanted to control these businesses as well as the rest of society for the goals of the fascist state. The Soviet communist government claimed to have eliminated capitalist ownership and replaced it with central planning. Both systems oppressed their political enemies, but they justified their power based on different ideologies. Fascism promoted national unity, national prestige, and social hierarchy. Communism promoted economic equality, economic planning, and liberation from oppression. These goals influenced the institutions, media, and violence that developed under each system.
How Fascists And Communists View Class
Communism is class-based. Marx envisioned the working class taking control of the means of production and creating a classless society. Lenin adapted this model for Russia, establishing a vanguard party that would guide the workers toward socialism and eventually communism. The focus is on class, rather than on nationality (in theory), and the main characters are workers, peasants, and party members.
Fascism does not oppose class hierarchy. Instead, it aims to combine workers, employers, and the military under one banner, directing them toward a common goal and suppressing or suppressing class struggle. The rise of fascism of interwar Europe was fueled by the danger of socialism, economic instability, and the humiliation of national defeat. Fascists promised workers security and dignity, rather than authority. Those in positions of privilege could preserve their standing through their loyalty to the party and country. Workers might be celebrated in propaganda but denied independent unions and political voice.
How Each Ideology Treats The Nation
To fascism, the nation is more important than individual rights, class and universalism. The nation is the political form of the state, and it is patriotic to obey it. Fascism is always nationalistic, often describing itself against particular enemies of the nation, be they racial, religious, ideological, or ethnic. The word hitler fascism is usually used for Nazi Germany, where Hitler’s Nazi party brought together extreme nationalism, dictatorship, anti-Semitism, racial supremacy, and expansion and war.
In theory, communism is internationalist; Marx and Engels called on workers from all countries to unite against a shared class enemy rather than follow the flag of their country. But in practice, many communist countries were highly nationalistic. The USSR protected its borders and its standing in the world. The Chinese Communist Party led by Mao Zedong founded a communist state after a national revolution. Communism may talk in terms of class, but communist countries have their own national interests, armies, borders and national stories.
Social Order, Class, And Hierarchy
This is because a fascist social order is inherently hierarchical. While the Fascist State may honor the role of sacrifice of every social stratum, it never promises equality. It will always promote certain categories above others in a social hierarchy, be it the leaders, the soldiers, the party members, the males, the ethnic majority, or the most “productive” citizens. The state should replace self-interest with obligation to one’s particular stratum. So is communism fascist is a wrong question: communists don’t believe in class hierarchy, but fascists can embrace it or intensify it as long as it strengthens the nation.
While communism aims at eliminating classes, actual communist states have often created new class hierarchies through party rank, privileges and control of the state apparatus. Joseph Stalin’s USSR and Mao’s China both claimed to represent the working people, but true power resided in the Communist Party. This is worth considering. One can eliminate the private property owners and still create a class-divided society if the state is used as an instrument of oppression. This is why we must go beyond mere ideology. We must ask: Who holds the reins of the party? The judiciary? The police? The press? The economy?
State Power, Repression, And One-Party Rule
It should be noted that fascist and communist regimes have shared a great deal of characteristics. One party rule prohibits legal political opposition. Police forces monitor and punish opponents of the regime. Propaganda attempts to shape public opinion: the leader is a genius, the party is indispensable, the enemy is immoral or corrupt. Independent judiciaries, labor unions, the media, religious groups, student organizations, and other civic groups are frequently curtailed when they confront the government. Authoritarianism is often a matter of practicality.
The cult of the leader is a further overlap. Adolf Hitler (Nazi Germany), Benito Mussolini (Fascist Italy), Joseph Stalin (the USSR), and Mao Zedong (PRC) were more than just political leaders in the official narrative. Their pictures, speeches, slogans, and biographies were utilized for political indoctrination. Personal rule was buttressed by state institutions. Still, one shouldn’t think that every dictatorship is fascist or communist. The words denote ideological substance, not just authoritarianism.
Economic Systems: Private Enterprise Vs Central Planning
Economics in a fascist system can retain private enterprise, albeit one that is subordinate to the state. Businessmen may remain in power, earning their incomes, and keeping their properties, but they must carry out the government’s dictates regarding national priorities, defense requirements, labor unions, and political allegiance. Free labor unions are frequently eliminated, since they can create class strife and undermine the nationalistic ideology of a cohesive society. A fascist regime might regulate prices, output, wages, or trade, while still allowing non-communist forms of ownership. Thus, the key element of a fascist economy is not the level of state control, but the question of private ownership.
A communist economy generally involves state or collective ownership of the major means of production. In a planned economy, a great many market-driven economic decisions are replaced by state-directed targets: how much steel to produce, where workers are assigned, how much agricultural output to deliver, which sectors of the economy to support. Productivity, quotas, rationing, and state redistribution are all significant elements. This system was first developed in the Soviet Union and later adopted in China under Mao Zedong. The purpose of these systems was to achieve equality and rapid economic modernization, but in practice, they involved significant government interference in people’s lives.
