Fascism

Political ideology and mass movement that dominated many parts of central, southern, and eastern Europe between 1919 and 1945, and that also had adherents in western Europe, the United States, South Africa, Japan, Latin America, and the Middle East. It is characterized by strongly nationalistic policies exercising regimentation of industry, commerce, and finance, rigid censorship, and oppression of opposition. Developed in the Italian nationalist movement that was organized in 1919 to oppose communism in Italy and that controlled the government under Benito Mussolini from 1922 to 1943.