While Nazism and Fascism are virtually known as having similar government styles, they were created with different ideals and meaning. Fordham University wrote two different articles, The 25 Points 1920: An Early Nazi Program and Benito Mussolini: What is Fascism, 1932. In these two articles, the two governments are explained as different, one focusing on purifying the country and the other in expanding the state’s territory.
In the article about Benito Mussolini, Italy’s fascist dictator, he argues that Fascism, “believes in holiness and in heroism… in actions influenced by no economic motive, direct or indirect”(1). The Fascism ideals support the individuals apart of the state. Mussolini focuses on expanding the Italian state and creating an empire in which believes in the living faith of the individuals.
On the the other hand, Adolf Hitler supports the purifying of the German state, according to the Fordham University article, The 25 Points 1920: An Early Nazi Program. In this, the 25 points of the NSDAP show the unification of the non-Jewish German citizens. The points included those that support the elimination of Jews and non-citizens of Germany.
These two articles show the contrast in dictator leadership. While they may have developed into the same idea later on, the fundamental ideas of these two governments were essentially different in the sense that they support the individuals of their countries respectively in different means.
Although there are differences between the two regimes, I wonder how much each leader is trying to exaggerate his nation’s uniqueness. Nationalism and consolidation consumed the thoughts of these two men. Something I often wonder is if the Hitler and Mussolini played down any similarities that Fascism shared with Communism. From these two readings would you are that one regime, in the beginning, shared more characteristics with Communism than it did with another Fascist government?
Gibson, that is an interesting point you brought up. in one example, Nazi Germany’s ‘purification of the state’ reminds me a lot of Stalins removal of Kulaks from the Soviet state and into the Gulags. During that time, the Soviet Union were attempting to remove class from its society. In Stalins Soviet Union, if you were accused of being a Kulak, you could be removed from your home and sent to a Gulag. In Nazi Germany, if you were accussed of being Jewish or a political enemy of the state, you too could be arrested and taken off to a concentration camp.
I am sure there are other examples, but it is definitely possible to argue that one Fascist country more in common with the Soviet Union.