History Of Fascism And Communism In Practice
Marxism, communist revolution, and twentieth-century political upheavals provided the path for communism to enter modern politics. The Bolshevik Revolution allowed Lenin’s Communist Party to seize power in Russia, eventually forming the Soviet Union. Fascism developed as a later reaction against liberal democracy, socialism, and anxieties about national decay, taking the form of populism and nationalism. Mussolini’s National Fascist Party gained control in Italy while Hitler’s Nazi Party built a far more racialized dictatorship in Germany. For a wider view, the Council on Foreign Relations’ resource collection on fascism and communism during World War II discusses both movements in relation to the Second World War.
The Soviet Union’s brand of communism diverged significantly from the versions found in Italy and Germany on issues such as private property, class theory, and the concept of revolutionary struggle. All three however, set up totalitarian or very authoritarian governments that suppressed free expression and employed extensive propaganda. The PDF on socialism, fascism, capitalism, and communism from the Naval History and Heritage Command may be useful because it examines how ideology influenced World War II propaganda. Furthermore, Diffen provides a chart showing some of the differences between Communism and Fascism on its page comparing Communism and Fascism, although this chart alone isn’t enough to understand the history.
Communist Governments In The 20Th Century
Of all the nations where communist governments took power, the Soviet Union and the People’s Republic of China are two of the most pertinent examples for our purposes here. Each followed a Marxist or Marxist-Leninist ideology and relied upon one-party rule to control both domestic and international affairs, plan the economy, and maintain high levels of state-owned assets. Each regime also engaged in political repression to suppress dissidents, ideological foes, and political rivals within the party. Lenin created the system of revolutionary one-party rule in Russia and Stalin reinforced its centralization. Mao Zedong modified communist ideology for Chinese conditions and emphasized peasants, the party, and mass mobilization as the basis for his leadership.
Fascist Governments In The 20Th Century
Benito Mussolini’s Italy and Adolf Hitler’s Germany represent the most famous examples of fascist states during the 20th century. Italy created a one-party state under the National Fascist Party, banned political opposition, and embraced aggressive nationalism. Nazi Germany, controlled by the Nazi Party, took these elements further, introducing a racialist worldview, legalized anti-Semitism, war of conquest, and genocide. For instance, Mussolini tried to establish a corporatist economy where he hoped to bring together workers and bosses under state guidance rather than treating them as conflicting social groups. Not all non-democratic states should be considered fascist. Fascism refers specifically to a mix of certain kinds of nationalism, authoritarianism, anti-democracy, and anti-liberalism.
Modern Examples And Political Labels
There are still communist states and parties today, but these labels cover a wide range of political arrangements. Some communist parties operate in democratic capitalist states and participate in competitive elections. Some states are run by communist parties which allow limited markets and private property. Some authoritarian states are called socialist, yet maintain large elements of private ownership. Thus, if someone calls something communist, it’s worth asking whether it advocates common ownership, one-party dictatorship, class revolution, social democracy or some form of social regulation.
Likewise, “fascist” and “communist” are often used as insults. They are therefore not terribly helpful unless you have a precise idea of what they mean. The existence of a welfare state does not make a country communist. The presence of nationalism does not make a regime fascist. A strong state is not sufficient. You need to consider ideology, institutions, adversaries, property relations, political violence, and the position of the party and the leader. Otherwise, you may lose sight of the differences between socialism, communism, fascism, nationalism, conservatism, and bland statism.
Well-Known Communist And Fascist Figures
Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels were responsible for the Communist Manifesto, which provided the basis for communist ideology. Vladimir Lenin was a Marxist who turned this into a revolutionary party-state. Joseph Stalin presided over the Soviet Union with severe centralized control, purges and forced collectivisation. Mao Zedong presided over the Chinese Communist Revolution and was subsequently responsible for establishing the People’s Republic of China, which he ran through mass mobilisations and party dictatorship. In contrast, Benito Mussolini founded fascist Italy, a nationalist dictatorship. Adolf Hitler was the leader of the racist, expansionist, exterminationist variant of fascism found in Nazi Germany, under the leadership of the Nazi Party.
Can Fascism And Communism Exist Inside Capitalist Systems?
Communist parties could exist inside capitalist democracies. There are some democracies where it is legal for parties to have their own newspapers, participate in elections, join in coalitions, demand that workers own their factories, etc. It is possible for a country to be capitalist and contain communist parties. It is also possible for a country to be capitalist and contain monarchists or libertarians or Christian Democratic parties or what have you. The question is, whether these parties will ever win, and, if they do win, whether they will ever make the society communist. Does the private ownership of factories cease? Do production plans become centrally planned? Do the courts remain capitalist in ideology? Are elections abolished? Are civil liberties abolished?
