Author: Dr. Fazl Ahmad Ahmadi
Fascism in the Form of Political Thought (Part 7)
3. Fascism and Developments
In the structure and beliefs of fascism, it is logical for the so-called superior race to seek control at both national and global levels, leading to the phenomenon of imperialism. Among nations, there is often a chosen nation that is believed to deserve dominion over all others. German fascism, exemplified by the actions of the Nazis, sought to assert the superiority of the German race through the systematic killing of millions, aiming for world domination and the establishment of a world government.
From the perspective of this ideology, Marxism, traditional nationalism in the West, and specifically communists and Jews were considered enemies. Thus, fascist interpretation posits that human beings are primarily identified through their nation, race, or ethnicity. There is no abstract concept of a general human being; instead, individuals are categorized as German, French, Italian, etc. This mode of thinking rejects democratic nationalism, which is based on equality, freedom, and equal rights, instead promoting the principle of racial, gender, and cultural inequality in human relations.
The two main manifestations of fascism were Mussolini’s fascist dictatorship in Italy (1922–1945) and Hitler’s Nazi dictatorship in Germany (1933–1945). Neo-fascist and neo-Nazi movements re-emerged in the late 20th century, exploiting the combination of economic crises and political instability that followed the collapse of communism.
The foundation of fascist ideology is not rational; rather, it is rooted in collective feelings, identity, and antipathy toward others. A longing for an idealized past and a sense of lost unity are significant in the political philosophy of fascism, where the leader embodies a political command over a particular nation and people. Fascists also exploit religious affiliations, assigning a racial role to prophets. For instance, Chamberlain asserted that Jesus was an Aryan prophet, linking this notion to qualities such as love, compassion, and honor, which he attributed to the psychological characteristics of the Aryan race.
The combination of fascist ideology and movement during World War II presented a challenge to European nationalism. However, the collapse of the authoritarian regimes of Mussolini in Italy and Hitler in Germany led to a decline in the fear of this ideology within European nationalism. Despite this, the recent rise of far-right movements has given new life to European fascism, which poses a potential threat to the future of nationalism in the continent.
Fascism can be viewed as a rebellion against the ideals and values that have dominated Western political thought since the French Revolution. The slogan “1979 is dead,” commonly used in Italian fascism, captures this sentiment. Consequently, values such as rationalism, progress, freedom, and equality were reinterpreted within fascism as struggle, leadership, power, heroism, and belligerence. In this context, fascism exhibits a quality of “anti-specificity,” primarily defined by what it opposes: forms of anti-capitalism, anti-liberalism, anti-individualism, anti-communism, among others.
Central to fascism is the vision of an organically united national community, which is encapsulated by the theme of “empowerment through unity.” In this framework, the individual is rendered insignificant; individual identity is wholly absorbed into the identity of the community or social group. The ideal of fascism is that of the “new man”—a hero motivated by duty, honor, and sacrifice, who is willing to give his life for the glory of his nation or race and who demonstrates unquestioning obedience to the supreme leader.
Continues…
By admin2