Fascism

Fascism is an authoritarian political ideology (generally tied to a mass movement) that considers the individual subordinate to the interests of the state, party or society as a whole. Fascists seek to forge a type of national unity. Various scholars attribute different characteristics to fascism, but the following elements are usually seen as its integral parts: patriotism, nationalism, statism, militarism, totalitarianism, anti-communism, corporatism, populism, collectivism, autocracy and opposition to political and economic liberalism.

The primary figurehead of Fascism in the 20th century was Benito Mussolini of Italy. He eventually aligned his country of Adolf Hitler and Germany, which was ruled by the Nazi Party, a political movement that took many cues from Fascism. This alliance became the core of the Axis, a political and military alliance, composed of countries that were governed on the Fascist model.

Literary comment

In a 2021 interview, Harry Turtledove unambiguously stated his views on fascism. "First and most important, I am not a fascist and hate everything that has anything to do with fascism with a fierce and deadly loathing."

Fascism in "The Breaking of Nations"

Throughout the 2020s, the regimes of Presidents Donald Trump and Mike Pence saw the United States slide deeper into authoritarianism. By 2031, outsiders regarded the USA's government as fascistic in fact if not in name. The enlightened minds on the West Coast understood this too, leading to the creation of Pacifica.

Fascism in The Gladiator

After communism encompassed the world, fascism joined capitalism as a historical bogeyman. Gianfranco Mazzilli and Annarita Crosetti were disturbed by the revelation that there were alternates where fascism had triumphed. They were also offended when Crosstimer Eduardo Caruso suggested that those alternates were "only slightly worse" than their own.

Fascism in In the Presence of Mine Enemies

Fascism and Nazism dominated most of the world after the Axis emerged victorious from the Second World War. Their vanquished enemies were conquered, and subsequently ruled by governments built on the Fascist or Nazi models.

However, after some decades, countries under the heel of Nazi Germany began pushing for reform. Britain's Union of Fascists led the way in 2010 by electing Charlie Lynton as party-head (a position which made its holder Prime Minister of Britain by default), rather than allow a leader be appointed by committee.

With the arrival of Führer Heinz Buckliger's reforms, Fascist governments across the continent began loosening their restrictions and slowly asserting their autonomy. With the failure of the 2011 Putsch, the world began turning slowly away from fascism.

Fascism in "Ready for the Fatherland"

The Fascist Bloc was one of three great powers existing following the end of World War II, along with the Communist Bloc and the Anglo-American sphere of influence. Germany led the Fascist Bloc, whose member states included Italy and Croatia.

Fascism in Southern Victory

Literary Comment

While several entities appear in the Southern Victory series that are fascistic in nature (including the Freedom Party, the Silver Shirts, and Action Francaise), fascism was not a formalized ideology in that series. Indeed, the word fascism does not appear to have entered into the vernacular.

Fascist Parties of Note

• Arrow Cross Party
• British Union of Fascists
• Italian Fascist Party
• Iron Guard
• Nasjonal Samling
• Nazi Party
• Ustaše