20世纪20至30年代，随着法西斯主义这一新兴政治运动在欧洲的兴起和扩散，逐渐引起中国知识分子的关注。本文聚焦于中国的中间知识分子群体，追溯和剖析他们在不同历史阶段对法西斯主义认知的演进历程及其特点，力图全面把握这一群体对该意识形态的复杂认知。

中间知识分子对法西斯主义的认知发展大致可分为三个阶段。第一阶段(1921年至1929年)，法西斯主义在国内的传播范围相对有限，中间知识分子对其认知主要停留在对表象的描述和政策的评判层面，尚未对理论基础和意识形态内核展开深入探讨。第二阶段(1930年至1935年)，随着法西斯主义在国内外的广泛传播，中间知识分子开始从理论高度剖析其本质特性，并深入研究法西斯政权的运作机制和各项政策，在认知广度和深度上取得突破性进展。第三阶段(1935年至1938年)，中间知识分子的关注点转向法西斯国家在国际上的侵略扩张行为。基于维护世界和平与捍卫民族利益的双重考量，他们对法西斯主义做出坚决的批判声讨，对德意法西斯国家的态度也发生根本性转变。

从整体上看，中间知识分子对法西斯主义的认知逐渐深化且趋于成熟。但其间一些认知偏差也暴露其思维模式上的固有局限。具体表现为价值立场的摇摆与妥协、实用主义的短视以及改良主义的幻想。民族主义诉求是推动他们认知发展的重要动力，同时与自由主义信仰交织碰撞，最终构成了这一群体认识和应对法西斯主义的复杂图景

In the 1920s and 1930s, with the rise and spread of fascism as a new political movement in Europe, it gradually attracted widespread attention from Chinese intellectuals. This article focuses on the group of Chinese middle-of-the-road intellectuals, tracing and analyzing the evolution and characteristics of their cognition of fascism at different historical stages, aiming to comprehensively grasp the complex understanding of this ideology by this group.

The development of Chinese middle-of-the-road intellectuals' cognition of fascism can be roughly divided into three stages. In the initial stage (1921-1929), the spread of fascism in China was relatively limited, and the cognition of middle-of-the-road intellectuals mainly remained at the level of describing the phenomena and evaluating policies, without delving into its theoretical foundations and ideological core. In the second stage (1930-1935), with the widespread dissemination of fascism at home and abroad， middle-of-the-road intellectuals began to analyze its essential characteristics from a theoretical perspective, deeply researching the operational mechanisms and various policies of fascist regimes. They also systematically compared fascism with communism， achieving breakthroughs in the depth and breadth of cognition. In the third stage (1935-1938), the focus of middle-of-the-road intellectuals shifted to the aggressive expansion of fascist countries on the international stage. Based on the dual considerations of safeguarding world peace and defending national interests， middle-of-the-road intellectuals issued resolute criticisms and condemnations of fascism,  and their attitudes towards German and Italian fascist countries also underwent a fundamental change.

In general, the understanding of fascism among intellectuals of the center evolved and matured over time. However, certain cognitive biases during this process revealed inherent limitations in their thinking, manifested as wavering and compromise in values, a short-sighted pragmatism, and illusions of reformism. Nationalist sentiments served as a significant driving force behind the development of their understanding, yet they also intertwined and clashed with their liberal beliefs, ultimately shaping the complex landscape of how this group perceived and responded to fascism.