Fascism actually starts with violence.
Mussolini’s black shirts has their roots in strike-breaking. Meaning, beating up workers during strikes, then growing into an organized group to oppose unions, socialists.
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The Blackshirts were established as the squadristi in 1919 and consisted of many disgruntled former soldiers. It was given the task of leading fights against their bitter enemies – the Socialists
When they were breaking up strikes or beating up unionists, they were being helped by police – while police made sure their opponents never were able to bear arms, fascist groups had no problems running around with weapons, even sometimes mounting squad cars to travel to their destination.
Not much different in Germany – after success of Mussolini and his fascism in repressing any demands from general public, like workers or the public demanding higher wages, union rights, better work conditions, lower economic inequality, more democratic governance etc, Mussolini was the darling of industry circles everywhere. So German industrialists supported Hitler and his budding fascists, for similar purposes.
It played a significant role in Adolf Hitler’s rise to power in the 1920s and 1930s. Their primary purposes were providing protection for Nazi rallies and assemblies, disrupting the meetings of opposing parties, fighting against the paramilitary units of the opposing parties, especially the Red Front Fighters League of the Communist Party of Germany (KPD), and intimidating Slavic and Romani citizens, unionists, and Jews – for instance, during the Nazi boycott of Jewish businesses.
The violence against unions, striking workers soon expanded to any kind of opponent. By the election in 1933, SA and SS were going around beating up people without impediment and even engaging in voter suppression.
Then the most infamous event of all – Night of the Long Knives
SS elements barged into the houses of SA (the other paramilitary fascist group) and murdered their notable leaders with knives. 85 people were murdered, effectively dissolving entire SA organization, which was deemed a liability now by Nazi party. Funniest thing is, SA was the original Nazi party paramilitary. But, its leader, crooked and totally disconnected as he was with any left ideology, leave aside socialism, was uttering some dangerous Socialist rhetoric.
Now check this out:
Industrialists, who had provided the funds for the Nazi victory, were unhappy with Röhm’s socialistic views on the economy and his claims that the real revolution had still to take place. Matters came to a head in June 1934 when President von Hindenburg informed Hitler that if a move to curb the SA was not forthcoming, then he would dissolve Hitler’s Government and declare martial law.
So despite SA was the original paramilitary unit which fought Nazis’ way into power and suppressed all those unions, socialists, communists, even mere rhetoric of socialism of its leader was too much for the industrial circles.
………
If you check the referenced histories of these paramilitary groups, you will find that they all started from the same roots (strike breakers, opponent suppressors) as disorganized, totally illegitimate thug groups, then formed into paramilitaries and then formed into military units when their fascist parties were in power.
Thus, it is safe to understand that violence is not something that comes to fascism after it takes power – but its present in it from its start, and is actually a vital component in fascism for gaining power and keeping it.
