Introduction

Socialism and Fascism share some characteristics but are entirely different in other ways. The two ideologies took shape in reaction to what was viewed as the faults in liberalism. Socialists, who preceded fascists, criticized liberal democracy for the inequalities that had emerged among the people and in advanced nations. Fascists, on the other hand, believed that the tenets on which liberalism was based were incorrect. Hence, we can compare and contrast socialist and fascist criticism of liberal democracy and their visions on how best to govern a nation.

Criticism of Liberal Democracy

Both socialism and fascism disagree with the liberals’ view on individualism. In a liberal democracy, society is made up of individuals who look out for their self-interests and adopt a laissez faire policy to pursue profits privately. This view is criticized by socialists, who believe that people are social creatures and must work in cooperation to achieve liberty and prosperity (Ball et al. 123). Fascists criticize individualism from the viewpoint of nationalism. This is the belief that people fall into distinct groups that form nations (Ball et al. 191). Gentile notes that in fascism, an individual finds a purpose and fulfillment in obedience (Gentile 292) According to the fascists, the nation takes precedence over the individual and it is only by coming together as a nation that true liberty can be experienced. Although both fascists and socialists are against liberalism, they differ in several other aspects. One of these is elitism.

Elitism is the view that society should be governed by a few elite individuals. Liberal democracy, on the contrary, maintains that people should govern themselves through a representative government led by democratically-elected leaders. For fascists, this idea is unacceptable. Elite theorists of the early twentieth century believed that society is, and will always be, ruled by a small group of leaders (Ball et al. 193). Subsequently, famous fascists such as Benito Mussolini of Italy adopted this ideology and implemented a totalitarian government. Socialists, on the other hand, support democracy, but in a different sense than liberal democracy. While liberal democracy is marked by policies that facilitate capitalism, socialist democracy allows the government to hinder capitalism in the quest for a classless society (Ball et al. 124). Besides elitism, fascists and socialists criticize liberalism on the issue of equality.

Liberalism calls for equality and freedom. This was the view of the classical liberals when they demanded minimal government interference and economic competition for all. However, during the industrial revolution, inequalities emerged as a consequence of capitalism. The rich steadily grew richer while the working-class was overworked, underpaid and poor. Socialists believe that such inequality should be corrected. They, therefore, call for equality of common people collectively, rather than that of the individual (Ball et al. 125). They believe this can be achieved through fighting capitalism. Fascists, on the other hand, find equality unnecessary and, at times, even distasteful. To them, equality promotes individual freedoms at the cost of the glory and greater good of  the nation. This disdain for individual equality and freedom is captured in Mussolini’s famous slogan “believe, obey, fight” (Ball et al. 187). Gentile addresses this issue by stating that for fascism, freedom has no importance except in the context of the state (Gentile 293). Hence, both socialist and fascist ideologies are against liberalism based on equality and freedom, but in quite different ways.

A study of the criticisms makes it evident that socialists and fascists are opposed to liberal democracy. Socialist and fascist views on individualism, governance, and equality do not resonate with the liberal political ideology. Fascists and socialists have their own vision of how best to govern a nation and are guided by the end goals of their ideologies. The socialists’ end goal is to fulfill human needs through such means as will ensure that all workers get a fair share of the product (Ball et al. 126). For fascists, the end goal is to obtain power and glory for the state (Ball et al. 199). One similarity between the two is that more power and authority rest with the government for the collective good in a socialist economy, and national glory in a fascist regime.

The Vision of How Best to Govern a Nation

Totalitarianism is the mode of governance for fascists and, in many ways, for socialists as well. Socialism requires that the state should own and control property for collective benefit (Ball et al. 123). Such control is exercised by a centralized or decentralized government. The result is a society where the government has the power to plan, manage, and coordinate the country’s economy (Ball et al. 124). Fascist governments, on the other hand, vest power in a few elites or even one individual to lead the nation to more power and glory. The people are expected to follow the vision of the leader without question as was the case with Nazi Germany under Hitler. Such kind of governance is, therefore, plainly dictatorial. Fascist leaders also use apparatus such as educational institutions and communication systems to control the masses (Althusser 143). One difference between fascist and socialist governance is the main agenda of each of the governments.