The same could be said of the fascist movement. Fascist movements could exist inside capitalist countries. They could gain support from various groups of people, for example, the business owners, street movements, ex-soldiers, the young, voters who are dissatisfied about recession and crime and don’t know what to do. The fascist movement could also have something in common with capitalism. A fascist government, after all, could allow capitalists to retain their businesses. However, a fascist government could still undermine the capitalist character of the society, for instance, by eliminating the democratic institutions, the right to freedom of speech, etc. Also, it could be hard to tell the difference between a mixed capitalist and communist society. Most capitalist democracies have at least some forms of business and property regulations, and even noncommunist governments often own important sectors of the economy. State ownership and private ownership are not necessarily mutually exclusive.
Similarities Between Fascism And Communism
This question is communism fascism crops up frequently because there are obvious points of comparison: one-party states, secret police, censorship, a cult of the leader, mass rallies, political prisons, etc. And the similarities are substantial, because people often have similar experiences under different authoritarian regimes even when their official ideologies are different. Both have used propaganda to name their enemies and explain their hardships. Both have criminalized dissent. Both have required loyalty not only to the state but to an ideology, to a party, to a historical mission.
That said, similarity does not equal identity. Communist governments tend to explain their repressions as protection of the workers, revolution and egalitarianism. Fascist governments tend to explain theirs as protecting the country, social order, cultural purity or national solidarity. This is where people usually get stuck: Distinct ideologies can use identical governance mechanisms if they abandon pluralism and centralize authority. So, how are fascisms alike? They share these features in common: They can abolish independent oversight, manipulate media, and criminalize political opposition.
- Communism seeks class struggle and common ownership; fascism stresses the nation, hierarchy, and authoritarian unity.
- Both have frequently become one-party dictatorships with propaganda, repression, and a personality cult in practice.
- Fascism may tolerate private enterprise as long as it serves the state; communism generally envisions state or collective ownership.
- Distinguish theory from practice, lest you conflate socialism, communism, fascism, and authoritarianism.
- Fulfill fascism vs communism intent first: discuss class, nation, ownership, and state power.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Communism A Form Of Fascism?
No, is communism fascism is no. These systems start from different concepts of class, nation, property, and political identity. Both communism and fascism have at times relied on authoritarian rule, but they begin from different premises. Communism seeks to abolish class by making property common. Fascism relies on hierarchy, obedience, and often a belief in national greatness, frequently accompanied by violence or militarism. Their similarities arise mostly in the way one-party rule operates.
What Is The Difference Between Fascism And Socialism?
Socialism typically denotes a system where part of the economy is owned or managed by workers, the state, or the community, whereas fascism generally refers to an authoritarian regime rooted in extreme nationalism, and a leader or the state above all others. Socialism doesn’t mandate a racial or ethnic hierarchy, militaristic nationalism, or dictatorial leadership. Socialist movements may use democratic means; fascist movements reject liberal pluralism and see opposition as treason.
What Is Fascism In Simple Words?
Fascism is an ideology that advocates authoritarian government, extreme nationalism, and a leader beyond the law or a party beyond dissent, and that the nation is the proper center of politics. Fascist movements advocate devotion to a single leader or party, reject liberalism and communism, and exalt the state. They often employ propaganda, mass rallies, and violent campaigns against internal and external foes. Historical fascist governments frequently asserted that they would restore national glory after a time of decline.
Is Fascism Against Communism?
Yes, fascism is generally anti-communist because communism is founded on internationalism, class solidarity, and the elimination of private property, while fascism is founded on nationalism, racial or cultural purity, and rigid hierarchy. Fascist parties typically argued that communists were undermining the nation. In the years before World War II, the threat of communist revolutions in Eastern Europe helped fascism gain support from business leaders and middle-class voters.
How Are Fascism And Communism Similar If They Are Opposite Ideologies?
The two systems share similarities because they have both often resulted in dictatorships, one-party states, and oppressive forms of control. The question of what is the difference between fascism and communism matters because the two ideologies explain their actions differently. If someone asks is communism fascist, the answer is no, but both have led to authoritarian states.
The two systems are often compared because they have produced similar forms of control and repression in the past, but the two movements grow out of different principles. Communism strives to eliminate class differences and substitute collective ownership for capitalism, while fascism stresses the primacy of the nation and its culture, often along racial or ethnic lines. Both systems have used propaganda, surveillance, and terror to maintain control, which makes them appear similar in certain respects. To answer the question of fascism vs communism, you need to examine the fundamental objectives, not merely the tactics employed by authoritarian regimes. Consider these four questions: Who owns the means of production? Who is regarded as the enemy? Is the principal unit of organization the nation or the class? How is political authority contested?
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