Community | February 16, 2013 | 415 comments

What is Fascism?

source: http://www.this-page-intentionally-left-blank.org/

http://www.this-page-intentionally-left-blank.org/

For many years now I have been labeling many extreme Right Wingers as Fascists! This article clearly states definitions that fit todays Right Wingers or Ideological Republicans, thus they have earned the name Fascists!

What is Fascism ?

by Rich Gibson

1. Fascism is the unchecked rule of a class of the privileged, or relatively rich, in power--a full-scale assault on poor and working people. Parliamentary institutions are usually set aside, or so demeaned as to be meaningless. (The Holocaust was legal). Elites issue direct orders, frequently through a populist leader. Wages, any social safety net, working hour laws, labor laws; all come under legal (and extra-legal) attack. The stick replaces the carrot.

Even between capitalists of the same nation, struggle intensifies.

Fascism in its early stages has been popular among masses of people mystified by nationalism, racism, and sexism. These ideas are key to the construction of fascism. But, "war means work" for some, which may also explain its historical popularity.

Fascism requires and is built on the support of capitalist elites. Henry Ford, the Dulles family, the Catholic Church, and the German Krupps among many others, were early supporters of fascism in the U.S.

Fascism is an element of the modern era, which carries forward elements of feudalism. Fascism has taken the form of state capitalism in Japan, Germany, and in more sophisticated ways, the Soviet Union in the Stalin era. But fascism has also grown in less developed countries, Romania, Bulgaria, most of Eastern Europe, Cambodia, Argentina, Guatemala, Chile; and taken significantly different forms.

2. Fascism and capitalism are inseparable. There has never been a form of capital that was not built on a fascist base--from early British action against the Chartists to today's varieties of imperialism. All major capitalist nations have fascist ties.

Hence, while fascism may not be the dominant form of capitalist government, elements of fascist ideology (biological determinism, rabid nationalism, etc.) and fascist organizations (sectors of the police, KKK, skinheads, etc.) are always present. No capitalist government has ever required a revolution to institute fascism.

Fascism does emerge in capitalist crises, the moments when the struggle for production reaches a point when the workers can no longer purchase the products they produce, a crisis of over-production and declining profits and/or an intense battle for cheaper labor, raw materials, and new markets; that is, war.

However, neither war nor capitalist crisis is a pre-condition of fascism; consider Saudi Arabia or Kuwait. In addition, it is possible to live under fascism within a nation that is not itself entirely fascist, that is, to live as a jobless black youth in Sao Paulo, or Los Angeles.

3. Fascism deceptively calls for the national unity of social classes, class-collaboration, but actually promotes the division of people by race, sex, culture, nation, or religion. Fascism was, under Mussolini and, later, Hitler, conceived as the "corporate state", that is, all the resources of the society were directed toward the support of corporate profits in the name of national unity and economic development. In order to motivate warriors and bolster profits, fascism conceals the real and insoluble tensions between those who own and those who work.

4. Fascism frequently is employed as a strategic base for war. Fascist shifts in government and official ideology grow with war preparations.

5. Violence and terror, made tolerable by racism and sexism (ideas which view people as sub-human) become public policy.

6. Fascism relies on mysticism, organized irrationalism, a culture which turns to superstition, irrationality (extreme religious dogmatism, the fear of sexuality, celebrations of misogyny, death, and hopelessness--serving to explain apparent systematic despair), and retards science and social production in order to mask its own decay. Indeed, fascism is organized decay.

There is a jagged line which runs from conservative Christianity to anti-semitism to anti-communism which underpins much of fascist writing. But, there is no consistency to fascist ideology, other than to preserve capitalism. Fascism is irrationalism organized to sustain inequality and authoritarianism. Even so, the role of the ideology of irrationalism can become powerful, that is, Nazis sacrificed the productive work of many Jews in order to kill them.

7. Fascism is virulently anti-communist. Communists (and perhaps some anarchists), who have been the only consistent and effective anti-fascist fighters, are the fascist's first targets.

8. Fascism has only been defeated internally (primarily by the actions of indigenous national resistance), perhaps, twice: in Albania and, maybe, China. However, resistance movements have changed fascism and halted its birth.

9. There is evidence that combined theoretical and physical struggle causes fascism to retreat--in ideology and materially. In ideology, there is a growing body of research which indicates that vocal and written opposition to fascist ideas does cause a reevaluation and moderation of thinking in individuals. In pre-fascist Germany in the 1930's, areas which actively put people on the streets to fight the Nazis regularly caused Nazi withdrawals--and minimized fascist group membership. There is nothing inevitable about fascism. It is a political movement, reaching from production relations into the mass consciousness, and can be combatted physically and intellectually.