Socialist governance is mainly aimed at the economy. By controlling and coordinating economic activities, socialists believe that they can eliminate capitalism and the ills that result from it. This is meant to ensure freedom for all. On the other hand, the main agenda for fascist governments is achieving more power for the nation. This was proved by both Mussolini and Hitler who were obsessed with creating empires. For these fascists, the economy was not a major agenda. Mussolini’s Italy, for instance, was filled with corruption (Ball et al. 200). Ardent notes that fascism is all about a movement accompanied by terror to achieve an agenda dictated by an individual (Arendt 310)

Another contrast between fascist and socialist governance can be seen in their views and treatment of differences in people. Both apartheid rule in South Africa and Nazi rule in Germany had one thing in common: people are not alike (Ball et al. 190). This motivated the discrimination against the blacks by Afrikaners and the Jews by “Aryan” Germans. Many fascists, including contemporary ones, believe that whites are a superior race to others such as blacks. Therefore, it is common for fascist governance to discriminate based on race and ethnicity. Socialist governance, on the other hand, is devoid of such concerns. Rather than focusing on nationalism, socialists focus on social class divisions which they insist must be eliminated.

Finally, it is important to look at the liberties that these governments assure their people. Socialists aim for the freedom of the community while fascists place a premium on the nation’s freedom. Socialist governments work to facilitate freedom, at least in theory, in the form of a fair share of the profits, fulfilling work, and equal opportunities to develop talents (Ball et al. 125), and achieve this by taking full control of the economy. Fascists view liberty in a completely different light. According to fascists, true freedom and fulfillment can only be achieved by serving the state (Ball et al. 199). Hence, fascist governments demand the unwavering and unquestioning loyalty of the people.

Conclusion

Socialists and fascists, similar in some ways and different in others, developed as a reaction against the political ideology of liberalism. Hence it is possible to compare and contrast their criticism of liberal democracy. These two ideologies formulated what they considered the best way to govern a nation, while avoiding the pitfalls of liberalism. However, history has shown us that these ideologies, which favor an all-powerful state, take control and become restrictive and dictatorial in the name of the greater good of the people and have not been successful or endured for long. On the other hand, even liberal democracies aid and assist citizens through welfare schemes and processes that are undeniably socialist in essence. This information enables us to understand why fascists such as Hitler committed unspeakable atrocities, why Russia indulged in socialism, or even question whether capitalism is the best social, economic and political system of governance.

Work Cited

Althusser, Louis. “Ideology and ideological state apparatuses (notes towards an investigation).” The anthropology of the state: A reader, vol.9, no.1, 2006, pp. 127-186.

Arendt, Hannah. “Ideology and terror: A novel form of government.” The Review of Politics, vol.15, no.3, 1953, pp. 303-327.

Ball, Terence, et al. Political Ideologies and the Democratic Ideal. Taylor & Francis, 2016.

Gentile, Giovanni. “The philosophic basis of fascism.” Foreign Affairs, vol. 2, no. 6, 1927, pp. 290-304.

Comparison of iOmniscient, NOJA Power, Apple Inc. and Huawei

The process of developing new products and services differ from one organization to the other. In other words, the strategies, as well as the approaches used, tend to vary from one organization to the other. In this paper, a detailed comparison of the product development process in iOmniscient, which is based in Sydney, and NOJA Power, an organization based in Brisbane is discussed. Also, similar processes in Apple Inc. based in California and Huawei in Guangdong, China are looked at as well. iOmniscient is an independent analytics organization. The organization has recently extended is comprehensive analytic capabilities to offer artificial intelligence analytics that include smell, sound, as well as the human reasoning behind any video. It is worth noting that the technologies have been proven and implemented by governments as well as commercial users in more than fifty nations across the globe (Yu et al. 2011). Since the organization has around forty international patents, it has been specializing in the usage of cases that excel in complex, crowded, and realistic environments, and offering solutions to more than thirty different industries.

NOJA Power`s vision is a world-leading organization in medium voltage outdoor switchgear. The company has employed over 300 employees across the world as a whole. Recently, the organization has moved towards achieving the vision of installing 50,000 NOJA Power OSMs in more than 87 nations across the globe. These are advanced three-phase automatic circuit reclosers. Since its foundation, the organization has been fueling growth by offering innovative, robust, safe, and environmentally-friendly products to all their customers worldwide. The products are globally recognized for being of the highest quality and durable under all conditions. The factories are based in Brazil and Australia, with test facilities to ensure that the products distributed are of good quality.

