Revolutionary Contagion and Communist and Fascist Revolutions in Europe

• In Event: International Politics and the Role of Ideology in Revolutions

Abstract

Do ideological differences between states affect relations among them? I argue that they will under specific circumstances: when they fear the prospect of revolutionary contagion. The paper asks two questions: First, when do leaders fear the domestic repercussions of revolutions abroad? I argue that fear of contagion is not primarily derived from the infecting agent – whether the revolutionary state serves as a model or acts as a platform spreading revolution abroad. Instead, it is largely driven by the characteristics of the host, namely the presence of significant opposition groups of the same character as the revolution. Second, how does the prospect of revolutionary contagion affect international affairs? I argue it will have a discernable effect on patterns of international cooperation and conflict: they will align against the revolutionary state and they will align with other states that face the same threat, sometimes in contrast to geopolitical pressures. To test the theory, I assess the response among European great powers to the fascist regime that emerged in Italy in 1922 and communist regime that emerged in Russia in 1917. The response to these radical ideologies differed markedly. My theory largely explains why this was the case. Although the theory faces some anomalies, it explains a good deal of the response to these revolutions, and the international order that emerged in the interwar period.

Author

• Chad Nelson, Brigham Young University