10. If these factors are true, then it seems effective resistance to fascism must be based on a class analysis of society, an internationalist perspective that attacks imperialist war, a multi-racial, anti-racist/sexist, organized approach (as opposed to ephemeral coalitions based on sex, race, religion), willingness to consider violence, and the grasp of the critical role of ideology in combatting fascist practice.
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415 comments // What is Fascism?

  • buddhawoman
    • 0
      buddhawoman  

    • Facism is Hilter whom was a member of gun groups, whom belive in big corportion, whom took all our rights away from us.He took bussiness, art work and gold away of those whom he didn't like.. He took power away from the people slowly and kill all those whom he didn't like, he sat up the ss, and lots of others whom didn't go his way..Big corportion rule Eurpoe and brainwashed Japan and etc to win and used them. If anyone whom is doing all of this Tea party members whom want to bring down this country. The smaller goverment to away relietions and etc. Bring down the middle class and poor by taken all away from them to, like food stamps, ssi and medicare, medican, housing and etc. Then that will bring us to earn decession of this country

    • 3 months ago
  • Mishima
  • kennymotown
  • Mishima
    • -5
      Mishima [removed]  
    • kennymotown:

      No, I do not want to see our heritage destroyed, our Founding principles abandoned, and our history revised in vain attempts to force the Socialist "Dream" on the citizens of the United States of America, where the people have been evaluated to be happier than any other Europeans living under oppressive Socialism except perhaps the Danes.

    • 3 months ago
  • kennymotown
  • Mishima
    • -4
      Mishima [removed]  
    • kennymotown:

      {I guess you'll only be able to use your one vote,}

      Well, we Conservatives believe in only live people voting, and those who can prove they are who they say they are. We believe that RESPONSIBLE people should vote; people who are willing to make the very, very simple effort to get a PHOTO ID for free.

      But the SOCIALISTS are really for a one-party STATE, so if you have your way, there will really be no need to vote. The experts will take good care of us, let us know what to do and how to think.

    • 3 months ago
  • Varex_Sythe
    • 0
      Varex_Sythe  
    • Mishima:

      Don't forget, since you believe in the electoral college, you technically believe that some individual people should have more voting power than others because of the state that they live in.

    • 3 months ago
  • Mishima
    • -3
      Mishima [removed]  
    • Varex_Sythe:

      The difference actually is tiny if you do the basic math, and it insures that the states will retain the powers that they should have.

      But LEFT-WINGERS want to concentrate the power in the federal government, weaken the states, and go directly against our Founders' dire warnings against direct democracy.

    • 3 months ago
  • buddhawoman
  • sedwin
  • sedwin
  • kennymotown
  • Mishima
    • -3
      Mishima [removed]  
    • buddhawoman:

      No. The Tea Party patriots believe America should be run on one principle: Proving we care. Compassion is the way to run a country. Forget incentives, the economy, and creativity - Let fairness be our ethic and nothing else. We need to be sure that everyone has a right to a TV, a cell phone, a good house, and cosmetic surgery.

    • 3 months ago
  • Mishima
  • Mishima
    • -3
      Mishima [removed]  
    • sedwin:

      {Of course this is a bold faced lie.}

      "When a patriot disagrees with you, call him a liar in as many ways as possible."
      SOURCE:
      Saul Alinsky's manual for Left-wingers, Chapter 6, "How to Intimidate to Shut Down Disagreement," page 78.

    • 3 months ago
  • sedwin
  • Mishima
  • Mishima
    • -6
      Mishima [removed]  
    • Image

    • "The simple fact is that when I took up my little sling and aimed at COMMUNISM, I also hit something else. What I hit was the forces of that great SOCIALIST revolution, which, IN THE NAME OF LIBERALISM, spasmodically, incompletely, somewhat formlessly, but always in the same direction, has been inching its ice cap over the nation for two decades."

      -Whittaker Chambers

    • 3 months ago
  • kennymotown
  • Mishima
  • kennymotown
  • Mishima
  • Dave_DEsposito
    • -3
      Dave_DEsposito  

    • Remember, dear Current fans... when you lack the facts or intelligence to defend your views... just flag for review!
      Censorship and oppression... the core of any good socialist society.

    • 3 months ago
  • Mishima
  • kennymotown
  • sedwin
  • Mishima
  • sedwin
  • Mishima
  • kennymotown
  • Mishima
    • -6
      Mishima [removed]  
    • kennymotown:

      Well, well, well.

