THE DERIVATION
OF THE word ''FASCISM''
In the point of wiew and subconscious of many people, the word ''Fascism'' is accepted connected with Nazi Germany and the Nazi party. when so, whenever the ''Fascism'' is mentioned, directly the symbol of nazi party ''Swastika'' comes to thousand's minds.
But the truth is totallt different.
If you make a search for the symbol of fascism today, you’ll be greeted by multiple articles about rome and the symbol ''fasces''
That’s not accidental as the term fascism was derived from the ancient Roman ''fasces'' symbol which was used for thousand of years and is being used for several purposes and meanings.
It is essential to mention that the article you are reading is not about the regime ''Fascism'' and how bad or good it was, but is about how the word ''fascism'' was derived etymologically.
On the peak time of its usage as the symbol of Fascism and ''One men power'' by Mussolini's fascist party, the fasces symbolism has managed to be wellknown.
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With its unique design which many wooden rods came together as one, the fasces represents unity and the Axe the ruler's power. The bundle of wooden rods symbolizes the unity of the people and the axe symbolizes the ultimate authority and law-giving status of the ruler. In fact the name of the axe in Latin is ''Ä°l Duce'' which was started to be used to adress Mussolini & his ''One men's central power''. In the symbol it has the same meaning. Wooden rods represent the united people & the Axe the leader. Totally, the symbol ''the head or leader surrounded bty united Wooden rods'' eguals to the meaning '' The unique leader surrounded by the people'' .
In many Roman traditions, both during the Roman republic and the later empire, fasces bundles were given to public and governmental officials during special occasions. This tradition likely represented the people gifting the officials with authority and power.
FASCES (ITALIAN) & SWASTIKA (GERMAN)
Fasces was not only at the center of Benito Mussolini’s National Fascist Party during World War II, but was also managed to outlive even that. Unlike the swastika, the symbol of the Nazi party and the Faschism in Germany which has remained associated with Hitler and his regime, the fasces lived on. The reason for that is likely in the fact that the fasces had already been deeply rooted in other cultures outside of then-fascist Italy. We see that, rom France to the U.S. fasces symbols were frequently present in various governmental seals and documents.
Besides, fasces-like symbols are present in other cultures as well. One of the old Aesop’s fables“The Old Man and his Sons” is a good example.
In the fable, an old man gives his sons individual wooden rods and asks the men to break them. After they all successfully broke a single rod, the old man gives them a bundle of rods. When the old man asks his sons to break the whole bundle, none of them could succeed to break. The old man gives this as an example to his sons as ''The power of Unity''.
Unlike the swastika which was the Fascism symbol of Nazis, fasces symbol has never been associated with racism. May be, this is the most important reason of why it is not hated by people as they do for swastika.
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It’s important to point out that although these ancient Roman symbols were borrowed and used by these terrible regimes, it no way should be associated with Ancient Rome. Altohought the word ''fascism'' as a politicai term were derived from this ancient Roman or Etruscan symbol, Its not a symbol of fascism but a symbol of law and law enforcement institutions. 90% of justice departments on earth incorporates it in their symbols. Ä°t is strange that, only in Italy it can’t be used even though the symbol was invented 20 centuries ago by the ancestors of Italy just because a bald and fat man abused of it.
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For instance, the same symbol was adopted early US, but it meant the states coming together to form the United States. The faschia has the meaning "stronger together" as it was told in the fable. below are logo of US senate and the logos of some law enforcement institutions in the world like Spain, Sweden, Norway etc.. On the logo of US senate we also notice a phyrigian cap which represents liberty.
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