Joe O'Brien Final paper Question 1 Benito Mussolini: Mussolini founded fascism, a political ideology that emphasized authoritarian government, nationalism, and the subordination of individual rights to the state's interests. Mussolini's ideas contributed to the rise of Nazi Germany and other fascist regimes, which were responsible for some of the worst atrocities of the 20th century, including the Holocaust and the mass murder of political rebels, minority groups, and other undesirable events. In addition, Mussolini's emphasis on the superiority of the state and the need for a strong leader who could impose order and discipline on society contributed to the erosion of democratic institutions and the rise of totalitarian regimes. Vladimir Lenin: Lenin was a Marxist revolutionary who played a vital role in the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 and the establishment of the Soviet Union. Lenin's ideas about communism emphasized the need for a classless society in which the state would own and control the means of production. While Lenin's ideas were initially motivated by a desire for social justice and equality, the implementation of his policies led to the suppression of …show more content…
John Locke, an English philosopher, was an essential inspiration for the American Revolution. Locke believed that people are born with natural rights to life, liberty, and property and that government exists to protect those rights. Furthermore, he argued that when a government fails to protect these rights, the people have the right to overthrow that government. These ideas were central to the American Revolution, which was fought to secure independence and individual rights. Locke was so impactful his thoughts and beliefs were agreed upon by all the founding fathers, and you can see a direct correlation between his ideas and the early framework for the American