Mussolini, an opportunist, gets his start as a writer for the socialist magazine Avanti. He eventually rises to power in the Fascist party, with support from urban thugs, rural landlords, and industrialists, as a strongman. He consolidates power with an insurrection.

• Ex: March on Rome (1922), Black Shirt Alfa Romeo strike busting (1920)

Mao gets his political start within the CCP. He insists upon the importance of the peasantry to win (“protracted people’s warfare”) and achieves his ultimate power after the CCP claims victory in the mainland after the Chinese Civil War. 

• Ex: Civil war (1945-1949), Long March (1934)

Castro gets his political start after the Moncada Barracks, then the July 26th movement. He also gains popular support due to the unpopularity of the Batista regime. Invited US journalists to the Sierra Maestra to build popularity.

• Ex: The Moncada Barracks and “History will absolve me” (1953), invitation of US journalists to the Sierra Maestra (1957)

Italian fascism relied on a certain amount of popular support through integration of fascism into all parts of life, notably via excessive statist bureaucracy.

• Ex: Black shirts, fascist organizations like ORVA (1927), ONB, and GIL, Fascist Party membership necessary to gain "Complete Citizenship"

Mao emphasized the importance of  the population’s ideological buy-in to his regime’s success. The issue that mobilized people most was anti-corruption.

• Ex: Red Guards (1966), Anti-Campaigns (1951-52), Mao’s Little Red Book (1964), Cultural Revolution (1966)

Support for Castro and the July 26th Movement often came from grassroots efforts facilitated by Cuba’s relatively small population. Guevara emphasized the importance of ideological buy-in.

• Ex: Sierra Maestra base (1956-58), July 26th movement membership (1959), relations with Bay of Pigs locals (1958-61)

Exemplified best in suppression of political parties and media, effective news control, and violent intimidation tactics with Ceka and squadristi.

• Ex: Acerbo Law (1923), Squadristi (1923), Ceka (1924), Slate “voting” (1926), Matteotti (1924) and D’annunzio (1922), distribution of radios (1930s), 

Exemplified best in intergovernmental purges to rally support, fear campaigns, censorship, and targeting political opponents.

• Ex: Anti-campaigns (1951-52), Gao-Rao Incident (1954), end of Hundred Flowers Campaign (1957), Cultural Revolution (1966), 3 Bitter Years (1959-1961)

Castro did not hold democratic, multiparty elections. He argued that it necessary because of potential US influence. He also censored media and suppressed dissidents.

• Ex: ~200K people arrested on political charges over the course of Castro’s regime, although most were released, government controlled media (1960)