How does fascism happen?

I've always been curious how fascism takes hold, and how people like Hitler, Stalin. etc rise to power. Do people not see what is happening? Shouldn't hindsight, foresight and common sense kick in at some point? I used t think they were like mob bosses early on - anyone disagreeing with them ends up in a barrel, but surely were civilized and educated by now?

It seems the people don't want to jeopardize their comfortable livelihoods and individual lives so expect the 'powerful elected officials' to do their bidding. After all, the public gave them the power to do just that. Otoh, the politicians don't want to jeopardize their cushy jobs and accumulated power by challenging the majority, so are waiting for the public to start a jan6 situation so they can point and say, 'see, the people are unhappy so we should act'.

It's a shitstorm of no consequences and a man child hacking away at the country and no one seems to be doing anything meaningful. I'm literally watching fascism take place.

History/ psychology/ sociology majors care to chime in?