Forman's rigorous definition of fascism [in Fascism: The Meaning and Experience of Reactionary Revolution] requires the confluence of a number of factors—fear of communism, state dominated capitalism, mass support for a charismatic leader, and national chauvinism with ultimate extraterritorial goals—that occurred only in Nazi Germany and Mussolini's Italy. After a brief history of these two states, Forman compares them to other governments and to movements in America and elsewhere that share some fascist characteristics. The greatest shortcoming of this approach is that Forman advances his own definition without indicating where other theorists might disagree. But his comments, as well as a prefatory scenario for what a hypothetical fascist regime in the U.S. might be like, will help students to sort out their own opinions on the differences between classical fascism and other forms of repressive or reactionary politics.