Is socialism the same as fascism?

Answer 1

To a small extent yes;

On one hand you have great fear of communism generated by the 1916 Russian revolution.

Take America during this period;

The journalist Kenneth Roberts wrote that "social democracy gives off a distinct sour Bolshevik odour". He was part of the 100% Americanism movement that preached sermons and lectured at university although hit only spread its message to a few, the fact that this fear was here illustrates that many of the Super capitalists in America were tending towards capitalism.

The Palmer raids in 1919 demonstrate effectively the fear that many people had of communism. After his house was bombed the then Attorney General A.M.Palmer created a "red scare", using the General intelligence division to arrest around 6,000 "foreign radicals", 5400 were later released due to lack of evidence. The public lost interest as they saw the threat had been exaggerated. The ability of Palmer to create such a scare in the first place in America and also in many other Western countries.

Count Carlo Sforza noted that "the privileged classes wanted security against a "red danger" more imaginary than real - and to them the best bulwarks against the "red danger" were the two dictators in Berlin and Rome".

Indeed a British envoy stated that "These Japanese how violent, how barbarous! Just the stuff we need to destroy Moscow" and the same was true of the Germans and the Italians and their view.

This Mussolini quote illustrates the great ideological divides between fascism and "We declare war against socialism, not because it is socialism, but because it has opposed nationalism". The charisma of the two infamous fascist leaders meant that they could sell fascism as a way to overt socialism to many leading conservatives. This prompted many prominent bankers, financers and business chiefs to donate to fascist parties.

Therefore fear of socialism and communism's played a major part in the development of fascism but bourgeoisie hate of socialism also contributed to the origin of Fascism.

Fascism was a combination of pre-existing ideologies such as nationalism and militarism. What caused these ideologies to fuse together was WW1 which discontented Italians and Germans after Versailles, and its effect to split the political left between internationalist and nationalists. Fear of socialism (amongst the general population and not just the upper-class) also contributed.

As fascist parties expanded and no longer depended heavily on the support of business they adopted a very anti-capitalist approach - turning on its creators.

Mussolini detested the "super capitalism" that caused the depression and even criminalised 1st class train cabins.

Hitler stated that the bourgeoisie "know nothing except their profit, "Fatherland" is only a word for them". This conflict in views between moderate conservatism and fascism made the clash inevitable the tragedy was that British and French Tories did not realised it 10years too late.

So yes Fascism was the answer of many German and Italian conservatives to the growing red threat in their own countries. British and French conservatives failed to see how fascism turned on its creators and adopted a policy of non-interventionism as they saw it as a means to stand against Moscow.

Answer 2

No, Socialism and Fascism are actually complete opposites...it is worth noting that in Nazi Germany, Hitler actually imprisoned communists, and saw them as evil as Jews.

Socialism believes in SOCIAL control of the means of production--that is to say, the workers own the means of production, rather than the landowning, capitalist class. This idea has manifested itself in something called "Social Democracy," wherein the State, supposedly elected by the workers, owns the means of production. This is related, but not actually socialism.

Fascism believes in state control of everything. No workers, no capitalists...everyone is run by the state.

It is also worth noting that historically, many fascist regimes (like Stalin, Mao, etc.) have called themselves Communist or Socialist in order to gain popular support, while in fact enacting Fascism.