The doctrine of fascism

What Hacker News says

1. atemerevAug 2021
   To learn what fascism is, I highly recommend reading the book of its founder: “The Doctrine of Fascism” by Mussolini. It is short, up to the point, and clearly defines the subject. Basically it is an ideology centered on subjugating the needs of an individual to the needs of the (national) government. “Strong nation through collective action”.
   thread
2. kelseyfrogMar 2026
   It's a reflection of The Doctrine of Fascism[1] (Benito Mussolini and Giovanni Gentile 1932). I find it important to read original works and point out when those threads resurface. Rights as a product of the state is a core belief as described by facists themselves opposed to the universal natural rights of the liberal project. You can see how rights tied to the state naturally produce an in group and out group, and an obsession of law and order, two common features of such regimes.

   The original passage reads

   "Fascism sees in the world not only those superficial, material aspects in which man appears as an individual, standing by himself, self-centered, subject to natural law, which instinctively urges him toward a life of selfish momentary pleasure; it sees not only the individual but the nation and the country; individuals and generations bound together by a moral law, with common traditions and a mission..."

   1. https://dn721808.ca.archive.org/0/items/mussolini-archive/Th...

   Show morethread
3. brigandishMar 2025
   > If you want to make an argument from your book then please do so but linking to it alone is not an argument.

   From[1]:

   > "The Doctrine of Fascism" (Italian: "La dottrina del fascismo") is an essay attributed to Benito Mussolini. In truth, the first part of the essay, entitled "Idee Fondamentali" (Italian for 'Fundamental Ideas'), was written by the Italian philosopher Giovanni Gentile, while only the second part "Dottrina politica e sociale" (Italian for 'Political and social doctrine') is the work of Mussolini himself.

   Please, ignorance is natural, but brazen and wilful ignorance in support of an argument based on nothing but pejorative and performative tribalism is something for Twitter or Reddit, not here. If it were Twitter I’d definitely add a facepalm emoji instead of babying you through this.

   > The Nazi salutes mean nothing?

   If we’re referring to Musk then I must say that I don’t agree that it was a Nazi salute. In my country, we grew up with the war as a constant cultural reference so I’ve seen thousands of Nazi salutes, I’ve never seen one like that. Wishful thinking for more fodder for those performative pejoratives does not a Nazi salute make.

   > The only thing that matters is intention.

   Let me know when you do the Show HN for your mind reading device.

   [1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Doctrine_of_Fascism

   Show morethread
4. theendisneyFeb 2025
   From there:

   > At its core, the quoted saying is incompatible with fascism and frankly nonsensical. Under fascism, the state uses the market efficiency of capitalism to regulate and control the economy, namely by concentrating market shares to a relatively few large corporations into cartels, which in turn the fascist state has direct control over. Whereas, corporatism is state control by large interest groups, commonly pictured as large multi-national corporations with monopolistic powers. In other words, the controlling party under corporatism is the reverse of that under fascism."Fascism recognizes the real needs which gave rise to socialism and trade unionism, giving them due weight in the guild or corporative system in which divergent interests are coordinated and harmonized in the unity of the State."The Doctrine of Fascism (1932) by Benito Mussolini and Giovanni Gentile

   Show morethread
5. skissaneFeb 2024
   > they claimed that attempts to subvert democracy are fascistic

   > Where's the hyperbole?

   Fascism was highly ideological – Mussolini wrote a whole book explaining his ideology – The Doctrine of Fascism - partially ghostwritten by the Italian philosopher Giovanni Gentile. It contained specific doctrines, such as the primacy of the State.

   While Nazism is often equated with fascism, it had a different ideological flavour, with a much heavier emphasis on race. Still, while the ideology was different, the strong emphasis on ideology remained – you can read all about it in Mein Kampf (I tried to read it once, it was so boring I fell asleep), in Hitler's speeches, in the works of his various acolytes.

   Trump's ideology isn't fascism. Trump doesn't have an ideology. All he really believes in is his own personal power. Ideas aren't really that important to him. So, I'm not saying that various things he did weren't bad, but they weren't fascist. Calling them fascist is definitely inaccurate, and maybe even hyperbolic.

   Show morethread
6. 18pfsmtJul 2023
   As you can see from Mussolini's own writing on the Doctrine of Fascism, they hate individualism, and love the State.

   >7. Against individualism, the Fascist conception is for the State;

   http://www.historyguide.org/europe/duce.html

   Prior to Twitter's acquisition by Musk, they worked quite closely with the State and even hired the former top FBI lawyer as their chief legal counsel.

   thread