Fascism is a political system in which a single leader or ruling party holds absolute authority and tolerates no opposition. It exalts the nation or race above individual rights, demanding complete obedience to the state.
The first overtly fascist regime was led by Benito Mussolini in Italy from 1922 to 1943, during which he consolidated control over politics, the press, and the military in the name of national unity and strength.
The word comes from the Latin fasces—bundles of wooden sticks tied around an axe. In ancient Rome, these bundles were carried by officials as symbols of authority and power. The tied rods symbolized unity, while the axe represented the magistrate’s power to punish or execute.
Flag of the Mussolini’s National Fascist Party, bearing the fasces, which was the primary symbol of Italian Fascism
Mussolini revived this ancient symbol in the early 20th century to embody collective strength under centralized authority. Since then, “fascism” has been used to describe regimes that suppress dissent, enforce absolute loyalty to the state, and promote national or racial dominance over personal freedom.
