As Umberto Eco pointed out in his essay Ur-Fascism, fascism has become a catch-all word for any form of government with a very strong central government. In his essay, Eco lists fourteen different characteristics that characterize a fascist government. However, despite their obvious similarities, there are nuances between them. This is because fascism generally preaches an extreme form of nationalism and is therefore uniquely shaped by the individual states in which it arrives. To illustrate this point, we need only look at two different forms of fascism that emerged in Europe during the 1980s and early 20th century, Italian fascism and Nazi Germany. The original form of fascism was born in Italy by Benito Mussolini. Mussolini was a physically imposing man and considered attractive. This pleasant appearance was combined with his charismatic leadership and powerful speech, which allowed him to quickly rise to power. In Italian fascism, the emphasis was very clearly on war and the reconquest of the Roman Empire. Mussolini did not hide his imperialist ambitions. He was very media savvy and used it to inspire people to radical pro-state fervor. Mussolini said that people needed a state to survive and that the state should focus on strength rather than promoting equality. The commonly adopted motto was "nothing without the state" to emphasize the devotion Italians were supposed to have towards the fascist regime. Moreover, the “Duce” or leader was supposed to enjoy the unconditional and unwavering support of all Italians. Mussolini demanded that the people have faith that he was the leader of their destiny and that he would lead the Italians to the glory they had two... middle of paper... what they really needed. He assumed his role as leader of the Aryan people, as shepherd, guiding them beyond their weak ideas of satisfaction. he said that only he knew what would lead the people to their ultimate happiness. It was, according to him, about the unification of the Aryan peoples and the elimination of weak ideas of sentimentality. These two regimes had much in common, but were clearly shaped by their own leaders. With Italian fascism, the emphasis was on the state, while in Nazi Germany, lineage and race dominated every aspect of society. These two regimes were, however, very influential at the time and spawned several other interpretations of fascist-style government, such as the regime of Francisco Franco in Spain. Each, while sharing common elements, such as a totalitarian government, was as unique as the nation into which he was born...