Fascism is a far-right, authoritarian ultranationalist political ideology.

It emerged in Italy in the years following World War I.

Post-war Italy faced economic hardship, political instability, and national disappointment over the terms of the peace treaty.

Benito Mussolini, a former socialist journalist, organized the Fascist Party.

Fascism glorified the state, nationalism, and violence, and was vehemently anti-communist and anti-democratic.

Mussolini's paramilitary force, the 'Blackshirts,' used violence and intimidation to attack political opponents like socialists and communists.

In 1922, Mussolini staged the 'March on Rome,' a bluff where thousands of Fascists marched on the capital.

Fearing a civil war, King Victor Emmanuel III refused to use the army against them and instead appointed Mussolini as Prime Minister.

Over the next few years, Mussolini consolidated his power, dismantled democratic institutions, and established a totalitarian dictatorship.

Mussolini's rise to power provided a model for other fascist leaders, including Adolf Hitler.