What is fascism – and does Trump's victory really show it on the rise?
Right-wing politicians are regularly labelled fascists, but what does the term actually mean?

Oxford Dictionaries this week chose "post-truth" as its new word of the year. It could instead have opted for an old term that is very much in use in 2016: "fascism".
Anti-immigration sentiment and rhetoric on both sides of the Atlantic have been labelled fascist, and critics of Donald Trump, some of them well within the political mainstream, have suggested that his victory in the US election is a sign that fascism is on the rise there.
Nigel Farage and Ukip are often called fascist. Even the pressure exerted on those in the public eye to wear a poppy commemorating Britain's war dead has been dubbed "poppy fascism".
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Other commentators have resisted the use of the term, and suggested that it does not accurately describe today's politicians in the US and UK.
What does fascism mean?
The Oxford English Dictionary says fascism is "an authoritarian and nationalistic system of government and social organisation which emerged after the end of the First World War in 1918, and became a prominent force in European politics during the 1920s and 1930s, most notably in Italy and Germany".
The concept is a complex one and it can sometimes be easier to point to examples – such as the regimes of Benito Mussolini, Adolf Hitler or Francisco Franco – than offer an all-encompassing definition.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
As secondary school history teachers have explained for decades, the word came into English from Latin, via Italian. The "fasces" were a bundle of sticks used to administer punishments, which became symbolic of government in ancient Rome. They were seized upon as an emblem by Mussolini as he tried to drag 1920s' Italy back to the perceived glory days of the Roman Empire.
So Mussolini created the term originally?
Yes - but by extension, says the OED, the word can now mean any "extreme right-wing political ideology based on the principles underlying [Mussolini's and Hitler's regimes]".
Mussolini summed up his politics in three clauses in a speech he made in 1925: "Tutto nello Stato, niente al di fuori dello Stato, nulla contro lo Stato." ("Everything in the state, nothing outside the state, nothing against the state.")
Are Trump and Farage really 'fascists'?
Clearly not. Neither has ever espoused fascist government. But the charge is levelled at them on the basis of the "thin end of the wedge" argument: they are both nationalists and have both focused on immigration. Nationalism is integral to fascism - and the scapegoating of immigrants is deeply associated with it.
For example, opponents claim there are echoes of the rise of Hitler's fascist regime in Trump's demonisation of Muslims. The Nazis chose to scapegoat Jews to distract the German populace from their real problems – and critics have argued that Trump has used Muslims and Mexicans for exactly that purpose on the campaign trail.
It would be harder to pin that charge on the Ukip interim leader, whose rhetoric has been more moderate. But some liberals point to his insistence that the presence of immigrants in the UK is a major cause of social problems and to his admiration for Trump.
Others argue that to use the label "fascist" to describe politicians such as Trump and Farage trivialises the crimes of real fascist regimes and those who suffered at the hands of their dictators.
-
What to know before turning to AI for financial advice
the explainer It can help you crunch the numbers — but it might also pocket your data
-
Book reviews: 'The Headache: The Science of a Most Confounding Affliction—and a Search for Relief' and 'Tonight in Jungleland: The Making of Born to Run'
Feature The search for a headache cure and revisiting Springsteen's 'Born to Run' album on its 50th anniversary
-
Keith McNally' 6 favorite books that have ambitious characters
Feature The London-born restaurateur recommends works by Leo Tolstoy, John le Carré, and more
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American cities
Under the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
What will security guarantees for Ukraine look like?
Today's Big Question From boots on the ground to economic sanctions, here are the measures that might stop Russia taking another bite out of Ukraine
-
Will Ukraine trade territory for peace?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION Kyiv’s defences are wearing thin but a land swap is constitutionally impossible and crosses Zelenskyy's red lines
-
Russia tries Ukraine land grab before Trump summit
Speed Read The incursion may be part of Putin's efforts to boost his bargaining position
-
Europe counters Putin ahead of Trump summit
Speed Read President Trump will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska this week for Ukraine peace talks
-
Is Trump's new peacemaking model working in DR Congo?
Talking Point Truce brokered by the US president in June is holding, but foundations of a long-term peace have let to be laid
-
Who wins from a Trump-Putin meeting?
Today's Big Question Trump might get the leaders together for a photo op but brokering a peace deal won’t be easy
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctions
The Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish