How is it that in a country such as the United States, with a population of 260 million, people generally embrace the democratic way? What would drive millions of people to follow a fascist dictator? No one can answer these questions with absolute certainty. They are both complicated and yet very simple. In its crudest formulation, when a collective has the same belief system, then an ideology is formed. People have always tried to understand what factors, economic and social, would drive a group or nation to subscribe to a particular ideology.

             This essay will discuss and critique two of the more prominent and influential political ideologies: Fascism, particularly Nazism, and Democracy. These ideologies are among the better-known ideologies of the 20th century. They exist because people have allowed them to grow, notwithstanding any party or group leader's charisma or abilities. To identify the circumstances that would cause or lead a person or collective to follow a particular ideology, one must be able to identify the facts, theories, and origins of the said ideologies. To study the principles of Fascism, one must inherently study the contrasting principles of Democracy. All information found within this paper is derived from the text Contemporary Political Ideologies - 6th edition, T.A. group materials and lecture materials.

             FASCISM .

             Fascism is defined as "an authoritarian political system opposed to democracy and liberalism."1 However, this definition doesn't completely convey much information to the average person. For the masses, one could attempt to define Fascism as a country with one political party whose goals and interests are achieved by manipulating its people. It is also known as a cult of violence which is rooted in the notion that violence is an appropriate means to maintain control. Fascism can be correlated to an army forever on the march, unconcerned about its destination or purpose2.