fascism
fascismA political ideology of the first half of the 20th century, the central belief of which was that the individual should be subjugated to the needs of the state, which in turn should be directed by a strong leader embodying the will of the nation. It arose in opposition to communism but adopted totalitarian styles of propaganda, organization, and violence. The word (from the Roman fasces ) was first used by the Fascio di Combattimento in Italy in 1919 . Mussolini shaped fascism into a potent political force in Italy and Hitler developed a more racist brand of it in Germany. Similar movements, which adopted a paramilitary structure, sprang up in Spain (the Falange ), Portugal, Austria, the Balkan...
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