1. Political labels and historical definitions
Individuals & institutions
France, Europe, United States
Events & dates
Republic refers to a state without a hereditary monarch; it does not by itself guarantee competitive elections. Fascism arose as a mass authoritarian movement in twentieth-century Europe. Socialism encompasses democratic and revolutionary approaches to social ownership; communist parties have governed several one-party states.
Consequences & historical significance
Political rights depend on constitutions, elections, courts, coercive institutions and actual practices rather than a label alone.