A world economic depression intensified political instability and ideological extremism. Demagogues used these times of economic distress to preach a variety of solutions that were generally anti-democratic. Single party totalitarian states emerged in Italy, Spain, the USSR, Germany, Brazil, Argentina, China, and Japan. The ideology of fascism originated in Italy to glorify the state and its leaders and was expansionist in nature. In Germany, Nazism also featured the racist philosophy of Aryan supremacy and the subjugation of other ethnic groups. In the USSR, Stalin adopted rigid communist policies including collectivization of agriculture and state ownership of industry. Spain and Brazil used the threat of local Communist parties to gain support from their people.  Japan’s need for resources fostered the development of militaristic and expansionist policies toward its neighbors. The western democracies, for a variety of economic and political reasons, relied upon a policy of appeasement in dealing with the totalitarian states.
 

Characteristics of Fascism:

I.  Personal Dictatorship
A.  All power is vested in one individual.
B.  The dictatorship has a religious quality.
 
 
 
 

II. Intense Nationalism
A.  Patriotism for a relatively new, modern nation
B.  Militant, aggressive, and intolerant
 
 
 
 

III.  Forcible Suppression of Dissent
A.  censorship of the press
B.  exclusion of foreign journalists
C.  propaganda about how wonderful life is under the dictator
D.  secret police and severe treatment of political prisoners
E.  book burning
F.  government surveillance of citizens’ activities, including religion, culture, family