"The historic function of fascism is to smash the working class, destroy its organisations, and stifle political liberties when the capitalists find themselves unable to govern and dominate with the help of democratic machinery." "The advanced workers must know that they will have to fight and win a struggle to the death." Writing in the heat of struggle against the rising fascist movement in Europe in the 1930s, Russian revolutionary leader Leon Trotsky examines the origin and nature of fascism and advances a working-class strategy to combat it.