Fascist leaders promise to protect big businesses, which helps them gain the support of wealthy people like factory owners, bankers, and landowners. In return, these powerful groups give money to the fascist movement and help spread its messages. Behind the scenes, money becomes one of the leader’s strongest tools.
Once they are in power, fascist leaders tighten their control by taking away workers’ rights, taking over important industries, and using government money to reward their friends and supporters.
This article is part of a multipart series. You can see the entire series here.The Role of Economic Control in Authoritarian Power
Controlling the economy is one of the main ways fascist leaders control the people. Fascist leaders take over major industries, limit workers’ rights, and create strict rules for businesses and trade. These actions are described as necessary for the country’s strength, but the real goal is to take away economic freedom that might challenge the leader’s power. Government money is spent on projects that make the leader look good, like building up the military or creating special construction projects that serve their image.
Any labor group that isn’t controlled by the government is replaced with one that supports the regime. At the same time, businesses that support the leader are rewarded. This keeps both the money and the power in the hands of a small group loyal to the regime.
Striking a Deal with the Rich and Powerful
Fascist leaders rise to power with help from rich and powerful people. They promise to protect the elite from things like worker strikes, higher taxes, or the spread of socialism. In return, these wealthy supporters give money, supplies, and political support, helping the fascist movement grow. This deal works for both sides: the leader gets power and money, and the elites get protection and support.
Fascist leaders reward their wealthy backers. They give them special government deals, cut their taxes, and remove rules that protect workers or the environment. Businesses that support the leader are given unfair advantages, while others are pushed aside. This may look like a strong economy, but it makes the gap between rich and poor even wider.
Silencing Unions to Control the Workforce
Fascist governments see organized labor as a threat to their power. They ban independent unions, make strikes illegal, and stop workers from protesting. Any group that seeks better pay or safer working conditions is called dangerous or unpatriotic. Instead, fascist leaders create government-run labor groups that pretend to help workers but really just follow the leader’s orders.
Without real unions, workers have no power to stand up for themselves. Bosses lower wages or make people work longer hours without being challenged. This keeps workers quiet and dependent on the government, while the rich and loyal supporters of the regime become even wealthier.
Economic Pride as a Tool of Control
Fascist leaders use the media to spread messages that blame outsiders—like immigrants, foreign businesses, or international groups—for the country’s economic problems. They push slogans like “national strength,” “self-sufficiency,” or “take back control” to make people feel pride.
Big government projects—like building highways, factories, or expanding the military—are used to show that the country is moving forward. These projects create jobs and help the economy grow, but they are also used to make the leader look good and to keep workers relying on the government. It’s less about helping people long-term and more about increasing control.
Economic Control in Action
In Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler made deals with business leaders. He promised to fight communism and bring back order. In return, these companies gave money to support the Nazi Party and were rewarded with government contracts and the removal of labor unions. The government set wages, banned strikes, and forced workers to join state-run labor groups.
In Venezuela, Hugo Chávez stirred up the citizens to gain support while taking control of important industries like oil. At first he said the resources would help everyone, but later, the government started punishing critics, shutting down independent unions, and giving special treatment to wealthy supporters.
The Long-Term Costs of Elite Complicity
Many rich and powerful people think they can control or benefit from supporting a fascist leader. Business owners, landowners, and wealthy individuals back these movements to protect their own wealth and power. They believe the leader is just a temporary fix or someone they can use. But once fascist leaders take full control, they usually stop listening to anyone else. The same elites who helped them rise can be pushed aside or even punished.
In the long run, this kind of support doesn’t just hurt the elites—it hurts the whole country. When powerful people help dictators take over, they help destroy the systems that protect freedom and fairness. Inequality grows, people’s rights are taken away, and the economy becomes more about following orders than about creating opportunities for everyone.
This article is part of a multipart series. You can see the entire series here.More Reading
- Wikipedia Article on The Economics of Fascism
- The Economic Leadership Secrets of Benito Mussolini
- Fascism and Monopoly
- Here’s who stands to gain from the ‘big, beautiful bill.’ And who may struggle
- The American Billionaires Who Fell In Love With Fascism Are Not the First
- The New Fascist International: Technocratic Oligarchy and the Threat to Democracy
- Deadly Allure: Fascism Through History
