The world fascism comes from the Italian fascio (itself from the Latin fasces), and refers to, literally, a ''bundle of sticks''. Traditionally, the fasces was a symbol of strength through unity, and was a prominent symbol in the Roman republic. Benito Mussolini revived the term to attempt to promote his brand of nationalism to the traditionally rather independent states of Italy.
(Interestingly, and completely spuriously, the British term faggot for a bundle of sticks derives from the same source via the Old French fagot.)
There are two problems with attempting to define the term fascism. For one thing, the word is extremely loaded, with many strongly associating it with what is considered the most purely evil regime to ever hold sway over any country. Its meaning has become diluted to that of a rather vague pejorative against any action or authority that even hints of authoritarianism.
The second, and more fundamental, problem with trying to define fascism is that it does not have a strong list of defining characteristics. One part of the fascist ideology that runs throughout the various permutations is its strong xenophobic nationalism, but that's not the makings of a political ideology. Neither is institutionalized racism; neither is the various economic programs that fascist governments employed, often in contradiction with each other.
The confusion over the term stems, in part, from the opportunism that lies at the heart of the ideology. As mentioned, all variations of fascist thought embrace the necessity for there to be a totalitarian dictator at the head of the country, and the political process to be single-party. In Italy and Germany, fascists took power through a combination of electoral dominance and duplicity, while in states like Spain, fascism instead was established after a long and bloody civil war where dozens of political parties were eventually merged into one unified fascist party by Franco. Likewise, in Germany, the Nazi party -- the National Socialists -- was established out of the mergers of various right-wing, nationalist, and "socialist workers'" parties.
In contrast to the traditional conception of politics as a continuum, on which economic and social policies are merged into the common left-right dichotomy, fascism says nothing specific, in its most general form, about economic issues. It admits a large amount of both flexibility and internal contradiction in its policies as a result of its obsession with maintaining the support of the people of the nation. For example, the Nazi party in Germany could rail against what it considered the merger of Jewish and Communist interests against the German people, while at the same time espousing almost socialist desires to nationalize "strategically important" parts of the economy.
Hitler subverted the ruling orthodoxy of Enlightenment thought: that people worked, in general, based on enlightened self-interest, and would always choose open societies over closed one, freedom over tyranny. What Hitler did, by tapping into the primal emotions of the German people, was to subvert that ideal for a baser, coarser need: for the easy massing together over the difficult way of the individual, the freedom from independent thought that was Hitler's corporatist governance.
Part-and-parcel in this was his replacement of the traditional institution of the Church's holy sacraments with the secular ritual of his regime. Rallies, marches, call-and-response oaths of loyalty, the induction into the party ranks as a replacement of baptism and confirmation in the Protestant faith, and so on. Hitler conflated "being German" with "supporting Hitler" -- they were, in his eyes and in the eyes of the German people, one and the same. Louis the Fourteenth said as much in his own creation of absolute power as the Sun King: "I am the State", and might have seen Hitler as following in that tradition.
Why do we find Nazis fascinating, in a perverse way? I submit that it's not just that they occupy a strong spot as the boogymen of the 20th century -- our witches, our Huns, the evil black creature that lives under the bed -- but that they achieved their rise to power by essentially convincing a nation of otherwise perfectly normal people to become xenophobic, racist, and to willingly give up their democratic rights to their new Führer. What if that was me? We ask ourselves in the dark hours of the night. Would I have been able to resist Hitler's spell?
Of course, we tell ourselves. I'm smarter than that. But we throw a glance over our shoulder at the same time, afraid of our own worst tendencies. Hitler exemplifies, in a singular terrifying package, the devil within us all.
[23:53:55]
the annoying part about fascism is how post-political it seems to be, neither on the left or on the right but in some seemingly-contradictory position that takes cues from radicals on both sides.
[23:54:36]in the end, it may be easier to define its various permutations and leave generalizations to the reader.
[23:54:50] * anon thinking out loud.
[23:56:49]One part of it that remains consistent throughout its variations is its opportunism; fascist leaders will generally attempt to convince as many citizens as possible that fascism is for them, even if that means holding blatantly hypocritical beliefs within the ideology.
[23:58:17]hence, Nazi Germany could both nationalize large swaths of the economy in the name of security and hold that socialism and communism (and the economic policies thereof) were the root of all evils against the nation.
[00:04:12]fascism, more than any other modern political movement before or since, concerns itself not so much with the "traditional" political issues of a country but with a more metaphysical idea of the country.
[00:05:09]Hitler promoted the idea of "German-ness" as all-important for the Nazis above mundane political concerns, for example, fetishizing the vim and vigor of the "race".
[00:06:44]to return to the idea of the source of the word "fascism" -- "bundle" -- this is a wholesale attempt to present the ideology as all things to all people.
[00:07:36]after all, what politician could resist the attack that they are somehow "against" what the fascist, who has co-opted all the traditional symbols of a nation's metaphysical self-conception, stands for?
[00:08:24]the opposition is forced to either cede ground to the fascist or suddenly be forced to fight a political battle they cannot win.
[00:09:52]conversely, the growth of the local party in the villages and towns of a nation is fueled the same way. The party may sponsor patriotic events, or a local gymnasium, or some other culturally-significant event.
[00:10:46]they co-opt the generally-agreed-upon symbol of national unity as somehow also belonging to the fascist party, and gain members quickly.
[00:11:20]as few wish to be seen as un-patriotic.
[00:11:56]as soon as the fascists have the apparent backing of a majority of the populace, the culling of enemies can begin.
[00:12:13]...and with that note I'm going to bed.