[forvelin]

Nationalists for many, fascists for some. One should not evaluate Chinese civil war with European eyeglasses.

[pasabagi]

I think there's a degree of straight cultural influence from european fascism (the nationalist's elite units were trained by german officers in the interwar years), plus having the same basic project (the nationalists were trying to create a nation for the Han[0]), and the same methods (extrajudicial violence, state terror[1]).

I agree that it's hard to use european political categories in east asia, but I think the KMT is a neater fit for fascism than a lot of european fascists (e.g. Spain's nationalsts). I think the problem is less an east-west thing and more just that fascism is a really vague category.

[0]: dunno if that counts as an ethnicity, but dunno if that matters.

[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Terror_(Taiwan)

[krageon]

I'm just trying to get an honest overview of the history. Fascist is not necessarily a dirty word, just a style of government.

[Redoubts]

I mean, “fascist” is either a political slur or literally just 2 governments.

[routerl]

I think you're using "fascist" when you mean "authoritarian". I.e. Communists can be "authoritarian", but absolutely cannot be "fascist".

[beaconstudios]

it's more of a state ideology than a style of government - I don't think fascism has any defining economic positions, for instance, except opposition to socialism.