der, and prosperity in order to recapture some of the lost nationalistic pride and economic security which had been lost in World War I.2
As a political movement, fascism arrived relatively late, and has been described as more of an "anti movement" than anything else. It uses the economic system of capitalism to maintain a profit motive, but also incorporates socialism for some of the needs of the populace. It needs virulent scapegoatism, and is quick to mobilize military force in order to propel its doctrines. It does, however, have a distinctive style in that it focuses on nationalistic pride to the extreme, the embodiment of the State in the persona of
2 S. William Halperin, Mussolini and Italian Fascism, (New York: Van Nostrand Company, 1964), 3 4, 54 7. its leader, and a vision of the future "which it in many respects incorporated, transforming elements present in other ideologies and movements."3
In its historical context, fascism most often represents a mass mobilizing, development dictatorship that sets it apart from mere dictatorship or mere authoritarianism. Some have seen it as reactionary, especially in its complete hate for communism.4 However, in its basic historical position, the intellectual origins of fascism are tied with Mussolini:
The most important influence upon Mussolini's development, all the relationships and influences of the successive years notwithstanding, was that exercised by revolutionary syndicalism. Even after Mussolini concluded his socialist phase, the influence of revolutionary syndicalism revealed itself in the characteristic manner he conceived social relations and political struggle.5
Fascism is also not one, but several ideologies that deal with reality. For instance, the appeal of fascism was often independent of politics or economics, but was
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