Fascist regimes, throughout history and in various national contexts, have consistently targeted intellectuals as part of broader strategies to consolidate power, enforce ideological purity, and eliminate dissent. Whether in Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, Francoist Spain, or other authoritarian contexts, intellectuals have often been vilified, censored, imprisoned, exiled, or executed. This hostility is not incidental; rather, it reflects the fundamental ideological, psychological, and political structures of fascism.
To understand why fascists target intellectuals, we must examine the ideological underpinnings of fascism, the role of intellectuals in society, and the threat that intellectual discourse poses to authoritarian regimes. Through this lens, it becomes evident that the targeting of intellectuals is a strategic imperative for fascist systems seeking to create obedient, homogenous societies bound by myth, emotion, and loyalty, rather than critical thought or empirical truth.
Fascism is an authoritarian and ultranationalist ideology characterized by dictatorial power, forcible suppression of opposition, and strong regimentation of society and the economy. It glorifies the nation-state, often defined in racial or ethnic terms, and promotes myths of historical greatness, decline, and national rebirth. Fascists frame society as being under siege by internal and external enemies—be they ethnic minorities, political dissidents, or foreign powers—and offer a singular vision of unity, strength, and purification through struggle.
Importantly, fascism is anti-intellectual at its core. Unlike ideologies rooted in Enlightenment principles such as liberalism or socialism, fascism rejects rationalism, debate, and scientific objectivity in favor of instinct, willpower, and faith in the leader. It thrives on emotional resonance, myth-making, and propaganda. As Benito Mussolini declared, “All within the state, nothing outside the state, nothing against the state.” In such a worldview, independent thinking is inherently subversive.
Intellectuals—writers, educators, scientists, philosophers, artists, and journalists—serve a critical function in modern societies. They interrogate dominant narratives, question established norms, advocate for marginalized voices, and promote rational discourse. Intellectuals are often agents of change, introducing new ideas that challenge power structures. They inhabit universities, publish books and articles, speak at forums, and shape public opinion.
Because of their training and role, intellectuals are uniquely equipped to identify and critique the contradictions, hypocrisies, and abuses inherent in fascist ideologies. They may question the historical accuracy of fascist myths, expose the dangers of scapegoating, or denounce the erosion of civil liberties. As such, intellectuals are seen not merely as dissenters but as existential threats to fascist rule.
In Nazi Germany, intellectuals who refused to conform to Nazi ideology were swiftly marginalized, imprisoned, or forced into exile. The regime conducted public book burnings in 1933, targeting works by Jewish authors, Marxists, pacifists, and others deemed “un-German.” Albert Einstein, Thomas Mann, and Bertolt Brecht were among the many intellectuals who fled Germany.
Joseph Goebbels, Minister of Propaganda, spearheaded these cultural purges, stating, “Jewish intellectualism is dead.” The Nazis viewed intellectuals, especially those of Jewish heritage or leftist orientation, as bearers of a cosmopolitan, rational, and humanistic tradition antithetical to the racialized, militarized, and anti-modernist vision of National Socialism.
In Italy, Mussolini’s regime co-opted some intellectuals while punishing others. Mussolini himself was once a socialist journalist, which gave him insight into the power of the written word. His government promoted a fascist cultural apparatus, using state-sponsored media and education to instill nationalist and militarist values.
At the same time, dissenting intellectuals were arrested, exiled, or silenced. Philosopher Benedetto Croce, for example, publicly opposed Mussolini and faced censorship and surveillance. Mussolini’s regime established the “Minculpop” (Ministry of Popular Culture) to strictly control cultural production and suppress intellectual opposition.
Under Francisco Franco, Spain experienced brutal repression of intellectual life. The regime systematically purged universities, executed teachers and writers aligned with the Republic, and imposed strict censorship on literature, philosophy, and the arts. Catalan, Basque, and Galician languages—associated with regional intellectual and cultural movements—were banned from public life.
