Fascism is a form of corporatism, but corporatism is not necessarily fascism. The form of corporatism, described above, is actually the opposite of fascistic corporatism. In fascistic corporatism the corporations and unions are heavily regulated by the government, as described in the quote: "a system in which the government guides privately owned businesses toward order, unity, nationalism and success." Corporations have a lot of power in fascism because they are so heavily regulated that they become unofficial branches of government.
Modern corporatism works the other way. Corporations are gaining power over government. This is actually far worse than fascistic corporatism; the corporations don't answer to anyone but themselves.
From Merriam-Webster:
Definition of FASCISM
1 often capitalized : a political philosophy, movement, or regime (as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition
2: a tendency toward or actual exercise of strong autocratic or dictatorial control
I'm glad that the tree/forest analogy was brought up. Corporatism is only one tree in the fascist forest, yet it is the entire basis of the 'corporatism is fascism' myth, and it's not the same kind of tree as modern corporatism. The attempts to deny that distinction are convoluted, to say the least. Saying that corporatism is oligarchical has merit. The same could be said of our two party system. Does that mean that our two party system is totalitarian? Of course not. The USSR was a totalitarian oligarchy. If you believe that means the USSR was fascist, I suppose there's no point in continuing my argument.
Would you take a proof seriously, if "2=½" was one of the givens? They're both considered to be numbers. Yet, the first assumption in the 'corporatism is fascism' myth is that reciprical forms of corporatism are identical, because they're both corporatism. The rest of the argument is based on conflating more terms that don't mean the same. Globalism is not nationalism. An oligarchy is not a dictatorship. Up is not down. Modern corporatism is not fascism.
"As socialists, we are opponents of the Jews, because we see, in the Hebrews, the incarnation of capitalism, of the misuse of the nation’s goods."
Joseph Paul Goebbels
"Fascism conceives of the State as an absolute, in comparison with which all individuals or groups are relative, only to be conceived in their relation to the State."
Benito Mussolini
"We are socialists, we are enemies of today’s capitalistic economic system for the exploitation of the economically weak, with its unfair salaries, with its unseemly evaluation of a human being according to wealth and property instead of responsibility and performance, and we are determined to destroy this system under all conditions."
Adolf Hitler
“Fascism entirely agrees with Mr. Maynard Keynes, despite the latter’s prominent position as a Liberal. In fact, Mr. Keynes’ excellent little book, The End of Laissez-Faire (l926) might, so far as it goes, serve as a useful introduction to fascist economics.”
Benito Mussolini
"[My theories] can be much easier adapted to the conditions of a totalitarian state than . . . a large degree of laissez-faire.”
Maynard Keynes
“The line between fascism and Fabian socialism is very thin. Fabian socialism is the dream. Fascism is Fabian socialism plus the inevitable dictator.”
John T. Flynn
"But when brought within the orbit of the State, Fascism recognizes the real needs which gave rise to socialism and trade unionism, giving them due weight in the guild or corporative system in which divergent interests are coordinated and harmonized in the unity of the State."
Benito Mussolini, Giovanni Gentile, 1932, Doctrine of Fascism
"Fascism is definitely and absolutely opposed to the doctrines of liberalism, both in the political and economic sphere."
(Classic Liberalism, AKA Libertarianism)
Benito Mussolini, Giovanni Gentile, 1932, Doctrine of Fascism
"In view of the fact that private organisation of production is a function of national concern, the organiser of the enterprise is responsible to the State for the direction given to production."
Benito Mussolini, 1935, Fascism: Doctrine and Institutions