Allow me one more response: The operating definition of fascist I use includes authoritarian governments that exert state control of private industry.

That definition fits most of the regimes traditionally known as fascist, including Mussolini’s, Hitler’s, Stalin’s and Mao’s. They were all leftists.

The only regime commonly thought of as fascist that doesn’t fit this definition is Franco’s. He opposed the leftist Republican government, and though he was an authoritarian, probably shouldn’t be considered a fascist.

So, if you insist fascists must be rightist, you get one out of five commonly held fascist regimes, but if you accept fascists as leftists, you get four out of five.

Just a thought.