Distinguishing Italian Fascism and Soviet Communism

All within the state, nothing outside the state, nothing against the state. ” Benito Mussolini I am writing about a host of differences between Italian Fascism and Soviet Communism. Yes, they both are totalitarian regimes, one under Lenin, then Stalin, who, in my opinion takes the cake for worst ever when it comes to the world’s extensive list of dictators, and Mussolini’s Fascist Regime, who ruled from 1922-1945, the last three years serving as a somewhat puppet ruler in northern Italy for Adolph Hitler, before his unfortunate and brutal death at the hands of partisans.

Both nations were militarized, both were dictated, both were ruthless and oppressive to political and foreign enemies, and both were aligned to Nazi Germany at one point. But let’s be real, this is where any sort of comparison comes to a screeching halt. The March on Rome took place on Oct. 22 and last until the 29th of October, 1922. In a time of uncertainty, it was a daring and bold move, and thanks to no intervention by the military on King Emmanuel III’s orders, was a successful one.

Get quality help now

KarrieWrites

Verified writer

Proficient in: Communism

5 (339)

“ KarrieWrites did such a phenomenal job on this assignment! He completed it prior to its deadline and was thorough and informative. ”

+84 relevant experts are online

Hire writer

That week, around 30,000 “black shirts” assembled and helped bring about the establishment of a new regime, the National Fascist Party. On Oct. 28th, with the King’s blessings, “Il Duce” assumed all powers as a functioning Prime Minister, and Fascism became a welcome way of living to most Italians. Mussolini would be recognized as his regime slowly but surely took power as a hero to many across Europe at the time and a savior in a sense to his people.

As for the Soviets, their rise to power came about as they were being thoroughly and clearly defeated by the Germans on the eastern front in the First World War. ”Peace, Land, and Bread” were promised, but the people of Russia and the occupied nations under Soviet control would soon learn otherwise. Military reverses and losses were mounting, and Vladimir Lenin, the coward that he was, made promises that him and his communist state had no intention of following through with. After the treaty was signed, the oppression had to begin immediately to shout down the majority of the populations present complaints.

The war began soon between the “Reds” and the “Whites”, and the masses suffering at the time of the civil war was only a sample of the taste of what the Soviet people were going to go through in the future. Once Stalin took over, he would over shadow both Hitler and Mussolini in their respective cruelness combined. “Fascism should rightly be called Corporatism, as it is the merger of corporate and government power. ” This is a direct quote from Benito Mussolini, and Fascism more or less lived up to it.

The glorious destiny and manifestation of the nation and its peoples were more important than the individual, something that was the extreme opposite of the supposed rights for all individuals of Communism, which purpose was to ensure rights for the factory workers over the factory owners, the poor masses over the rich elite, something that was precarious considering the Soviets were as a majority peasants, who, when coming to power under Lenin or Stalin, now had to watch themselves as any move deemed too right or wrong could get you killed in this backwards, barbaric communist state.

As factory workers in a nation such as Fascist Italy, you might be working for less Lira and strikes were out of the question unless you didn’t value your own life, but it was necessary for the resurrection and rebirth of the Roman Empire, which Mussolini tried in earnest to turn Italy from a 2nd rate European Power to a World Power, which he in my opinion succeeded. While the Soviets, especially under Stalin, were also into updating their countries industrialization and economy, at the cost of literally millions of human lives.

I’m not trying to say that Italy’s Fascism was a saint, as many thousands were locked away and or perished under Mussolini’s Regime, but literally tens of millions would die for this greater “communist” cause. While Mussolini was promoting successfully an increased birth rate, the Communist cause was killing people as fast as the bubonic plague. Let me put it this way, Communism protects the individual at the all costs, while Fascism protects the States interests, to the cost and sacrifice of the individual and his rights.

And lastly, if Fascism had anything in common with Communism, Mussolini wouldn’t have sent a expeditionary force in with the axis after Operation Barabossa opened up. What was a force of 50,000 was expanded into the 200,000 strong 8th Italian Army, fighting with bravery, valor and even leading the last documented (and successful) cavalry charge against the Soviets on the eastern front. Both nations had intervened for their opposing sides during the Spanish Civil War, the Soviets for the republicans, Fascist clearly for “Il Caudillo” General Franco and his Nationalists.

While both were revolutionist governments with a need for oppression, I admire the Nationalistic aspects of all Fascist regimes in Europe. Not saying that I agree with or condone genocide on any scale commited by Fascism like the Ustasha Regime of Croatia, The Iron Guard of Romania, or the Anti- Jewish laws enforced by Germany or Italy, But they fought with selflessness and sacrificed their lives for their nation, something Americans used to do and believe in, when this liberal change took over I don’t know.

But you can bet your life that if this country suffered invasion from China, I’d defend with my life this coast as the Germans had Normandy. Or if we were invaded by Mexico, I’d defend our deserts as the Italian Parachute Division Folgore defended their African positions, to the last man. Bottom line: Communism has more differences than similarities with Fascism. Sources: Brutal Friendship: Mussolini, Hitler, and the fall of Italian Fascism, F. W. Deakin Wikipedia. com BrainyQuotes. com The Third Reich: a new history, Michael Burleigh