Apple Inc. boasts of over 132,000 employees across the globe as of the end of its fiscal year 2018. In the same financial year, this company is reported to have sold over 217 million devices worldwide. Apple Inc. applies a simple but detailed market segmentation technique which has enabled the tech giant to acquire a global market. Additionally, they have opened Apple stores in almost all the continents to have a wider consumer base (Statista, 2018). Huawei, on the other hand, has an estimated 188,000 employees worldwide. In the year 2018, they managed to follow Apple Inc. closely behind with sales volume of 206 million devices. The company has a worldwide market share of 9.02% which falls far behind Apple Inc. which has managed to command 22.17% (Owler, 2019).

Core Products and Services

With more than forty patents, iOmniscient has been offering unique technologies that are ahead of their time. In other words, the organization has been quite innovative in coming up with various technological devices that fit modern society. For instance, the company has been rated as the best organization providing CCTV services. The other merit of the company is that it makes products capable of analyzing videos and songs such that one can identify the feelings or rather the sounds behind the scenes. The organization aims at spreading their services to more than 100 nations across the globe. NOJA Power, on the other hand, has been supplying RC controls as well as communication cables. The RC controls are critical in the sense that they provide protection, enhance data logging, and communication functions using a single device. One of the merits of the products is that they have been tested by independent laboratories to ensure that they are safe and are friendly to any environment. Currently, the company serves over 87 nations across the globe. There are prospects of widening its service boundaries to more than 100 countries around the world.

Apple products range from iPhones, iPods, watches, to computers known as MacBooks and Macintosh among several other similar products. The tech giant also offers services such as iTunes. It is, therefore, a technology company mostly dealing in electronics and software. The company targets global consumers of mostly ages 18 to 45. Apple Inc. is not shy about pricing, hence majority of their products target high income earners. In terms of innovation, the company is considered the most innovative in globally. They have committed to a culture of innovation which has enabled the company to introduce game-changing products such as iPhones and iPads. Huawei products include smartphones, dongles, computers, and TVs. The company also offers broadband network consultancy services. Huawei has previously targeted the low-tier market with affordable prices for developing countries. However, in a bid to beat their competition Apple, the company is quickly moving to target consumers from developing nations. They are convinced that such markets will bring bigger profit margins and increase their market share. Similar to Apple, Huawei is also highly committed to innovation. Recently, the company established the Institute of Strategic Research, in an effort to enter a new phase of innovation.

Competitive Advantages

One of the aspects that maintain competition in the market is the art of being unique. The art of providing quality products and services uniquely plays a critical role in increasing the monopoly power of an organization. Also, they provide other products such as face recognition in crowds, detection of lost objects, as well as the identification of perpetrators of vehicle theft and vandalism (Berman et al 2009). On the other hand, NOJA OSM has designed a stand-alone device that has been integrated with the distribution of automation as well as remote control schemes through its inbuilt communication capabilities. Its di-electric nature, as well as the in-built user configuration distribution, increases its profitability as well as its safety aspect. Apple has managed to be highly competitive due to its innovative products. They are constantly introducing new technologies into the market which always keeps the consumers eagerly waiting for the next release. This greatly contributes to customer loyalty. Huawei’s success is attributed to its ability to offer elegant devices at affordable prices to the consumer. The company’s products are, therefore, very popular in low and middle income regions.

Competitive Market Position

The two companies, Apple and Huawei, closely follow each other in terms of competition. Apple has a wider market share compared to Huawei, allocating them at second and third positions respectively behind Samsung. Hence, the two companies are close challengers. Although, they offer related products, Apple Inc. has a niche in that its products are highly innovative. This is an attribute which Huawei hopes to attain. One of the aspects that have allowed iOmniscient to solidify its marketing position is the fact that is has pioneered Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques that have paved the way for a creation of a paradigm that analyzes data from complex and crowded environments, providing real-time responses. Meanwhile, NOJA has been keen on ensuring that all their products are safe for human use. Also, most of the products produced by the company are environmentally-friendly.

