In school we have started learning about the 1920s and 1930s in my AP European History class and the totalitarian forms of government. I have read quite a few handouts and articles on Communism, Socialism, and Fascism, but I am having a bit of trouble understanding the differences between them. Could someone give me a basic summary of their differences?

the primary difference is that fascism attempts to present the idea that residents or citizens have a choice, where communism does not attempt to present that.

They both are based on conservative values that places the need of the State before the rights of citizens, which in most communist or fascists States do not exist. Typically fascism keeps a written set of standard laws but simply implements the rights incorrectly.

There are variations; but they are difficult to distinguish when comparing the two. both are value based gov organizations, and not founded in law.

The USA is a nation of laws and nothing else; not opinions, not values nothing. USA is a nation of laws, when the law is broken a person’s rights have been violated (it’s all predetermined and not open to opinion or compromise)–that’s all there is to it.

No need to get upset, no need to discuss feelings–just charge them.

Socialism has failed. Capitalism is failing. There is only one option, Fascism.

Fascism implies a capitalist economic system. That it prefers corporatism to laissez faire doesn’t change that.

1.- Which political, cultural, and economic characteristics helped make fascism an authoritarian system?

2.- What characteristics of fascism might make it attractive to people during times of crisis such as the Great Depression?

Gary F. Has the whole list. And every one of them is present in our current government to one degree or another. Yet because of the limits in the Constitution on our Government and the protections we have in the Bill of Rights our country is nothing like a Fascist nation.

I am 14 years of age and would like to understand politics a bit more, at least, more than a few folks of my age group. If I’m not correct, isn’t fascism extreme right politics and communism/socialism/anarchism extreme left politics?

Gee, age 14 and you already know more that the majority of Tea-Party Republcans. Yes indeed when one uses the term Left and Right then Commiunism/Socialism/Anarchism are Left and Fascism has been pushed into the Right side of the ledger.
But let us get back to Language:
Communism and Socialism explain themselves: Communism, communal living, all property etc held by all citizens – - – Jesus was a good example of Communism – - – he lived with a group of followers, they pooled their resources, worked for the common good, rejected making money simply for the sake of making money, they fished to provide food for their communitty hence Commune –

Fascism literally means a bundle of sticks, it was a word that Benito Mussolini ‘coined’ for what can best be call State-Corporationism. The State is All, and all work for the State, in return for the loyalty of its citizens the State will provide everything; trains that run on time, jobs, food, law & order. Adolf Hitler thought that was a good idea as long as he was The State and the supreme leader or Fuhrer of that State. Fascism much like modern (post 1992) Republicanism wanst no ppposition, One Party Rule, One State, all serve the State – - – -there are variations but in essence the Republican plan is the Nazi Plan; the workers work, the elite (higher party bosses, the giants of industry, comerce and baking) rule all under the authority of a supreme Leader only unlike the Nazis the republicans have yet to settle on One Leader.

Peace///////////////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

I stand in the middle and look at both sides of the spectrum and Fascism clearly gets more hate than communism. Why is that? They are basically the same thing
The Spectrum is a circle. Moderate is the opposite of those too. Both basically preach the same basic idea.

They are NOT the same thing at all. Have you ever read anything written by Fascists or Communists? Communists have killed far, far more people than Fascists.

Mussolini’s "Doctrine of Fascism"

http://www.benitomussolini.info/pdf/the_doctrine_of_fascism.pdf

The Communist Manifesto

http://www.myoops.org/twocw/mit/NR/rdonlyres/Political-Science/17-100JPolitical-Economy-I–Theories-of-the-State-and-the-EconomyFall2002/23C6C1A9-899F-4F66-9D7F-D4D6DCA7E40A/0/communist_manifesto.pdf

Compare, contrast, and get back to us.

So fascism and communism are at the complete opposite sides of the political scale, they hate eachother and are theoreticaly polar opposites. Yet they look the same to me, both are ruled by oppressive rich dicatators, in both a lower class are exploited for the benefit of an upper class, both excessivly use propoganda to brainwash the population, the list goes on.
So really, in practice are communism and fascism similar or the same?

Communism = State control

Fascism = Corporations control

This is the truth.

I got a good understanding, what communism is. But does fascism come from a capitalistic society?

Fascism is a right-wing POLITICAL system that is a totalitarian dictatorship and has a capitalist economy.

Communism is an ECONOMIC system and the politicians who run the politics are considered on the left of the political spectrum. It can be totalitarian although in theory it is usually democratic.

How did the fear of communism lead wealthy people to support fascism?

The previous political systems were either monarchies and/or limited democratic states. Under both types of government, the wealthy people controlled the governments with their wealth – the fear of losing their control over the governments, and then the fear of organised labour, led many of the wealthy people in Germany, Italy, Portugal, and Spain to support the fascists, rather than lose their ill-gotten gains.

Happened with Mussolini and Hitler, both who took advantage of of society when they were down on their knees and looking for any solution to the economic problem, even if it came in the form of Fascism.

Could it happen in America?

It’s happening now. Fascism thrives on bad times and fear mongering like we’re getting daily.

The Tea Party is a good example of extremist groups emerging when economic times are tough.

I was reading about the rise of fascism in not only Germany during the depression, but also in Spain, Italy, Japan and the Soviet Union under Stalin. The people in these countries weren’t thinking straight.

I would think twice about joining any extremist group right now. It can lead to some really catastrophic consequences down the road for everybody.

Of course, you are right, and Mr. Phil is wrong. He makes a good point that the tea partiers themselves have not been violent, and your use of them as your only example allowed him to dismiss your point. So it’s not just the tea partiers–it’s right-wing extremists. It is everyone who thinks Glenn Beck is telling them the truth and then goes out and shoots the guard at the Holocaust Museum It is everyone who listens to Sean Hannity and then decides to rob a bank. It is everyone who listens to Rush and thinks Obama is ruining our country so they’d better take some extreme action.

I had never put it together before that the timing of these fascist regimes occurred right after the Depression. Excellent point.

Check out this story: http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2010/09/woodburn_bank_bombing_trial_1.html