Fascism vs Communism vs Totalitarianism
There are various political and economic ideologies in the world such as capitalism, socialism, fascism, communism and totalitarianism. There was a time when these ideologies were in force in different countries of the world. The world was divided along several lines because of these ideologies. It was the breakup of the communist Soviet Union in the eighties and the beginning of a revolution called internet that has brought about a sea change in the geo political conditions of the world. Ideologies have melted with free flow of information and no country today can be said to be following a particular ideology in the strictest sense of the word. This is because of the intense desire of the countries to be in the mainstream and also to take maximum advantage of economic liberalization. However, it is important to know the differences between different ideologies and this article intends to clarify fascism, communism and totalitarianism.
Fascism
This ideology where nation or race is kept above everything else originated in Mussolini’s Italy and later spread to Germany where Adolf Hitler led to the downfall of his nation and plunged the world into World War II because of his thinking that Nazi was the most superior race and that it was meant to rule the world. Fascism makes use of state machinery for false propaganda and censorship to suppress political opposition. In fascism, state is supreme and absolute, and individuals and groups are only relative. Political analysts consider fascism to be on the far right of the political spectrum. Contrary to popular belief, fascism opposes communism, democracy, liberalism, conservatism, and even capitalism. Fascists believe in war and violence as they think that these help in national regeneration and supremacy over other nations.
Communism
Communism is one ideology that is still popular in some parts of the world though it has got much diluted after the demise of Soviet Union in the eighties. The erstwhile breakaway republics of USSR today have leanings towards capitalism as they are impressed by the progress western countries have made.
Communism aims for a classless society where everyone is equal, and even the state is redundant. This is an ideal scenario which is not possible to achieve hence communism can never be perfect. It believes in common ownership and free access to articles of consumption. Communism does not believe in private property and even profit of the individual.
There are many who think that socialism and communism are same but according to Marx, socialism is only the beginning to a long march towards communism.
Totalitarianism
Totalitarianism is an ideology that believes in total political power to be in the hands of a single person, or a particular class. This political system does not recognize the rights of the individuals and places no restrictions on the authority of the state. This is akin to personality cultism where the charisma of a single person works upon the masses through false propaganda and ruthless use of brute state power. Other means to suppress any opposition are state terrorism, mass surveillance and restriction of speech and liberty of action. This political system is close to authoritarianism and dictatorship but falls short of both.
Summary
Fascism has its roots in the superiority of a person or a class and is closer to totalitarianism but communism is different from both these ideologies as it believes in a class less and stateless society. Fascism and totalitarianism on the other hand believe in unbridled power in the hands of a person or class and believe in restriction of thinking and action of the individuals in the society.
Grey Winters says
All these isms are the same in practice, all totalitarian all collectivists, all are statist or government as god, they all want to embrace a benevolent dictator, shepherd, that will guide them in their journey to a utopian wet dream.
John Brown says
They all seem related in theory in that individual thought & beliefs are not allowed (if it doesn’t fall in line with the power groups ideology). In practice, power is given to an individual – and is typically abused shortly after…
Kayla Smith says
The Nazi race, eh? Olivia never fails to teach me new things.
Mike says
This is the typical B.S. prulgated by the intellectual Left in order to not have to discuss Communist atrocities and failures b/c the Left is planning to try it again. So the Left sets up a “strawman” in Nazism and Fascism as “far right” ideologies and then links these ideologies to Conservatism, Republicanism, and Nationalism. They then
knock down the strawman hoping that the uneducated and ignorant will buy into the far right label the Left placed on these groups/ideologies. BUT nothing could be further from the truth. Both Nazism and Fascism are leftist ideologies as both believe in a powerful state and a dimished civic role for the populace. The real difference between the these far Left ideologies is that Communism has an international focus while Nazism and Facism are nation centered (Nationalist) but still far left movements. The Far Left attempts also to paint Nationalism as “White” supremicist. This is a false narrative constructed to demonize people who believe in America first as something ugly when it’s not. Nationalism is simply the opposite of Globalism. For the past six decades, our elites have pursued a Globalist agenda and look how that’s hurt this country and is the primary reason we have dysfunctional inner-cities that were once thriving areas of good paying jobs, culture & arts, and intact families where fathers and other civic institutions were valued. The wealthy Globalists sent these good paying manufacturing jobs overseas for higher profits with no regard for the consequences.
Kevin says
Hey man, leftist and historian here.
I hope you read this because i just want to correct a lot of your misconceptions.
I want to inform you that the political spectrum addresses Egalitrianism and Not Egalitarianism.
Egalitarianism is a doctrine that advocates for equality for everyone else, this means no heirarchy.
The left seeks to eliminate heirarchy,
The right WANTS to keep or possibly empower heirarchy.
The far left ideologies like Anarchism and Communism seeks to eliminate class, ultimately flattening the heirarchal pyramid
The far right ideologies like Fascism and Monarchism seeks to empower class, they want certain people ruling and other people working.
Of course these idologies have different aspects to them thats why they cannot be the same, they just agree on some things.
Additionally, a lot of Educated people like Historians, Sociologists, Political Science majors etc. These educated people will almost always agree that Fascism and Communism are against one another. Hitler’s party, The NSDAP, or National Socialist Germans Workers Party (in english) or NAZIs if you prefer. Were not leftists they were on the right. Why? Because they wanted the aryan race over them and the jews, black people, etc. Below them. This also means they werent socialists, because they didnt empower the working people, they worked with corporations and big money. Also understand that ideologies are umbrella terms, they can mean whatever they want as long as they share the same goal, for example to acheieve Socialism towards Communism. People can acheive it in two ways through revolution and electoralism. You can vote in a socialist goverment or revolt to establism a socialist goverment. But you can implemet socialism in also two ways through democratic socialism or authoritaraian socialism( which seeks to protect the state from capitalism mostly but most of the time straying from the original goals) you get what i mean? It can mean anything as long as it follows the original ideology
I also want to address what Nationalism and Internationalism means. You are correct when you say the idea of “America First” you are incorrect about internationalism. When companies outsource to a 3rd world country like India, China or even the Philppines, it is globalism not internationalism. As a leftist i disdain globalism, but we can also call it imperialism. Internationalim is basically unity for everyone regardless of the nations nations (best way i can describe it). An example of this would be “the workers” as a nation that spans every country in the world, they unite through internationalism. Nationalism seeks unity under ONE nation. Also the thing is with Imperialism or Globalism for corporations is that they may give out GOOD jobs, but they dont give them GOOD PAYS. They outsource these jobs because it is cheaper for them and they can maximize profits in those poor countries i mentioned earlier. Which is a product of Capitalism.
Youre probably a Nationalist Conservative (hopefully not a fascist ://) which is an ideology i very much disagree with. If you ACTUALLY read this, i hope you know im not doing this in bad faith and i hope i can show you observable facts. Also i wasted a part of my life to this i hope it can be appreciated if not at least read.
P.S.
If you are a facist or nazi, ill meet you have way. Im not jewish đŸ™‚
Have a good day/night Mr. Mike