The regime’s motto, “¡Una, grande y libre!” (One, great, and free), encapsulated a homogenizing vision that left no room for the pluralism that intellectuals often champion. Those who resisted were executed or driven into exile, including the famous poet Federico García Lorca, who was murdered in 1936.
Fascist regimes seek to monopolize truth and control historical memory. Intellectuals threaten this monopoly by offering alternative perspectives rooted in evidence, reason, and ethical reflection. A historian might challenge the glorified national past. A philosopher might critique the regime’s values. A scientist might debunk pseudoscientific racial theories. This diversity of thought undermines the fascist claim to absolute authority.
Fascist rhetoric is often riddled with contradictions: it may claim to restore traditional values while glorifying violence; promote national unity while scapegoating minorities; assert law and order while engaging in arbitrary violence. Intellectuals have the tools to expose these contradictions, making them dangerous to regimes reliant on propaganda and emotional manipulation.
Culture can be a powerful form of resistance. Writers, playwrights, filmmakers, and artists often encode dissent in their work, inspiring resistance or preserving memory in times of oppression. For fascists, controlling the cultural narrative is as important as controlling the political apparatus. Intellectuals who resist these efforts are seen as cultural saboteurs.
Intellectuals often have platforms beyond national borders. When persecuted, they may become international symbols of resistance and human rights, drawing unwanted attention to the regime’s abuses. Exiled intellectuals like Albert Einstein and George Orwell helped shape global perceptions of fascism and totalitarianism.
Targeting intellectuals is not just about suppressing dissent—it’s also about shaping a compliant citizenry. Fascists seek to cultivate a society that is emotionally mobilized but intellectually passive. Anti-intellectualism serves this purpose in several ways:
Fascists present the world in stark binaries: good vs. evil, patriot vs. traitor, purity vs. corruption. Intellectuals complicate these narratives by introducing nuance, ambiguity, and context. By eliminating or discrediting intellectuals, regimes simplify reality to more easily manipulate the masses.
Fascist leaders often style themselves as figures of passion, instinct, and action, in contrast to the “effete” or “aloof” intellectual. This dichotomy casts the intellectual as out of touch, elitist, or even treacherous. By discrediting intellectualism, fascists encourage emotional loyalty to the leader over rational consideration of policy or justice.
Intellectuals are frequently cast as scapegoats for national decline. They may be portrayed as decadent, foreign, immoral, or subversive. In Nazi Germany, the notion of “Jewish intellectualism” became a stand-in for a range of perceived social ills. In Mussolini’s Italy, Marxist professors were blamed for corrupting youth. In each case, targeting intellectuals helps divert attention from structural problems and concentrate hatred on a visible, often marginalized group.
Not all intellectuals are persecuted under fascism—some are co-opted. Fascist regimes often cultivate loyal intellectuals who support the regime’s goals. These collaborators write nationalistic histories, compose celebratory art, or develop pseudo-scientific theories justifying racism and hierarchy.
This divide-and-conquer strategy creates an intellectual caste system: the “good” intellectuals who serve the state are elevated, while the “bad” intellectuals are purged. The aim is not to eliminate thinking entirely but to monopolize the production of thought in service of power.
Despite repression, many intellectuals resist fascism in courageous and creative ways. Underground publications, clandestine lectures, exilic writings, and dissident art have preserved humanistic values during times of darkness. These intellectuals often pay a high price, but their work endures, shaping post-fascist societies and warning future generations.
For instance, the writings of Antonio Gramsci, imprisoned by Mussolini, have become foundational texts in political theory. The works of German-Jewish intellectuals such as Hannah Arendt and Theodor Adorno have profoundly influenced how we understand totalitarianism. Their survival and insights testify to the power of critical thought even under extreme duress.
Though classical fascist regimes were largely defeated in the mid-20th century, fascist ideologies and tactics continue to resurface in various forms. Contemporary authoritarian and populist movements often adopt anti-intellectual rhetoric, discrediting universities, scientists, and journalists as part of a “liberal elite” out of touch with “the people.”