Common Characteristics of Communism and Fascism

Marxist-Leninist systems, such as Stalin's Soviet Union and Mao's China, and fascist systems, such as Mussolini's Italy, are theoretical opposites; hence their respective designations as "left-wing" and "right-wing." Yet Marxist-Leninist and fascist regimes share many of the same features, such as militarization, charismatic leadership, and the consolidation of power in one person. This paper will identify the common characteristics of Marxist-Leninism and fascism, and explain why the systems display such similarities.

In general, Marxism-Leninism and fascism are diametrically opposed. Marxist-Leninist thought calls for a revolution from below, in which the masses rise up to overthrow the capitalists and create a dictatorship of the proletariat. Wealth is redistributed so that everybody shares equally and classes are eliminated. Boundaries become meaningless because membership in the class of workers supplants national origin as the source of identity. Marxist-Leninist thought is cosmopolitan and internationalist, dedicated to the notion of spreading its philosophy around the world.

Fascism is inherently conservative and reactionary. Leadership comes from the top, in the form of a dictatorship that exercises substantial control over most aspects of society. Fascist systems are designed to harness all of the state's assets for the benefit of the state. Fascism is an ultra-nationalist philosophy, a system that looks on the rest of the world with suspicion. Aggrandize

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1, 1949. His initial rise to a position of authority in the communist party could be attributed to charisma and nationalism. When he arrived in Beijing in 1918, he was a radical nationalist convinced that China must modernize to evict its Western overlords. Soon Mao headed the communist movement, using that as a vehicle to pursue his nationalist goals. Mao and the party leadership survived repeated extermination attempts by the Nationalists. Each close call increased the members' admiration for Mao, and by the time he took over in 1949, the party apparatus began creating a nationwide cult of personality around Mao. Just as his charges followed him on a 2,000-mile march, the country appeared willing to follow him anywhere. After all, he had restored China's sovereignty and expelled all foreign powers. As a national leader, however, Mao failed miserably. He instituted numerous policies, and each succeeding program proved more disastrous than the last. Yet he did not suffer any loss of personal popularity, and continued to enjoy complete authority even within the party. Not until the end of the Cultural Revolution did Mao suffer a loss of legitimacy. One factor that all of these charismatic leaders have in common is na

Category: History - C