A fascist is one whose lust for money or power is combined with

The American statesman Henry A. Wallace, who stood against tyranny in the darkest hours of the twentieth century, spoke with prophetic fire when he declared: “A fascist is one whose lust for money or power is combined with such an intensity of intolerance toward those of other races, parties, classes, religions, cultures, regions or nations as to make him ruthless in his use of deceit or violence to attain his ends.” In these words he pierces the mask of fascism, exposing it not as mere politics, but as a marriage of greed and intolerance, a fever that destroys compassion and unleashes ruthless cruelty upon the world.

The origin of this truth lies in the years of World War II, when Wallace, then Vice President of the United States, witnessed the rise of Hitler and Mussolini. He saw that fascism was not simply dictatorship, but a poison rooted in both the hunger for power and the hatred of the “other.” It fed upon fear, division, and prejudice, driving men to abandon humanity for the sake of conquest. Wallace’s warning was clear: fascism thrives wherever deceit and violence are excused in the name of ambition.

History gives us the dreadful example of Nazi Germany, where Hitler fused his own lust for domination with an unrelenting intolerance toward Jews, Romani, Slavs, and all who opposed him. With deceitful propaganda and merciless violence, he dragged nations into ruin and turned Europe into a graveyard. His rise was not the story of one man alone, but of a society blinded by prejudice and seduced by promises of strength. Here, Wallace’s words find their most harrowing fulfillment.

Yet the ancients, too, knew the danger of such corruption. The Greeks warned of hubris—the arrogance of kings who placed themselves above justice. The Romans told of emperors who, in their lust for power, crushed dissent and sowed fear, until their empires crumbled under the weight of oppression. Time and again, history has revealed that when greed is wed to hatred, ruthlessness is born, and the innocent suffer most.

Therefore, O children of tomorrow, heed Wallace’s warning. Do not be deceived by voices that promise greatness while preaching intolerance. Do not trust leaders who wield deceit as their weapon and violence as their creed. For the face of fascism is ever-changing, yet its heart remains the same—greed clothed in hatred, ambition wrapped in cruelty. Stand instead with justice, compassion, and truth, for these are the forces that break the chains of tyranny and guard the dignity of all humankind.