what are the main similarities between communism and fascism? what are the differences?

Answer 1

Similarities of the two systems are subordination of the individual for the good of the state. A strong state system that controls means of production, distribution and a propaganda or "education" system.
both systems proclaim their superiority to all others and cannot integrate well with other systems of government. A Fascist government could include a king or a communist government a tribal council at a village level for example but both would be subordinate to the central power.
The differences are basically that in the great question of Nature verses Nurture, the fascists would strongly support nature and the communists nurture. Both believe that the world and human society are places of unending war where competing systems fight for survival and dominance.
A fascist believes in an innate hierarchy and they usually place themselves at the top of it. People and ethnic groups have a certain innate nature that makes some suitable to lead and others to follow.These qualities are present at birth,they can be encouraged and trained but not created. This hierarchy must be maintained by raising up suitable people and crushing others.

For a communist the qualities of the individuals are determined by their upbringing, especially their place in the class structure.
This class structure is seen as essentially exploitative and must be changed to allow people to be free of this exploitation. this philosophy cannot support people being divided along racial lines, all people can share in the communist state if they are correctly educated.

One interesting similarity is that both believe in a sort of historical destiny to which we must work towards. Fascists see society as becoming more degenerate, falling from some sort of golden and heroic past while the Communist see history as progressing from an ignorant sate of exploitation to an enlightened state of freedom and equality.
For both them the highest duty is towards the state and fulfilling your role in it

Answer 2

There's a mass of differences but if it could be put in a short sentence then Communism is centred around the community and believes that it is central to all, where-as Fascism believes in pure brute force and world domination[like there's not really a focus on rebuilding]. In practice both were monsters and neither could survive on earth. Fascism went first as it was the most openly oppressive. With Communism it seems that many believed it was for the good of the people and so it took longer but both were about suppressing the people and that will never work. Never whilst pussy's a cat as dad says. [smile]

Answer 3

It depends on your definition of communism. In its purest form, communism is the 'sharing' of goods and labour by the people. In a truly communist society there is no leader and workers rule. When we talk of communism today we probably mean socialism which is really a system where the government owns everything. Socialism is a transitory phase between capitalism and communism. I think fascism is basically socialism, except for the fact that fascism is not leading to communism. The Nazi's were considered fascists but they were called the National Socialist Party (or something). And Hitler hated communists (who in actual fact were socialists). I know I'm not making any sense but make of my answer what you will. :-)

Answer 4

The communists were "red" fascists, and the fascists were "brown" communists (see Hitlers Brownshirts). Both relied on Pseudo science, and had Utopian goals. They were both the dualist party states ( known more misleadingly as "one-party" states), and both suffered with, "Gangsterism", and bloated Bureaucracies. Both had an amazing propaganda "machine", with which they berated their, "dialectical enemies", and practiced the psychology of hatred. They had near watertight censorship, which they used to cover up the Genocide and coercion they practiced. Again, both believed in collectivism and Militarism, and they believed in the "universalism" of their ideology, and finally they both had a contempt for liberal democracy and both had moral nihilism as a central feature.