Communism Vs. Fascism: What Are The Differences?
Communism is based on the theory of a classless society and economic equality. Two key figures from history that supported communism are Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini.
Fascism, on the other hand, has a rigid class system and is ruled by a dictator. Key people from history that supported fascism are Karl Marx, Joseph Stalin and Fidel Castro.
Both communism and fascism originated in Europe and became popular in the early to mid 20th century. So what are the differences between communism and fascism? Let’s discuss what they actually represent!
What is Communism
It is a theory of social organization where the community or state holds the actual ownership of all property within that community or state. Free markets are completely rejected. Everyone is equal; therefore social classes do not exist.
You may also want to read the difference between Communism and Socialism.
What is Fascism
A dictator will lead the state as the head of one party, there are no democratic elections and the dictator is the final word on governmental issues.
There are no free markets, no individualism and no individual glory. The state, or rather the dictator, controls all of the press and other media.
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Communism Vs. Fascism
Philosophy and Ideals
The philosophy of communism is that each person, according to his ability and needs, will work for the betterment of the community.
The government should own all land and business making the people dependent on the government so everything can be equally distributed among the people. There is to be equality between men and women and among the races.
Whereas, the philosophy of fascism is that the state must gain its glory through war and constant conquests. Each person has no value, except in promoting the glory of the state.
There is very little private business ownership and the government has a large say in how businesses are operated. Racism exists and traditional gender roles are protected.
The below video will help you understand the differences better:
Economic Stability
Communism and fascism have also many differences in terms of economic stability. Communist economy centers on the government coordinating all decisions including production, investment and resource allocation. These decisions are made in terms of physical units, not monetary compensation.
In a fascist economy, businesses are dictated by the state or government. All investments and production must be controlled by the state.
Decisions are made based on projected labor output rather than money or monetary investments. Very few businesses are actually owned by private individuals.
