Fascism was reactionary . Many saw the rise of labor unions , Socialism distinct from the Soviet Union ' s version of Communism and the fairly recent revolution in Russia , creating the USSR , as massive threats to their social order . In reality , WW I was the last gasp of the old aristocratic order , which had been overwhelmed by the new Capitalists , but lots of social order still remained . Fascism was reactionary in that they positioned themselves as not that in opposition to labor unions , social progressivism , etc . so as to gain political power and support from the wealthy , the remnants of the aristocracy and from religion who saw social progressivism and the atheism of the USSR as threats . If socialism in some form would get them power , and sell their movement to ordinary Germans , Italians , Spaniards , Brits , etc . then they ' d play that angle . But once it wasn ' t a political plus , they dropped it .