1. Term

Derived from It. fascio, “bundle, group” (from Lat. fascis), the term “fascism” was applied first to the regime of Mussolini. It is now used to denote right-wing political movements and nonsocialist authoritarian governments. This extension of use has led to a loss of linguistic clarity. The term ought to be restricted to the social movements that became a new political force between World War I and World War II. These movements opposed liberalism, socia…