      Let's just go to a simple and direct source, Wiki for this one. The first sentence about Saddam Hussein is as follows (capitals added):

      "A leading member of the revolutionary Arab SOCIALIST Ba'ath Party, and later, the Baghdad-based Ba'ath Party....which espoused ba'athism, a mix of Arab nationalism and Arab SOCIALISM."

    • 3 months ago
  • kennymotown
  • Mishima
    • -5
      Mishima [removed]  
    • kennymotown:

      {You know darn well thats not the socialism I'm talking about}

      No, that is not the case.

      Most socialists are well-intended. But that does not make socialism correct, and it does not make it desirable. And it does not render it any less malevolent and pernicious, either. It is just another example how Socialism is destructive.

      It is unfortunate how advocates for this evil ideology think that "if only" we do it right the next time, "if only" people adhere to the plan, and "if only" people cooperate and stick to its precepts, THEN it will work out just fine. These advocates may be well-intentioned, but they are blind and not willing to really take a good look to see WHY it has led to so much poverty, misery, tyranny and death. Instead, they blame it on the lack of cooperation, evil usurpers, whatever.

      All the while, we have great Founding documents that they ignore and run into the dirt.

    • 3 months ago
  • kennymotown
  • Mishima
  • kennymotown
  • sedwin
  • kennymotown
  • kennymotown
  • kennymotown
  • Mishima
  • kennymotown
  • sedwin
  • Mishima
  • lightningthunderfox
    • -4
      lightningthunderfox  

    • "You speak of liberation and when the people rule
      Well ain't it people rule right now, what difference would there be?
      Just another set of bigots with their rifle-sights on me

      But what about those people who don't want your new restrictions?
      Those that disagree with you and have their own convictions?
      You say they've got it wrong because they don't agree with you
      So when the revolution comes you'll have to run them through
      You say that revolution will bring freedom for us all
      Well freedom just ain't freedom when your back's against the wall"
      -CRASS 'bloody revolution'

    • 3 months ago
  • gatormouth
    • +4
      gatormouth  

    • I think you may be conflating Fascism with Oligarchy and Monarchy.
      According to Mussolini, who is an authority on this matter,
      "The first stage of fascism should more appropriately be called Corporatism because it is a merger of State and corporate power".

      Look at the organization of the body that replaced the Chamber of deputies
      (elected by the people):
      The Chamber of Fasci and Corporations (Italian: Camera dei Fasci e delle Corporazioni) (Wikipedia)
      "The councilors of the chamber did not represent geographic constituencies, but the different branches of the trade and industry of Italy, thus reflecting the corporativist idea of fascist ideology."
      It kind of resembles our U.S.Chamber of Commerce on a nationalist level of organization. Of course now we are under hostile takeover by a multinational set of Corporatist power blocs.

    • 3 months ago
  • shanklinmike
  • MSII
    • +1
      MSII  
    • gatormouth:

      ...we certainly have our own home-grown right-wing-corporate-FASCIST-party right here in the u.s! The right-wingers have been for decades bringing merger of their holy-corporates and the gubermnint (that they ironically say they hate so much). They've been making the agencies that were created to protect the people from the ravages on the UN-checked corporates the "friends" of those same industries. They've made the FDA little more then a advertising arm of big-pharma. They plan the "privitization" of -everything- to their precious and holy corporates!

    • 3 months ago
  • gatormouth
    • +1
      gatormouth  
    • shanklinmike:

      Because you are capable of aiming and shooting a gun does mot make you a gun. I think that your argument is flawed. And there is a BIG difference between a controlled National corporation and a controlling multinational predator which is under at best a flag of convenience like a 17th century pirate. The people as well as the National Corporations and small businesses are the natural prey of the multinationals.We become their colony rulled by their bought surrogates in our legislatures and courts.

    • 3 months ago
  • Dennis_Oosterwaal
  • Dennis_Oosterwaal
  • shanklinmike
    • -3
      shanklinmike [removed]  
    • gatormouth:

      Multinationals are endorsed by the governments in those regions... my point remains. Governments back all incorporation,... without governments, multinationals wouldn't have subsidies, lobbying, baliouts, corporate personhood, tax loopholes....

      I want humanity to drop government borders, and to allow trade.... but free and open trade, not centrally planned.

    • 3 months ago
  • WagonMaster
  • crabbyoldguy
  • shanklinmike
    • -5
      shanklinmike [removed]  
    • crabbyoldguy:

      I have the same question for him... although I don't truly believe capitalism is possible in the existence of the state, since any form of government technically makes property only nomimal (in name only). What is the difference between state corporatism and democratic socialism? It seems to me that we already have a form of democratic socialism,... and that most of the democratically elected rulers instituted fascism/corporatism. It appears to me that democratic socialism inevitably leads to fascism, or might even be one in the same. They both come from the same spectrum...

