From Classical Fascism to Brazilian Neofascism

Abstract

This work is part of a master's dissertation in Education and aims to demonstrate the relationship between classical fascism and neofascism in Brazil during the government of Jair Bolsonaro (2019–2022). The research is based on historical and dialectical materialism, especially the works of Karl Marx, Antonio Gramsci, and Gyorgy Lukács, seeking to go beyond appearances to grasp the essence of the phenomenon. Through a bibliographic review, the study analyzes the literature on fascism, its philosophical, political, and ideological disputes, establishing connections between fascism from the 1920s–1940s—particularly in Italy and Germany—and contemporary neofascism. It identifies that although neofascism presents a new appearance, it retains core features such as anti-communism, glorification of a mythical past, and attacks on historically marginalized groups, such as women, Black people, and Indigenous peoples. The study concludes that fascism is not a phenomenon restricted to the 20th century but a recurring manifestation of the capitalist system in times of crisis. As Gramsci had already pointed out, fascism resurfaces as a “guardian” of capital, adapting to new contexts without losing its authoritarian and exclusionary essence.