The Pros And Cons Of Modernism

There is a debate whether fascism is a modernizing force or not, with varying arguments, from some stating it is an anti-modern force which will bring destruction of world trade and mass production, to others stating it actually fostered modern technologies in preparation of a new war. In this debate, the term modern can mean anything that tries to modify traditional society, but is a value-laden term, which carries with it a liberal or socialist understanding. However, Roger Griffin differentiates between modernization, which is a global process leading to a culminative change in traditional society because of ideological, technical, political, economic, social, and cultural changes; and modernity, which is a result of modernization process

Modernity always has local traditional aspects in it along with myths to help the transition process for people, connecting the new modernity back to a mythic past. Western modernity is just one variation of modernity and as valid as any other, even if it takes over other interpretations of modernities later. Any ideological or spiritual product of society that is affected by modernization is an expression of modernity. Therefore fascism is one form of a modernity, which was formed by the interaction of the specific local conditions and the modernization process (nation states being formed and differentiating themselves from the traditional

It uses manipulated history, national and racist myths to provide a basis for their state. Fascism turns nationalism and ultra nationalism into a secular religion to provide legitimacy to their new modern nation-state. There is an emphasis on the national community over the individual, and the past and myths are brought up as political liturgy to give legitimacy and support to the new struggles, and are used to project the future. The fascists way to progress and the way to avoid the problems of the liberal capitalist society, (mainly the relationship of the masses with the state, the idea of individualism, and the tensions between the individual and society) lay in the Third Way, at the core of which is the myth of the regenerated national community, which implies that each fascism will inevitably be nation specific, and thus can accommodate several differing reactions to modernization. Thus fascist ideology, whether modern; celebrating technology and destroying tradition like Italian Futurists, or anti-modern; like the blood and soil trend of Nazism, is still a product of modernity, even if it seems completely contrary to other visions of