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2L2nEJ1DI8

    • 3 months ago
  • shanklinmike
  • gatormouth
    • +1
      gatormouth  
    • crabbyoldguy:

      I look at both Socialism and Capitalism as being useful to a nation when controlled by a representatively elected government. Especially when graft and bribery are suppressed., .
      But Socialism run amok is Communism, while mere Capitalism corrupted becomes Fascism. One starts in the labor sector of society, while the other starts in the property
      Sector.

    • 3 months ago
  • Dennis_Oosterwaal
  • Dennis_Oosterwaal
  • gatormouth
    • 0
      gatormouth  
    • shanklinmike:

      Now I get to agree with you :
      You say "...most of the democratically elected rulers instituted fascism/corporatism."
      Right.
      Query Reagan Thatcher Neoliberalism.
      Since Reagan the administrations of both parties have governed as Neoliberals how ever they may have differed on "wedge" issues. Multinational or better Postnational corporations are calling the tune, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce lobbyists are acting as bagmen. The rule of "Pay for Play", the business model of the brothel, is now how things are done.Our very laws have been re-written to facilitate corruption.,

    • 3 months ago
  • gatormouth
  • Mishima
    • -4
      Mishima [removed]  
    • gatormouth:

      {Socialism run amok is Communism}

      Generally speaking, yes. That is the danger of Socialism: It will always strive in that direction, and it will use any means. It will try to organize workers to fight against the state, it will demand centralization, it will set up more and more control of the economy (Obummercare, nationalization or highly regulated industries - for our own good, of course).

      It will try to take over the education of our children with projects like Obummer's "Core Curriculum." It will attack religious institutions, denying any funding for "faith-based" organizations, demanding only centralized GOVERNMENT ones.

      It will attack the culture as taught by the Italian Communist Gramsci and perpetuated via the Frankfurt School in our universities. It will strive to destroy history because history shows its failings.

      Socialism will deny the truth about human beings and consider us all blank slates in order to rationalize social engineering.

      Etc.

    • 3 months ago
  • Mishima
    • -4
      Mishima [removed]  
    • Dennis_Oosterwaal:

      Have you noticed a pattern of words that is intended to make nasty implications? The big one is the use of "capitalism," and especially "capitalists." Unfortunately these words have some unfavorable nuances in common parlance with many people, and that came around from I think you know where.

      Anyway, it grates them to no end to use the "free market" and "entrepreneurs." That is because the first includes the word they hate, "free," and the second implies people who are creative, motivated, responsible, and willing to take risks - other qualities that these LEFT-WINGERS fear and hate.

    • 3 months ago
  • shanklinmike
  • MSII
    • 0
      MSII  
    • gatormouth:

      "Multinational or better Postnational corporations are calling the tune, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce lobbyists are acting as bagmen. The rule of "Pay for Play", the business model of the brothel, is now how things are done.Our very laws have been re-written to facilitate corruption."

      Absolutely 100% correct!

    • 3 months ago
  • gatormouth
  • gatormouth
    • +1
      gatormouth  
    • shanklinmike:

      ? Re read your history. Mussolini was famous for central control "efficiency".So was Hitler. "He made the trains run on time" don't cha know? Stalin was no better for Communism.What don't you get about "Totalitarian"?

    • 3 months ago
  • Mishima
    • -1
      Mishima [removed]  
    • gatormouth:

      {Now you are saying Socialism equals Communism. This is as false as saying Capitalism equals Fascism.}

      It is the step on the road to Communism, of course. If you do not believe that, please refer to the Manifesto. And you do not have to read the entire book, either. Just do a word search of the terms "socialism" and "communism." You will see not only did the Leftist icons, Marx and Engels, use them about as frequently, but they are practically interchangeable.

      The search is quite easy also. Should take no more than 2 or 3 minutes. If you honestly have any interest in this subject or your proclamations, I think you would make this small effort.

    • 3 months ago
  • Mishima
    • -1
      Mishima [removed]  
    • gatormouth:

      {Re read your history. Mussolini was famous for central control "efficiency".So was Hitler.}

      Exactly, and it is interesting to consider WHAT KIND of efficiency: It was directly or indirectly via the CENTRAL GOVERNMENT. The central authority can make all more "efficient" is the belief of Fascists and Nazis.

