World Discussions > Politics
Fascism in America
misfitguy:
It seems impossible that the words fascism and the United States can be related. “Isn’t fascism and being a Nazi the same thing?” most would ask. Actually, they are not. The Nazi’s were a small blot in history that used fascist principles to achieve much of their successes.
Fascism is form of belief that comes from the Fiefdoms of the past. A few wealthy and powerful individuals controlling large portions of a nations natural resources and wealth, and a weak middle class used mainly as a distribution network for the products and ideas of the controlling few. Lastly, it consists of a very large struggling lower class that is dependent on the controlling few for their security, health and means of existence.
That is fascism in a nutshell. This treatise asks whether the Bush administration had the characteristics of a fascist mentality. Obviously, I believe it did or I wouldn’t be writing this essay. On the other hand, many seem to think if a subject like this is broached one is just calling names. Not so. This is a serious start, on my part, of tracing the history of the American Fascist Party from the 1930’s to the present. It has never stopped existing in America. It simply changed its names and identities as needed for political expediency.
Here is a list of characteristics found in a fascist type of administration. You can go here to read all the sub-headings and references used.
http://www.oldamericancentury.org/14pts.htm
The article is called 14 Points of Fascism: The Warning Signs
The 14 points are as follows
1.) Powerful and Continuing Nationalism: Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs, and other paraphernalia. Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays.
2.) Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights: Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in fascist regimes are persuaded that human rights can be ignored in certain cases because of "need." The people tend to look the other way or even approve of torture, summary executions, assassinations, long incarcerations of prisoners, etc
3.) Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause: The people are rallied into a unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to eliminate a perceived common threat or foe: racial, ethnic or religious minorities; liberals; communists; socialists, terrorists, etc.
4.) Supremacy of the Military: Even when there are widespread domestic problems, the military is given a disproportionate amount of government funding, and the domestic agenda is neglected. Soldiers and military service are glamorized.
5.) Rampant Sexism: The governments of fascist nations tend to be almost exclusively male-dominated. Under fascist regimes, traditional gender roles are made more rigid. Opposition to abortion is high, as is homophobia and anti-gay legislation and national policy.
6.) Controlled Mass Media: Sometimes the media is directly controlled by the government, but in other cases, the media is indirectly controlled by government regulation, or sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Censorship, especially in war time, is very common.
7.) Obsession with National Security: Fear is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses.
8.) Religion and Government are Intertwined: Governments in fascist nations tend to use the most common religion in the nation as a tool to manipulate public opinion. Religious rhetoric and terminology is common from government leaders, even when the major tenets of the religion are diametrically opposed to the government's policies or actions.
9.) Corporate Power is Protected: The industrial and business aristocracy of a fascist nation often are the ones who put the government leaders into power, creating a mutually beneficial business/government relationship and power elite.
10.) Labor Power is Suppressed: Because the organizing power of labor is the only real threat to a fascist government, labor unions are either eliminated entirely, or are severely suppressed.
11.) Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts: Fascist nations tend to promote and tolerate open hostility to higher education, and academia. It is not uncommon for professors and other academics to be censored or even arrested. Free expression in the arts is openly attacked, and governments often refuse to fund the arts.
12.) Obsession with Crime and Punishment: Under fascist regimes, the police are given almost limitless power to enforce laws. The people are often willing to overlook police abuses and even forego civil liberties in the name of patriotism. There is often a national police force with virtually unlimited power in fascist nations.
13.) Rampant Cronyism and Corruption: Fascist regimes almost always are governed by groups of friends and associates who appoint each other to government positions and use governmental power and authority to protect their friends from accountability. It is not uncommon in fascist regimes for national resources and even treasures to be appropriated or even outright stolen by government leaders.
14.) Fraudulent Elections: Sometimes elections in fascist nations are a complete sham. Other times elections are manipulated by smear campaigns against or even assassination of opposition candidates, use of legislation to control voting numbers or political district boundaries, and manipulation of the media. Fascist nations also typically use their judiciaries to manipulate or control elections.
