Rise of Fascism and Communism in the Twentieth Century
Fascism refers to an ultranationalist, authoritarian political philosophy that combines elements of totalitarianism, economic self-sufficiency, militarism, and nationalism. It opposes democratic government, equality and individual rights, pluralism, socialism, and communism by putting the importance of the nation above all else (Mussolini 296). Fascist governments are one-party states led by an authoritarian leader who claims to signify the national will and advance its interest, like elevating national community rights, suppressing oppositions, and expanding national state territory using armed conflict. Unlike fascism in the 20th century, some nations, such as the Soviet Union, were ruled by communism (White et al. 1; Lenin and Service 274). Communists first came to power in the Soviet Union following the World War and the overthrow of governments. Some people outside the Soviet Union thought that the communist government was going to last for a long. Still, the October Revolution was the vanguard that inspired millions worldwide while repelling millions more (Glassco 4; Orwell 288). Pure communism entailed common ownership of the means of withering and production of the state, and this was never achieved. Therefore, the essay explores how chaos and dictatorship impacted Germany following the rise of fascism and communism in the Soviet Union during the 20th century.
Fascism in Germany
The origin and development of fascism date to the late nineteenth century, and it was defined more in the turmoil of World War I. Following the war, fascist movements and parties existed throughout the United States and Europe. Some of the fascist movements included the Italian and German fascist activities. In Germany, the fascist movement was spearheaded by Adolf Hitler. The collapse of Germany in World War I led to substantial political instability as the new government of the Weimar Republic tried to establish its footing (Baynes (Ed.) 340). Diverse groups emanated to challenge the new government, including numerous fascist organizations like the German Worker’s Party, Hitler became a member in 1919 and head in 1920 (Baynes 5). As a leader, Hitler renamed the fascist party as National Socialist German Workers’ Party or the Nazi Party.
Despite the reference to workers and socialism in the party’s name, Hitler advanced national socialism as the complete opposite of communism and socialism. His ideology entailed advancing the power and welfare of the German Volk and developing a 25-point platform about expansion, antisemitism, and nationalism (Hilberg 6). The program called for the overturning of the Treaty of Versailles and formed Stormtroopers to advance their agenda. In 1920, the Nazi Party was a small fringe party in Germany. It began staging a coup attempt in November 1923 to seize control of the Bavarian state government before advancing on Berlin to overthrow the Weimar Republic. The party intended to develop a new state based on the unification of the German people, which was envisioned in the 25-point (Baynes (Ed.) 341). The coup failed, and Hitler was imprisoned for five years, serving only eight months. Following the release of Hitler in 1924, the Nazi party pursued political power through the elections, where he became chancellor and moved to dismantle the Weimar Republic building the fascist single-party Third Reich.
After total control over Germany, the Nazi party and Hitler started to implement other aspects of the fascist agenda, beginning with the effort to develop the ideal German national community that is defined along racial lines. To achieve this goal, the party united all ethnic Germany into a single state and excluded all minorities, especially Jews, that did not belong to the national community (Orwell 289). The Nazis used World War II as an excuse for the ultimate struggle for the survival of the German Volk by justifying the most radical measures against both alien and internal enemies (Mussolini 8). They exterminated all the Jews in Europe and murdered physically and mentally disabled Germans.
Communism
In the 20th century, an oppressed nation ruled by the Czars was a feudal dictatorship. The country had not undergone the liberal revolutions in Europe following the French Revolution that established liberal capitalism and democracy. The country remained a medieval European society, and through acts of rebellion and terrorism, the Czars were overthrown by a group of revolutionaries (Lenin and Service 273). Following this, the country went into turmoil and anarchy, resulting in the Bolshevik Party of Lenin emerging as the dominant political force.
Bolsheviks Party comprised Marxists and socialist revolutionaries who were in Europe studying sociology, economics, science, and Marxist history. The party came to put the Marxist revolution into practice after the fall of the Russian government (Glassco 13). The main agenda was to develop Russia in a manner that spread the social revolution in Europe and across the world. However, besides Czars, their biggest political opponents were social democrats and Mensheviks, both of whom were Marxist groups that supported socialism (Orwell 289; Baynes (Ed.) 341). During the October Revolution, the Bolsheviks overthrew all the remaining powers of dictatorship and started forming the Soviets responsible for administering soldiers, peasants, and workers. Bolsheviks exposed all secret information and treaties in the Russian government to tell the corruption of capitalists and the old Russian regime (Whites et al. 8). The actions were revolted by other international organizations and countries, which tried to stop the Bolshevik revolution as a counter-revolution in Russia. After World War I, Russia entered a civil war between the whites and the Reds in war communism.
Works Cited
Glassco, David Kidder. Story and history: exploring the Great War. Diss. Queen Mary University of London, 1997.
Hilberg, Raul, ed. Documents of destruction: Germany and Jewry, 1933-1945. Vol. 311. Chicago: Quadrangle Books, 1971.
Hitler, Adolf. My new order. Reynal & Hitchcock, 1941.
Lenin, Vladimir Ilyich, and Service, Robert. The State and Revolution (Classic, 20th-Century, Penguin). 1992nd ed., Penguin Classics, 1993.
Mussolini, Benito. “The political and social doctrine of fascism.” The Political Quarterly 4.3 1933: 341–356.
Mussolini, Benito. “The Political and Social Doctrine of Fascism.” Int’l Conciliation 16 1934: 5.
Orwell, Sonia Brownell. George Orwell. Nineteen-Eighty-Four. New York Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1977.
White, James, and D. Lenin. “The Practice and Theory of Revolution.”
Raoul de Roussy de Sales.”Hitler, Adolf, and My New Order.” New York, Reynal and Hitchcock (1941): 291.
Baynes (Ed.), Norman. The Speeches of Adolf Hitler (April 1922- August 1939) Volume 2 1942 [Leather Bound]. Generic, 2022.
Baynes, Norman H., ed. The Speeches of Adolf Hitler: April 1922-August 1939: an English Translation of Representative Passages Arranged Under Subjects. Fertig, 1969.