Fascism (pronounced /ˈfæʃɪzəm/) is a radical, authoritarian nationalist political ideology.[1][2][3][4] Fascists seek to organize a nation according to corporatist perspectives, values, and systems, including the political system and the economy.[5][6] Fascism was originally founded by Italian national syndicalists in World War I who combined extreme right-wing political views along with collectivism.[7] Scholars generally consider fascism to be on the far right.[8][9][10][11][12] Confusion over whether fascism is of the left or right is due to the inability to fit the economic policies into a clear-cut category, because while fascism is considered on the right politically, fascist economic controls were left-wing, though ended up benefiting social groups considered to be supportive of right-wing parties.[13]
Corporatism, also known as corporativism, is a system of economic, political, or social organization that views a community as a body based upon organic social solidarity and functional distinction and roles among individuals.[1][2] The term corporatism is based on the Latin word "corpus" meaning "body".[2] Formal corporatist models are based upon the contract of corporate groups, such as agricultural, business, ethnic, labor, military, patronage, scientific, or religious affiliations, into a collective body.[3]
One of the most prominent forms of corporatism is economic tripartism involving negotiations between business, labour, and state interest groups to set economic policy.[4]
Tripartism refers to economic corporatism based on tripartite contracts of business, labour, and state affiliations within the economy.[1] Each is to act as a social partner to create economic policy through cooperation, consultation, negotiation, and compromise.[2] Tripartism is a common form in neo-corporatism.[3]
Tripartism became a popular form of economic policy during the economic crisis of the 1930s.[4] Tripartism was supported from a number of different political perspectives at this time; one was Roman Catholic politics; fascism supported this for fascist unions but repressed communist and social democratic unions; and in democratic politics.[5] Tripartism is a prominent economic policy in Europe; it is a core part of the economic systems in Scandinavia and the Benelux that were put in place by social democratic governments.[6]