      Sound familiar? (Hint: Left-wingers say that the CENTRAL AUTHORITY can run health care more efficiently.....)

    • 3 months ago
  • cmdinc
  • shanklinmike
  • gatormouth
  • Dennis_Oosterwaal
  • cmdinc
  • Mishima
    • -2
      Mishima [removed]  
    • gatormouth:

      No, it started with Stalin. Stalin gave marching orders to his followers and the Left-wingers in the US took those orders, too: To call dissenters Fascists and Nazis.

      It stuck. It started from the former icon of the LEFT-WINGERS, Uncle Joe Stalin.

    • 3 months ago
  • sedwin
  • Mishima
  • sedwin
  • Mishima
  • Mishima
    • -7
      Mishima [removed]  

    • Fascism is simply a word used in a mindless fashion to shut down disagreement.

      The REAL history of it is fascinating with regards to the Left in America.

      After 1917, the Progressives and the Old Left looked across the Atlantic Ocean and were inspired by what they were convinced was the creation of a dreamland in Russia. Shortly after, Mussolini’s regime brought the highest praise from them, and the Old Left envisioned it as a model for America: The term “Fascism” initially had a favorable ring in their quarters until “Uncle Joe” Stalin denounced it.

    • 3 months ago
  • Gordon_Shumway
    • +3
      Gordon_Shumway  
    • Image
    • Mishima:

      {Fascism is simply a word used in a mindless fashion to shut down disagreement. }

      There's some truth to that. I've observed that some use the term "Socialism" in exactly the same, mindless way. Sort of a blanket answer for facts or arguments to which they have no answer.

      Watch for it. You may see it in this very thread. :-)

    • 3 months ago
  • Mishima
  • Gordon_Shumway
  • kennymotown
  • kennymotown
  • Mishima
    • -5
      Mishima [removed]  
    • kennymotown:

      Democratic Socialism, if one looks at its history, stems from those who wanted full-fledged, total Socialism. They could not stop the human drive and natural desire for the free market, so they had to compromise with free market principles. Attlee, for example, wanted total nationalization of Britain's industries. Later, the Labor Party had to compromise. The natural pull is toward the free market, not to any form of Socialism, no matter what obfuscating terms the proponents of Marxism-Socialism choose to call it.

    • 3 months ago
  • gatormouth
    • +1
      gatormouth  
    • kennymotown:

      Hi, Kenny
      Yeah. FDR's New Deal itself is an example of Democratic Socialism, and it included controlled elements of BOTH Socialism and Capitalism. And it worked fine until Reaganomics Neoliberalism put a stick in the spokes. And with Fair Trade re-regulation it can again.

    • 3 months ago
  • Dennis_Oosterwaal
  • kennymotown
    • +2
      kennymotown  
    • Dennis_Oosterwaal:

      Let me tell you mis-directed friend, the WPA during the Great Depression put millions of people back to work and here in Oregon a man made lake was one project that got built out of numerous projects and now the city of Lake Oswego is one of the most expensive elitist neighborhoods in the state built around that lake. FDR did that. He saved Capitalism dude, put that in your pipe and smoke it.

    • 3 months ago
  • kennymotown
  • kennymotown
  • Dennis_Oosterwaal
  • kennymotown
  • Dennis_Oosterwaal
  • kennymotown
  • Mishima
    • -3
      Mishima [removed]  
    • gatormouth:

      FDR's New Deal prolonged the Depression by up to seven years, according to a UCLA study. It did NOT bring us out of the Depression. What helped to get us out was the government REDUCING its freakin' interference during WWII and even more so by interfering less after the war and demobilizing, letting the FREE market do its work.

    • 3 months ago
  • Mishima
  • Mishima
  • kennymotown
  • Mishima
    • -3
      Mishima [removed]  
    • Dennis_Oosterwaal:

      {FDR saved capitalism? This has got to be the craziest thing I have read here on current so far.}

      Your perspective needs a bit of adjusting if you do not mind.

      As you know, the Brain Trust of FDR was made up of Stalin-worshippers; the US started making its recovery when Truman got rid of the bastards as president.

      Communism held some appeal to many at that time, and the Left-wingers wanted a state based on the USSR model. In fact, many WPA work camps were based on the model that was later in the gulag.

      These Left-wingers wanted a full commie state, so - from their point of view - FDR did not go far enough, so THEIR interpretation was that he "saved" capitalism (the free market, excuse me).

      These people on this thread still have the "dream" of the perfect state, and it requires total centralized control. That is where most of them are coming from. How do ya like the hornet's nest?

    • 3 months ago
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