How was Nazism more extreme than Italian Fascism?

While both regimes were authoritarian, militaristic, and suppressed political dissent, Nazism was fundamentally more extreme than Italian Fascism, primarily due to its virulent, state-sponsored biological racism and the systematic implementation of genocide.12

Key Differences in Ideology and Practice

• Biological Racism and Genocide: While Mussolini’s regime was xenophobic and eventually adopted antisemitic laws in 1938 under German influence, Nazism was built upon a core doctrine of biological racism. This ideology led directly to the Holocaust, the state-organized extermination of six million Jews, as well as the mass murder of millions of Slavs and Roma.123
• Totalitarian Scope: Although both regimes dismantled democratic institutions and utilized secret police to crush opposition, the Nazi state pursued a more comprehensive attempt to reshape society according to its racial hierarchy.124
• Economic Control: While both regimes were conservative and suppressed labor unions, the Nazi approach to "anticapitalism" was specifically targeted at "Jewish capitalism," whereas non-Jewish industrialists were largely permitted to maintain their wealth and control.5

It is essential to affirm that the Nazi regime’s systematic pursuit of genocide represents a profound violation of fundamental human rights and ethical principles, marking it as a uniquely destructive force in 20th-century politics.2