Question

Difficulty: HardCommunism, Fascism, and Nazism

While Marxist communism regards total state control as a temporary transitional phase toward an eventual stateless society, both Italian Fascism and Nazism treat absolute state authority as a permanent and essential feature of political organization.

Answer: Answer

Answer

True. In Marxist communism, state power is conceived as a temporary transitional instrument meant to eventually wither away, whereas Fascism and Nazism regard absolute state authority as a permanent necessity.
The statement is true because classical Marxist political thought defines the state as an instrument of class domination that becomes obsolete once a classless society is realized. Conversely, both Fascist and Nazi ideologies explicitly repudiate the goal of a stateless society, exalting state supremacy as a permanent institution necessary for national unit and authority.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Examine the theoretical purpose and longevity of the state in Communist doctrine.
Marxist theory holds that the state exists to mediate class conflict and that under communism, after class distinctions disappear, the state will 'wither away' into a stateless society.
Understanding the ultimate philosophical trajectory of communist governance.
2
Examine the role of the state in Fascist and Nazi doctrines.
Italian Fascism explicitly glorifies the state as an absolute end in itself ('everything in the State'), and Nazism utilizes total state power permanently to preserve and expand racial dominance.
Identifying the core authoritarian principles regarding state permanence in fascist ideologies.
3
Synthesize the contrast between the ideologies.
The assertion accurately captures the key theoretical divide regarding whether state dominance is transitional (Communism) or permanent (Fascism/Nazism).
Confirming the truth value of the stem statement.

Key Concept

The concept of state permanence and statelessness in Communism versus Fascism and Nazism
Rate this question