Another difference worth mentioning is also of economic nature and refers to the Great Depression of 1929-1933. While the Italian fascism emerged in the context of internal problems, the German fascism was driven by international economic crisis. The fall of the American market, the primary creditor of the defeated countries, meant that the financial resources would stop coming from across the ocean, and the economic condition was in even grater danger.
Not many differences can be found between the two, at least not many major and distinctive differences, ever more when the rules controlled the masses is similar manners, followed similar agendas and had the same enemies (the communists). However, one strong difference resides in the approach taken by the leaders. Whereas Mussolini emphasized on Italy as a whole, with all of its inhabitants, Hitler emphasized on Germans as a race. In other words, behind the Italian fascism lays a nationalist propaganda, whereas behind the German fascism lays a racial propaganda.
6. Conclusions
Fascism and its "offsprings," such as Nazism, are most often regarded as stains on the pages of human history. However the topic of the paper was not to present the movement in more favorable light, it did try to look at it in its early stages, which were rather positive for the general population. Adolf...
Driven by frustrations, poverty and riots, the Germans and the Italians found it easier to
trust a common man, a man originating from the masses, a man who acknowledged and identified with their sorrows and a man who saw
politicians and communists as enemies. As the people were generally inexperienced in political maneuvers (Lyttelton, 2004), the two dictators found it quite easy to manipulate them. "For many, Mussolini's Italy, Hitler's Germany are showing the way to economic and social reconstruction, through radical but -- apparently -- efficient doctrines" (the Juno Beach Center, 2003). From this angle, it can easily be said that Italian and German fascism emerged from similar origins and were generated by the same causes. The specialized historians have failed to reach an agreement relative to the similarities and differences between the Italian and the German fascism; however, the primary argument remains that Mussolini's movement was nationalist and patriotic, whereas Hitler's was racial. From this angel then, it can be said that the German fascism, however implemented on similar propaganda, was distinctive and unique as it promoted the superiority of the Arian race.
Works Cited
Allen, W.S., 1973, the Nazi Seizure of Power: The Experience of a Single German Town 1930-1935, Scholastic Library Publishing, 2nd Edition
Beck, E.R., March 1966, Review of William Sheridan Allen's "The Nazi Seizure of Power: The Experience of a Single German Town," the Journal of Modern History, Volume 38, Number 1
Littelton, a., 2004, the Seizure of Power: Fascism in Italy, 1919-1929, Routledge
Mangion, J., the Rise of Fascism in Italy, http://schoolnet.gov.mt/history/Options/Italy/RiseFascism.html. Ast accessed on June 5, 2008
2003, the Rise of Fascism, the Juno Beach Center, http://www.junobeach.org/e/2/can-eve-eve-fas-e.html. Ast accessed on June 5, 2008
2007, Fascism, the Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th Edition
