When Russia fell under Bolshevik rule in 1917 it appeared as if a civilization had passed away. In 1919, when Fascism appeared in Italy, it seemed at first that this was but another form of Communism, but by 1926 it was clear that Fascism was making good, and the reconciliation with the Holy See in 1929 established it as the great political idea of the age. To-day it is permeating society. The U.S.A. and Germany are Fascist in principle, if not in name. Catholic Austria has set up a Fascist government. Ireland is fast approaching the same position, and a Fascist Party has been established in France. We may well ask ourselves what this Fascism is, and how it has succeeded so quickly in capturing the great nations of the world, with the exception of Great Britain.

The first thing to note is that Fascism and Communism have succeeded in Italy and Russia because their leaders believed in the soundness of their principles and had the courage to put them into practice. The root idea of Fascism is Action, and therefore it is the opposite of Parliamentarianism, which is founded on Debate. Debate is perhaps a satisfactory form of procedure when a landed oligarchy is the dominating power in society, and when the opposing parties have common interests in preserving this power, but when real control has passed into the hands of those who have no stake in the country, and parties have arisen which are opposed on the fundamental question of the form of society itself, it is an impossible position.