Fascism vs. Marxism and Liberalism
Fascism is a political ideology that emerged in Italy yet spread throughout European countries. The most infamous example of fascism was Nazi Germany and the military agenda correlating with the authoritarian nationalism promoted through the ideology. Fascism opposes other ideologies such as Marxism and liberalism from multiple perspectives. To illustrate the differences, it is essential to highlight the concept of classes within all three frameworks. Liberalism emphasizes the notion that the individual rights and objectives are primordial compared to the aim of the group, which opposes the Marxist purpose of supporting the working class (proletariat).
Fascism aligns with Marxism in regards to differentiating people by classes, which is the main contrast between this ideology and liberalism. The difference with Marxism, however, is illustrated through the fascistic aim to promote the elites as one governing. Lower classes are to have fewer privileges and opportunities as, based on the premise of the doctrine, it minimizes potential chaos.
Another difference between liberalism and fascism, in particular, is the aim of militarization. Liberalism correlates with such concepts as human rights, freedom of expression, political openness, and democracy. Fascism, on the other hand, is based on such premises as militarization, violence, authorities, a lack of political competitiveness, and repressions. Moreover, as exemplified by Nazi Germany, repressions were mostly facilitated by the racist and nationalist ideas within the system. This differentiates fascism from Marxism since both believe the state is to control the classes. Marxism classes are based on the production process, while fascist ones are on nationality.
Fascism, liberalism, and Marxism have different positions on the political spectrum. Marxism and Fascism believe in the idea that the government holds power. However, the Marxism ideology is still applied to public ownership and fair elections. Fascism, on the other hand, is an authoritarian ideology in which the hierarchy is well-defined in all areas of life. Thus, the public has little to no power to decide, while the regime guides the processes in all domains. Liberalism correlates with individuality and freedom, which opposes autocratic fascist ideas of the need for dictatorship and strict order on all societal levels.
Western Colonialism in China and Japan in the 19th and 20th Centuries
Colonialism can take many forms, which is especially highlighted in the experiences of China and Japan with western powers in the 19th and 20th centuries. While the countries have not been formally colonized, the impact of western involvement in the political, social, and economic lives of the countries was evident. The term that can be applied to China and Japan is semi-colonized, which implies the territories have not been formally conquered. Yet, foreign forces had the ability to participate in the national processes within the regions. China was one of the countries that have been directly affected by the semi-colonization practices of the west, namely, Britain.
An example is the Opium Wars, which portrays how the western powers were influencing trade in China. During the first war, the Qing imperial government was motivated to stop the opium epidemic by limiting the British company in regards to selling the drug in considerable quantities to Chinese smugglers. As a result of the trade ban, British forces were sent to ensure trade security. During the second war, Britain, France, and Russia all demanded the legalization of the opium trade as well as more opportunities for acquiring cheap laborers from China. Other examples of semi-colonization include the occupation of Tianjin by British and French forces, as well as the establishment of the Hong Kong and Shanghai bank by western entities.
Japan has also been subjected to certain colonization practices by the west. Similar to China, western nations were motivated to have extensive trading relationships with Japan. The United States Navy sent warships in the 1850s with the goal of facilitating the country to be more open toward trade. Another implication in the Japanese economy was the lack of tariff autonomy. The government was forced to accept low duty rates, which significantly worsened the country’s financial potential. Moreover, the treaties signed in the 1850s opened two major ports for US ships, which created a more tense situation in regard to western influence on Japan. Additional ports were added to the deal, and the settlements opened for foreigners were not governed under Japanese law.
Nazi Germany vs. Japanese Expansionism in WWII
Both Japan and Nazi Germany were motivated by expansionist policies during the Second World War. While the agendas were similar on multiple levels, certain differences can be highlighted in the objectives and main aims. One of the vital similarities is the nationalistic public opinion at the time and political goals. Both Germany and Japan, at the time, were overpowered by nationalism, which was present in multiple areas of life. It is important to mention that while the media and the political objectives were motivated by the idea of a strong nation in need of new territories and resources, public opinion supported the idea. Thus, expansion, in both scenarios, was partially facilitated by the national belief that personal interests and identification are more important than the prosperity of other nations. Another similarity in how the expansionist ideas were exemplified is the focus on militarization. Both countries were highly interested in investing in military equipment and personnel, which was later used when conquering new territories and installing new political orders in foreign areas. Last but not least, expansionism was accompanied by acquiring cheap labor from the new territories. Nazi Germany was using slave labor as a result of advancing on new lands, while Koreans were working as miners and prison guards in Japan and Chinese territories.
There were, however, differences in how Japan and Nazi Germany approached expansion. It is essential to mention that Japan has been under western influence, which created a public concern in regard to the growing influence of the US. Thus, Japan’s aim was to liberate themselves and other nations from western involvement, which also aligns with the aforementioned nationalistic ideas among people. Therefore, Japan was expanding due to the fact that the countries they were to conquer on the Asian continent were at the risk of being fully colonized. Germany, on the other hand, approached expansionism from a different perspective. The objective was to restructure the ethnic traits of Eastern Europe. Since antisemitism and racial hierarchy were the crucial dogmas in Nazi Germany, expanding territories would allow the same premises to be installed among other nations.