What are the philosophical differences between Facism, Socialism, and Communism?

Question

FYI I've read 1984 and Animal Farm (for those of you who were going to suggest me doing so).

It's a rather intriguing subject, really.

I understand Communism.

I don't know if Karl Marx is attributed to all of them.

-Wes

PS Also check out my question: "Why doesn't Communism work?" here: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Ak3LELFIBzJZ5uV04yHljmPsy6IX?qid=20060921190343AA0Yks0

Answer 1

Fascism seems to me to be a wish to return to a romanticized era of medieval glory, the exact opposite of a mythical Marxist future. Socialism is common to both, where the state takes all unto itself, having all power and making all decisions, as an intermediate condition to achieve either a fascist or communist future that never quite arrives allowing perpetual war and a permanent state of emergency. Fascist has been tried in Italy, Germany, Spain (where it lasted the longest and was like a deep freeze for that country) several Latin American countries and now, I fear, in the USA of Neo-Conservatism.
All three have killed vast millions of people who haven't fit into their plan for transforming society.

Answer 2

Socialism and communism are the same thing. They represent an order of society where everyone pursues a common goal (socialism) for themselves as a whole, as a community (communism).
The idea is that everyone lives together in their community, neighborhood, city, etc. They share the work and they share the rewards of their efforts. Everyone is equal. This is called socialism. This is called communism. It is also called 'Utopia'.
And it cannot work.
BECAUSE: People in general are like cattle. They need to be led. They need some one besides themselves to take charge and make decisions. It's easier that way. So naturally someone will emerge as a leader. At this point the basic tenets of socialism / communism have been breached. Now there is a person or persons telling everybody what to do. This is in the best interest of the mindless commoner, of course.
Here's the good part: Human nature takes over and greed sets in.
It is the human condition. To rise above. The rich and powerful become richer and more powerful while the little lambs are left behind to fend for themselves.
This form of government has been attempted time and again.
It ALWAYS fails for the above reasons. Those that have not failed YET are communist states or countries and they have a reputation for being the embodiment of everything the free world does not like: The suppression of basic rights and freedoms.

Answer 3

"I understand Communism.

I don't know if Karl Marx is attributed to all of them."

I don't wish to come across as too much of a pompous *** but if you don't know where Marx fits in you've a lot to understand about communism. And facism, and socialism.

Communism and socialism are very wide groups of thoeries. Before Marx was around Owen used the terms interchangeably. Socialism covers the British Labour party and the Russian "communist" system (Union od Soviet Socialist Republics). Socialism/communism covers the entire scope of anything concerned with the welfare of the working man. In early British socialism this contained free trade movements, state planning movements, anarcho-syndicalist movements, the lot. I would recommend Sam Beers "History of British Socialism".

"Fascism" as applied to Italy has little philosophical background. "Nazism" does, and this is the link to Marxism. Marx grounded his works on the works of Hegel. Hegel posited an idealist "march of history". Marx took that and switch materialism for idealism, but kept the march of history. History became the history of class struggle the inevitable march of which would lead to a dictatorship of the proletariat.

Nazism took Hegel and, in place of Marx's materialism put nationalism. History was the march of the German people through the world.

Answer 4

Socialism is a moderate form of communism (or communism an extreme form of socialism), where some room is given to private enterprise. The state has more power over those enterprises and can nationalize enterprises if it deems it is in the public interest to do so.
Fascism has some points in common with socialism in that the state can nationalize whatever it wishes. (The state becomes the final decision-maker in all areas). Historically, fascism gave a lot of breadth to industrialists to expand, however. Also, fascism is based on the idea of a strong leader that incorporates the ideals of the nation (Hitler, Mussolini, etc...)

Answer 5

Socialism is the philosophical idea that the wealth of a nation should be distributed equally among all citizens to eliminate the financial gap between rich and poor. Marx's main idea concerning the labor theory of value holds that since a laborer instills the most value in a product by actually making it, the laborer should gain a more adequate percentage of the profit. Communism, then, describes a government system that employs the philosophical idea of socialism: Soviet Russia, China, Cuba, North Korea, and others. Fascism is defined by intense nationalism, dictatorial power, militarism, expansionism, and lack of individual freedoms.

One could envision a state that is actually all three: Stalinist Russia, which you correctly reference with respect to Animal Farm. Napoleon the pig, in fact, stands for Stalin according to my sources. During the 1930s, Stalin brought on a period in Russian history called the "Great Purge," in which millions of his political adversaries and innocents were killed to secure his dictatorial power. This was fascism. He was guided by socialist ideals to distribute wealth equally, and his government was thus, Communist.

Answer 6

In a nutshell...Fascism- Some businesses run the government Socialism- Government runs some businesses Communism- Government is the businesses

I know it involves more than these simple ideas, but short of writing an essay it sums it up.

They certainly are not philosophically the same.

Answer 7

Subtle economic differences - ultimately, all three teach people to sacrifice themselves to the state instead of worshipping God.
Christianity is essential for an understanding of human dignity that transcends political authority.

Answer 8

Philosophically they are the same , speaking of big picture......They are same for it originated from belief. And beliefs orginated in a minds of people. Spheres of belief filled by same details but in different proportions, which allows politicans name it differently...Isms, imply contraction, not expantion.

Answer 9

They all seek to share the wealth, some do it by force.

They all also seek to take wealth away from those who have EARNED it.

Answer 10

well, Communism is the polar opposite of Fascism.