As the Wikipedia quotes in the opening post state: Fascism is an authoritarian & nationalist ideology, whilst Communism is about an "egalitarian, classless, or stateless society". With other words anti-authoritarian (egalitarian & classless) and internationalist (stateless). So they are clearly opposed to each other.
thegreekdog wrote:Note there are some similarities between the theories (especially the regarding the evils of class, capitalism, and individualism, as well as freedom). On a practical basis, there are striking similarities between fascist Germany and communist Russia.
There are some misunderstandings here: Fascism does not regard classes as evil, rather the opposite. It sees them as natural. Clear hierarchies & the strong leader are essential points in fascist ideology. Human society is often compared to a human body, where the head is the leader, who directs the rest of the body. Fascism does not oppose classes, it opposes "class conflicts".
Fascists dream of an ordered society with a strong government/leader, in which the different classes are content with their roles and work together towards the "greater good". Nation & race are usually used as the common denominator, that binds the people together (and separates them from other nations/races, with whom they are in competition).
Whilst Marxism was in many ways first an economical and only secondary a political concept, with a very extensive analysis & criticism of capitalist economics, fascist ideology has in fact very little to say about economics.
The fascist movements of the 20th century strove for a united people under the banner of nationalism. The nation was elevated to somewhat of a mythical/spiritual concept, that would unite the people and give meaning to their lives and their roles in (the class-) society, but also encompass the economical sphere, so that industry & business would work for the good of the nation. Fascists were not opposed to private ownership or a profit-driven economy per se, but to certain excesses of capitalism, mostly when the egoistical strive for riches was put above the good of the nation.
Whilst Marxs works were based on a scientific analysis of mechanisms in capitalist economies, the fascist ideology was in many ways highly irrational and based on a nation/race cult.
Communism today is usually associated with regimes like 20th centuries Soviet Union, that actually had very little in common with the original communist idea. In the beginnings, there were many different factions in the socialist movement, and the Marxists, that later came to dominate the socialist spectrum, were only one of them.
Some key-issues, that united all the socialist factions, were the strive for a classless society, in which there would be no exploitation of man at the hands of man, where everybody would have the same rights, and nobody would have power over his fellow man. With other words: Freedom. And equality (in the sense of equal rights & standing).
As both words communism & socialism imply, humankind was seen as a kind of family: "We are all together in this." As opposed to the capitalist "Everybody for himself and on his own". The capitalist principles of competition & profit were to be overcome and replaced by co-operation & solidarity.
And: In all socialist ideologies, including the Marxist brand, people were meant to govern themselves. The state was to be dissolved, all forms of formal authority & power abolished.
The main conflict in the socialist movement was, how to achieve their goals. The Marxists went with the approach of organising the workers in a communist party and, when the time was right, take over state power and start the process of forming the new society from above. This was seen as a necessary transition period, including the fight against the expected "counter-revolution" of the old elites, who were expected to fight to re-gain their old positions of power & privileges.
Libertarian socialists & anarchists were opposed to that idea. They feared, that by taking over the old hierarchies & power structures (i.e. the state), a new elite would be born, a new system of inequality & oppression. "Power corrupts". Thus the libertarians suggested to do away with the state & all the old institutions at once. The workers were to take direct control of their work-places & factories, and workers councils & committees to be formed to take care of administration, co-operation & planning.
Whilst the Spanish revolution, that were dominated by anarchist & libertarian socialists, was ultimately defeated by Francos fascists and never had a chance to develop a society based on its ideas, the Russian revolution succeeded. And the Russian Bolsheviks were Marxists, who then followed through with their authoritarian approach. Resulting in todays common perception as them & their politics being synonym for socialist/communist.
Anyway. To the original question: The simple fact is, that socialists & fascists were blood-enemies throughout the 20th century and fought each other all over the world. And this is indeed based in their opposed world-views and ideas. Fascism is the most authoritarian of all political ideologies, whilst Socialism wants to do away with all forms of authority. Even the Marxist ideology, that includes the authoritarian transition period of the "Dictatorship of the proletariat", has this as its end goal.