Opportunity Identification

iOmniscient identified their opportunity by looking at the products that were serving in the market. After careful study, they noticed the need to introduce unique products that would fill the gap in the civilian defense sector. The organization used the fundamental aspects of life to add a new product that would do more analysis. NOJA Power, on the other, had identified their opportunity in the market by considering the safety as well as the reliability of the products in the market. Their main aim behind issuing a new product in the market was to increase the security of electricity supply (Van der Linde, 2016). Apple Inc. was started at a time when there was a need to develop computers with a simpler user interface. The company, therefore, started with computer sales. Later on, apple realized a niche in market and introduced the iPod, which set it apart in the industry. Later on when the era of smartphones was ushered in, Apple saw the need for high-end products for its consumers leading to iPhones. Huawei Company was also driven the need for better technology, which was lacking in the 1980’s. in terms of product innovation charter, their products undergo several stages including product protocol, sales forecasting, concept testing, and concept generation.

Idea and Concept Generation

Product Idea Conception

At the start, iOmniscient had some difficulties in introducing their product into the market. This was linked to the fact that most people in the market were not ready to receive this kind of technology. However, the organization introduced the product in the market by first educating their potential customers on what was possible and what was not. Similarly, when NOJA Power was introducing their product in the market, the reception was not well, as potential customers were not ready to receive such kind of technology. Very few clients understood the technology behind the products introduced into the market. The first product was sold in China, and since then, the market has been growing to serve more than fifty industries across the globe (Birtwhistle, Saha & Islam, 2019). Unlike iOmniscient, and NOJA Power, Apple and Huawei do not experience much difficulty introducing their products into the market. Both the companies have already built their reputation and established a loyal customer base. Furthermore, their products are not new into the market, but rather an improvement of existing products.

Creativity Building and Nurturing

iOmniscient used the typical perception of a human being to develop products. Human beings smell, listen, and speak in response to the issues affecting them. Thus, the organization utilized artificial intelligence to develope a system that can perform video, smell, and sound analysis at once. On the other hand, NOJA power has developed a mission statement aimed at providing the best services to their customers (Stefanov, 2011). Creativity and innovation have been embraced as a culture in Apple. It is at the core of the company. Innovative business models have been put in place to ensure innovative products. Huawei is also currently embracing this norm with a research institute having been established

Developing the Product

Apple’s Products are market driving, given that their technologies are game changers. They manage to introduce technology that consumers did not even know they needed before. The new concepts are hence developed in the sequence of technology, need, and then form. This is in contrast to Huawei, who are not as innovative and hence are market driven. Their concept developing sequence is need, technology, and then form. When iOmniscient organization joined the market, the current product was primitive and less reliable. The practice of utilizing motion detection system made the product less effective. Thus, as the organization was venturing into the market, its central role was to fill in the gap and offer a long-lasting solution to the issues of analysis and detection. On the other hand, as NOJA Power was being formed, the problems of safety and reliability were of great concern. Thus, the organization engaged in several research studies aimed at improving the safety of the product and guaranteeing security to the customers. Environmental pollution was also a leading issue. Thus, there was a need to develop a gear that was safe and friendly to the environment.

Concept Testing

One of the ways iOmniscient has been utilizing to test the eligibility of their products is through seminars and participation in competitions. This approach has been proven to work by companies such as Microsoft, Huawei, and Iscor. On the other hand, NOJA power uses various world standards to check the reliability of their products. Such measures include the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standards and the National Electrical Code (NEC) that are dominant in Europe and America, respectively. The technology industry is highly competitive. It is, therefore, no surprise that both Apple and Huawei are quite secretive in their concept Testing. This ensures that their competitors do not get hold of their new technology formulas

Testing Finding

iOmniscient used a different approach in testing the eligibility of her products. The organization has been comparing its services with other players in the market such as Microsoft to identify how unique their products are. NOJA power also has been trying to follow all the testing procedures to check on their eligibility. In most cases, the result of the testing is positive. The results from the lab work in the Netherlands have been suggesting the need to increase the safety measures and ensure that the IEEE standards are maintained at all levels. The concept of sending the product to a laboratory and using the various rules of operation for manufacturing products indicates that the organization has been responsible enough to do a full screening of its products (Birtwhistle, Saha & Diverall, 2015). The testing process of products in Apple and Huawei is very secretive. However, both the tech companies have online platforms, where consumers can offer feedback on already released products. This may then be considered in the next product development.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, the companies identified a problem or gap in the market and utilized technology to create products aimed at offering solutions. For iOminiscient and NOJA Power, the customers were not willing to accept such kind of techniques at first. However, through well-organized seminars and consumer education, these organizations have been dominating their respective industries. The identification of gaps in the market as well as the development of a mission statement are the primary reasons behind the continued dominance of these companies in the technology sector.

References

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