What were the principal characteristics of facism in Europe in the Inter-war years?

I'm basing my answer on the dictatorships in both Germany and Italy. The rise and fall of both Hitler and Mussolini. The basically the who, what, why and how they got to their places of leadership in each respective country.What were the principal characteristics of facism in Europe in the Inter-war years?A word of warning most of the usual stuff is distilled sh^t essentially accurate yet seeped in misconceptions and grossly distorted by the ultimate outcome of World War Two of the 20th Century by Common Reckoning.

This forum does not allow for lengthy answers that truly shed light on the topic, in fact most often anything other than a lame joke and a cliche gets a thumbs down.

That said, though Hitler %26amp; Mussolini were very different in personality and the situation %26amp; history of Italy and of Germany quite different there were shared characteristics.

Through the opening decades of the 20th Century European Nation grappled with the issue of Government namely what sort of system would work best and then as now people felt the need for a 'strong man.' Call this Man a King or Prime Minster or Chancellor or President, but let him dictate and lead while a group of legislators (Parliament, Congress, Assembly, Whatever) haggled over the messy details and tended to the actual management of a nation.

In short Italy %26amp; Germany were groping towards Democracy yet neither Nation trusted notion of a Democracy where-in the 'Strong Man' Quietlyy left office after a prescribed number of years.

Italy %26amp; Germany were aware of the chaos in France, the one true Democracy in Europe up to 1940, and in their own land the ruling assembly in Italy, the Rheichstagg in Germany were rife with corruption inefficiency stupidity (so unlike the American Congress of 2008-2009.



O-K, here goes, the point of all of this. In Italy Mussolinni in the early 1920's and while building power during the 1920's, Hitler in Germany in the early 1930's were 'Strong Men' who stepped into a power vacumn. Egotist, fervant Nationalist, both men though flawed and stupid in so many ways, were way more cunning %26amp; clever than the masses and especally their enemies, and both men did not merely seize power, but built a coalition willing to support their demand for power. Both men were effective in unleashing internal enemies against one another, and both exploited issues of 'terrorism' and 'jobs' by forcefully claiming to be experts as to what their respective nation's needed.

Initially Italy was more successful than Germany and it can be argued that if Hitler had never been then to this day Mussolinni would be revered for what he did for Italy, but when Hitler began rattling sabres it aroused the worst inside Ill Duce and pushed him to engage in one stupid misadventure after another.



One of the Principal Characteristics of Fascism was Simplicity. If an agency was not doing its job then fire everyone, even if firing meant a real firing squad %26amp; bullets. Italy actually laid the groundwork but Hitler was brilliant at ripping up old agreements while 'legally' enacting new 'progressive' legislation. Much of what Hitler did has been copied, and I do not say this for sake of being anti-American, but much of what Hitler did has been copied especially by Bush Republicans. For example, if people do not like Jews, then Outlaw Jews, if people do not like Unions, Outlaw Unions, if the State needs Money then write a law that makes it compulsory for companies to give the State Money, and the list goes on.



Strong simple even stupid autority mark Fascism then and Now.

Peace////////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\What were the principal characteristics of facism in Europe in the Inter-war years?I don't know details of Mussolini, so I'll leave that alone.



But the rough contexts for Hitler's rise to power were these:



1. Financial

-Reparations having to be paid by Germany to the Allies after WW1

%26amp;

-Wall Street crash 1929, leading to Great Depression

which lead to

-Hyperinflation and collapse of German Economy. This meant people overnight became homeless, life savings were worth nothing. It was a major crisis, people were VERY unhappy and looking for someone to blame.



2. Political

-Formation of Weimar Republic - which consisted of proportional representation.

-Social Democrats not trusted.

-Hitler's involvement in 1923 Beer Hall Putsch, for which he was sent to jail and consequently gained national fame. Wrote 'Mein Kampf'.

-Able to gain seats in Reitchstag because of proportional representation. Eventually becomes largest party in government (some accounts of nazi officers intimidating voters though)

-Reitchtag fire 1933, blamed on a Communist (my view is that he was scapegoat and it was a conspiracy because...) Hitler takes the opportunity to declare National Emergency and the state seizes totalitarian control. Eventually in this year Hitler declares all other parties are illegal.

-1934 President Hindenburg dies and Hitler declares himself leader and chancellor of Germany. This was totally illegal but by this time he was too powerful to be challenged.



3. Historical

-History of anti-semitism in Germany.



4. Propaganda

-Hitler's ability to, within the crises of society, create the propaganda machine which claimed that Germany was once a great, commanding power in Europe (the Fatherland) and Hitler would unite the country and make it great once more.

-Hence the obsession with genetics and race. The Jewish, Romany Gypsy and Special Needs populations were in the Nazi view contaminating the blood of Germany).

-Creation of pagan-inspired religion to unite national sympathies.



(5. Indoctrination of the youth)

-Hitler youth (and equivalent for young women), intended to make the youth feel they 'belonged' whilst at the same time teaching them 'germaness' and how to fight etc.

-School teachers had to be members of the Nazi party. History books rewritten. Thus these young people entered the war having been taught the Germany was a great country which was to be defended.





There are several things I've left out, but it's a rough outline. Hope it helps.What were the principal characteristics of facism in Europe in the Inter-war years?I won't bother writing about Germany or Italy. I can see some of the other posters have done a good job explaining Germany. With regard to Italy there is an excellent documentary called fascism in colour on youtube that would answer your questions re Italy. I would attempt to type out an answer but it's been a while since I read and watched programmes about Italian History