The Beginning
Since the French Revolution, Liberalism was the leading political system that was sweeping Europe and the Americas. Liberal Democracies
All citizens had equal rights. The idea of giving people liberty and equality through a constitution became the hallmark of a liberal government
Liberals therefore stressed the importance of individual rights
Communism and Fascism
At the beginning of the 20th century, the human population on earth was the biggest it had ever been
Pair that with new technology and communication systems and you have what historians call mass society
Governments needed to respond to this new mass society and figure out the best way to organize such a large, mobile informed group of people
At this point, Liberal-Democracies in the world had not taken hold of mass politics and this made that particular form of gov. ill suited to govern mass society
Communism and Fascism both claimed to have a solution to the liberal- democratic governments
With Liberalism focusing on individual rights, Communism and Fascism both focused on being a part of a group instead
C and F felt that individualism was dead.
The idea that people can pursue their own self interest and be a part of a political system just didn't work out to them
So the Fascists created a group of Nationalists fighting for a stronger nation, and the Communists united people by social class.
Political Parties therefore, should be about protecting there groups of people, and not individuals
Theoretical Benefits of Communism and Fascism
In this way, masses of people could be mobilized to work for the greater good, either for the nation or the class
Both sides had different ideas about how to mobilize the groups of people
What was necessary was a leadership group that understood the greater goal, or...