Fascism Vs Marxism

2005 Words9 Pages

The Enemies of the Western Way: A Communist and Fascist Perspective “The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win.” ( Marx and Engels). In Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels 's revolutionary work, The Communist Manifesto the authors discuss an egalitarian utopia where the conflict between classes transforms from the inherent cause of oppression, into the driving force for change (Marx and Engels). The Manifesto paints a vivid picture of a constant battle between the bourgeoisie ( employers) and the proletariat (the workers). This can only be resolved through the uprising of the proletariat to achieve a state of communal work and mutual benefits essential for the equality of all citizens (Marx and …show more content…

One can gain insight into the similarities and differences of communism and fascism through an examination of the economic, political, and …show more content…

In an examination of the minds of fascist leaders, world renowned psychoanalyst Wilhelm Reich stated, “Fascist mentality is the mentality of the subjugated "little man" who craves authority and rebels against it at the same time” (Reich, 7). This statement embodies the meaning of fascism as it explains the minds of those who lead such political systems. These leaders recognize fascism as an alternative system to the dominant ideology,for example the ideals of democracy, and seek to go against the powers of significant authority and their ideals through gaining significant authority for only themselves. This can be seen when Hitler sought to go against the supposedly “inferior” within Germany, through the Treaty of Versaille. He expressed an unquantifiable amount of superiority to members of other races or religions other than Christianity, in particular the Jewish population (Reich, 142). Reich also discussed how these leaders psychologically induce the masses into full heartedly believing and even supporting some of the most radical ideals. Hitler 's method of doing this was to essentially avoid disagreements and ensure that the citizens of Germany remain focused on their end goal (Reich, 26). Strategically enough, Hitler would employ different strategies with certain classes and promise each