Our newest community reporter Spring Heeled Jack has written a series of short articles which we will share over the next few weeks.
Here is the latest installment of Hard Times.
The rise of fascism-a right wing ideology supported by government propaganda
Many other significant social changes could be seen such as the rise in fascism throughout Europe in the 1930s.
For example, Hitler seized power in Germany and pursued a relentless course to take over other countries in his ideological fascist pursuit for world supremacy.
This was replicated in Italy with Benito Mussolini and similarly with Franco in Spain.
It resulted in the Spanish Civil war from 1936 to 1939, which at that time was a bitter conflict turning Spanish people against each other.
This situation continues today with Spain divided by regions where the Catalan and the Basque people still struggle to seek independence from a central government based in Madrid.
It was the world famous painter Pablo Picasso who painted the bombing of Guernica, which was obliterated on the orders of General Franco, where this has remained a pointed message about the influence of fascism.
The use of government propaganda and its methods
During the 1930s many governments used propaganda to put across their messages, particularly with Adolf Hitler, his acolytes and his subordinates.
Josef Goebbels and Leni Riefenstahl created the circumstances in the 1930s where the general population were systematically brainwashed by government propaganda.
For example, Goebbels used Pathe films shown in cinemas to a captive seated audience, such as The Eternal Jew made in 1940.
The film showed images of rats moving around, being referred to as vermin, which had to be exterminated (shades of Doctor Who and the Daleks cry-exterminate, spring to mind).
Article submitted by Spring Heeled Jack.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not the Digital Sentinel.