Smokebender:
March 30, 2010 |
In her bestselling End of America, Naomi Wolf outlines the 10 warning signs that America is headed toward a fascist takeover. Using historical precedents, she explains how our government is mimicking those of Mussolini, Hitler and Stalin through practices like surveillance of ordinary citizens, restricting the press, developing paramilitary forces and arbitrarily detaining people.
The book was lauded by liberals under Bush: the Independent Publishers gave it the Freedom Fighter Award; the Nation named it the best political book of 2007.
http://www.alternet.org/story/146184/naomi_wolf_thinks_the_tea_parties_help_fight_fascism_--_is_she_on_to_something_or_in_fantasy_land__
Smokebender:
"We are ruled not by two parties but one party," Cynthia McKinney, who ran for president on the Green Party ticket, told me. "It is the party of money and war. Our country has been hijacked. And we have to take the country away from those who have hijacked it. The only question now is whose revolution gets funded."
http://www.alternet.org/story/146226/hedges%3A_is_america_yearning_for_fascism
misfitguy:
--- Quote from: Smokebender on March 30, 2010, 07:52:00 AM ---March 30, 2010 |
In her bestselling End of America, Naomi Wolf outlines the 10 warning signs that America is headed toward a fascist takeover. Using historical precedents, she explains how our government is mimicking those of Mussolini, Hitler and Stalin through practices like surveillance of ordinary citizens, restricting the press, developing paramilitary forces and arbitrarily detaining people.
The book was lauded by liberals under Bush: the Independent Publishers gave it the Freedom Fighter Award; the Nation named it the best political book of 2007.
http://www.alternet.org/story/146184/naomi_wolf_thinks_the_tea_parties_help_fight_fascism_--_is_she_on_to_something_or_in_fantasy_land__
--- End quote ---
Smoke,
I read the interview with Wolf and she is confused on a lot of issues. For instance, she made reference to Hitler and the left wing. I think some people do this because Hitler had hi-jacked the National Socialist Party in Germany and then installed his right wing fascist government. Since many of these people are not aware what fascism is and try to relate it to the Nazi party, they get it all confused. Nazism is a political party. Fascism is a type of government. The Baathist Party of Iraq is a political party and they believe in a fascist form of government. Fascism and left or liberal thought are opposing. I felt she, though a best selling author, still doesn't get it and may just be trying to sell her book. In fact she said that the Barack Obama administration is worse than the Bush administration and didn't support it....just said it. I would like her to tell me why and then maybe I could give her some credence.
Mick
misfitguy:
--- Quote from: Smokebender on March 31, 2010, 08:17:00 AM ---"We are ruled not by two parties but one party," Cynthia McKinney, who ran for president on the Green Party ticket, told me. "It is the party of money and war. Our country has been hijacked. And we have to take the country away from those who have hijacked it. The only question now is whose revolution gets funded."
http://www.alternet.org/story/146226/hedges%3A_is_america_yearning_for_fascism
--- End quote ---
Another right wing author that is masking their mission with inaccurate readings of history. This article actually blames the liberal elite and their education for the mess this country is in. The author also tries to sell the idea that fascism is an ideology and not a political form of government. Fascists use hate and fear to control and align citizens, fascism isn't about belief systems. It is about profit and is run by corporations. The fascists are the CEO of every large corporation in the world. This author tried to equate political correctness with unemployment. Our unemployment is a direct result of corporations moving to other countries and they did this with incentives from the bush administration. This author said they weren't afraid of white supremacists. They had grew up around them and saw nothing threatening about them. They are afraid of the government. By the way, this is the same government that was in existence under bush and reagan. The only difference is that it is being administered by a more liberal thinking element and members of the Democratic party.
So under the guise of a good headline, we see nothing more here than the classic right wing cry of "foul". "You aren't playing fair." "You won elections and we didn't." "You aren't administering the way we would if we were in control."
For anybody to suggest that this government needs to be replaced, I would have to ask what form of government would they suggest? Would they rewrite the constitution? Their answers could be interesting, but probably vacuous.
Mick
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