As an ideological – political current, fascism is the most barbaric thing capitalism has ever produced. It is the most obscene thing humanity has experienced in the 20th century.
Historical Context of the Emergence of Fascism
Fascism appeared between the two world wars as an expression of the interests of the most reactionary and aggressive forces of big monopoly capital. It was born as a reaction to the revolutionary upsurge that followed the and came to life on the ruins of the world capitalist crisis of 1929.
Throughout its entire historical course, it had as its primary objective the maintenance of the capitalist system and at the same time the dismantling of the workers’ movement, despite the demagogic rhetoric developed by its pro-worker spokesmen. Fascism became the most dangerous enemy of humanity and, above all, of the international workers’ movement.
The first fascist organisations appeared in 1918 in Italy as paramilitary groups of ex-fighters from the front, which manifested themselves with nationalist tendencies. In October 1922, the fascists became a powerful political force, staging an “” that gave Italian decision-makers the pretext to appoint the leader of the Italian fascists (“duce”), Benito Mussolini, as prime minister on 31 October 1922.
About a year later, the Nazi National Socialist German Workers’ Party was formed. In a deepening political and economic crisis, the leader (“guerrilla”) of the German fascists, Hitler, with the support of big capital, formed a government in late January 1933 after the provocative arson of the German parliament (Reichstag) blamed on the Bulgarian communist leaders Dimitrov, Tanev and Popov.
The German fascists, in a few months, led the country into a dictatorship, unleashing bloody terror against all democratic and liberal currents, throwing into prison and exterminating all opponents of the Nazi regime. Apart from the Communist Party, the Social Democratic and other traditional parties were outlawed. All social organisations, especially trade unions, were dissolved. The persecution of the Jews began and the horrific concentration and extermination camps were set up for those considered enemies of the fascist regime. They thus enforced the declared fascist position of “national uniformity”.
During the interwar period, fascist regimes appeared in other countries as well. Franco in Spain, Salazar in Portugal, Horti in Hungary, Antonesko in Romania, the monarcho-fascist regime in Bulgaria, Metaxas’ monarcho-fascist regime in Greece, etc.
Hitlerofascism led humanity into the Second World War, which was the greatest catastrophe in human history, with some 70 million dead and other disasters. The greatest burden of the war, the greatest sacrifices and the greatest contribution to the crushing of Hitler’s fascism was borne by the Soviet Union with more than 25 million dead.
After the war, fascist regimes appear in many countries with the support of NATO and the imperialists. During the Cold War period, with the support of the Americans again, fascist regimes appeared in Latin America, mainly in Asia, but also in Europe, which in all cases were the support of American imperialist objectives. A striking example is the 1967 junta coup in Greece, which imposed a seven-year fascist dictatorial regime, of which Cyprus also became a victim with the fascist coup of EOKA II on July 15, 1974, perfectly executing the imperialist plans for the dismemberment of Cyprus after the Turkish invasion.
Big capital supports Fascism – “Its roots embrace the system”. Both historically and today, it proves who is the mother that gave birth to fascism, which is none other than capitalism. Historically it is proven, essentially, by the Nazi’s coupling with the then local and international bourgeoisie mainly through their funding.
“At Goering’s invitation, about 25 of Germany’s largest industrialists, together with Schacht (President of the Bank for International Settlements since 1930, Director of the Reich Bank and since 1934 Nazi Finance Minister), met in Berlin on February 20, 1933”, i.e., “shortly before the German elections of March 5, 1933. The meeting ended with the establishment of a special fund of 3,000,000 marks to support the Nazis in the forthcoming elections. In these elections the National Socialist Party received 43.9% of the votes’.
However, the American monopolies also played a catalytic role in the economic and military strengthening of Germany: Ford, General Motors (through its subsidiary Opel and beyond), General Electric, Standard Oil (today’s Exxon-Mobil), IBM, ITT (today’s AT&T), Chase Manhattan Bank and many others made huge investments, taking advantage of the “excellent” business climate offered by Nazi Germany, reaping even greater profits.
“The masks of fascism change with time”…
Today, “perhaps” there are no fascist regimes or the classical fascism that emerged in the last century, but historical and present experience shows that fascism is the reserve weapon in the arsenal of the ruling monopoly bourgeoisie, which does not hesitate to use fascist organisations when it wants to fulfil its aims.
For this reason, we must be vigilant guardians, its sick children, nationalism and chauvinism until one day we bury it deep with the system that gave birth to it!