The word fascist is often deployed as a pejorative - “Donald Trump is a fascist” - in a way that plays fast and loose with its historical origins. Fascism belongs to a particular moment in time, although there are still some bona fide fascists around today.

Where does "fascism" come from?

The word “fascist” comes from “fasces”, a bundle of sticks tied to an axe. The fasces was carried by the bodyguard of a Roman imperial magistrate, as a symbol of his authority. In the 20th century the fasces was resurrected to represent both the glory of the ancient past and unity through strength - sticks tied together are far harder to break than sticks that stand on their own.

Nostalgia and nationalism were rife after the First World War. In Europe, old empires had collapsed. Russia had turned to communism. Poverty and anarchy were widespread. The continent was awash of young men who had seen active service and wanted to restore order on their terms. They were steeped in the racism of colonialism and Darwinian ideas about the survival of the fittest.

One of these young men, a soldier and journalist called Benito Mussolini, founded a fascist party in Italy 1919. Mussolini elbowed his way into power; by 1925 he had established a dictatorship. In the Thirties, fascists took control in several European countries, the most important being Adolf Hitler’s National Socialist (Nazi) revolution in Germany in 1933. In 1939, Hitler invaded Poland, triggering another world war. The conflict ended in total defeat for Germany and Italy. Fascism lost all credibility, although it lingered on in government in Spain, Portugal and Latin America – and can still be found today on the fringes of politics.