Fascism In Nazi Germany

Even though fascism in Nazi Germany began almost sixty years before theocracy in Iran, both ideologies use similar tactics in order to make citizens loyal to the country. Fascism is a highly nationalistic ideology that rejects liberalism and communism. In this ideology, society is compared to a living organism rather than groups of people or individuals. The aftermath of World War One and the Great Depression of 1929 weakened Germany’s economy. This crisis caused German voters to pledge their support for radical groups such as the Communists and Nazis. In 1932, Adolf Hitler was elected chancellor, and a year later he launched an anti-communist campaign. He claimed that the communists were a threat to the nation; therefore, he began to oppress …show more content…
In a fascist state, only those loyal to the state are granted citizenship; however, these citizens are not given rights, rather duties that enhance the nation. Hitler only gave citizenship to loyal “Aryan” citizens as he believed that they were superior to all other races. As Hitler rose to power, he began to oppress the Jewish population. In 1935, he implemented the Nuremberg laws which “prohibited any Jews, even those born in Germany, from being citizens and excluded them from all aspects of German society”(Blye, Lottie). Hitler also encouraged Jewish citizens to “emigrate from Germany to ‘purify’ the state”(Orvis and Drogus, 122). While a theocracy does not deny a person citizenship, it is based on religious doctrine. In Iran, the majority of citizens are Muslim. This worked to Khomeini’s advantage as he was able to justify oppressing the citizen’s rights through the sovereignty of Allah. This caused people to obey Khomeini because if they did not, then they were disobeying Allah. In a speech Khomeini gave in 1980, he discusses his political philosophy. He justifies oppression by saying, “in the name of God… let me congratulate all oppressed people”(Khomeini). In a fascist and theocratic state, the supreme leader is able to maintain power by having either the citizens be comprised of a loyal group of people, or have the …show more content…
While Hitler legitimized his actions on the allegiance to the state, Khomeini claimed he ruled on behalf of Allah. In order to maintain their power, both leaders limited certain aspects of civil society in each of their respective countries. Hitler and Khomeini also desired to maintain a homogenous society. In Nazi Germany, only loyal “Ayran” citizens were given citizenship, and in Iran, the citizens are forced to obey the supreme ruler as he is interpreting and following Allah’s commands. As a result of the financial crises taking place in Europe, there has been a surge in neofascism in countries such as France, the Netherlands, and Hungary. Socioeconomic changes are also impacting Iran. With a wave of Westernization, Iranians are getting their news and information from new technology which is challenging the authority of the supreme