Fascism 101 (part 1: the Origins)

The origins of Fascism are well known. It began in post-World War I Italian politics. Benito Mussolini won a democratic election in 1922 and established fascism as his philosophy. Mussolini had been a member of the socialist party and editor of the main socialist magazine. His background as a socialist is indisputable. In addition, the most important players in the fascist movement were former socialists as well. Fascism was seen as the most appealing approach for the real-world application of the socialist ideals. For this reason the 20s saw socialists join the fascists movement in large numbers.

Mussolini was very popular in the USA press and stayed that way for at least 10 years after his rule of Italy began. Check out the New York Times newspaper from that era. In addition, scholars hailed Mussolini as the leader of the age and practically as the messiah bringing us the coming utopia.

The American left of the time had a strong anti-corporatist impulse up through the 20s. They opposed war, prohibition, violations of civil liberties. The leftists were not capitalists but were not corporatists/fascists of the 30s style either. In 1933 and 1934, the American left  had to decide if they would they accept fascism as the route to their idea of socialism or if they would hold to their long held ideals. They caved. The "New Deal" offered a planned economy and welfare state that socialists in the US had not been able to accomplish. The same thing went on in Italy 10 years before. The same rational drew socialists into the scheme in large numbers.

As an expert pointed out, "The left realized that their anti-capitalistic agenda could best be achieved within the framework of the authoritarian, planning State." At the same time, the authoritarians were overjoyed to see all the new company. John Maynard Keynes said that national socialism was far more hospitable to his ideas than a market economy. Keynes is the author of the economic ideals behind the West today.

The government was not to "own" all property and means of production in the nation; rather it would be content to exercise total control. A far better arrangement since the "owners" could always be blamed for any shortcomings or error.

The West beat the Fascist States in WWII and Fascism won the war of ideas. Ironic, no?