Fourteen Defining Characteristics Of Fascism… Redefined
Back in 2003 an online op-ed by one Laurence W Britt was published under the title of Fascism Anyone? Pretty soon one or more truncated versions were circulating the Internet. One popular anonymous edit entitled The Fourteen Defining Characteristics Of Fascism (which even promoted Mr Britt to the status of 'Dr Britt') has since been further shortened into a successful meme. Now I’m complicating matters further by throwing another version into the ether. Here it is:
1. Extreme Nationalism - Nationalism is crafted to serve the fascist regime rather than the national interest. Popular customs are recast into a caricature of themselves. Nationalist sentiment becomes bigoted. Both cultural isolationism and economic protectionism are promoted. Superficial patriotism abounds. National symbols are sometimes replaced with symbols of the ruling party.
2. Human Rights Violations - Human Rights are dismissed as an invention of cosmopolitan elites that hamper the aims of the fascist regime. The populace are conditioned to overlook or even approve of summary executions, assassinations, torture, indefinite imprisonment or the disappearing of dissidents.
3. Obsession With Enemies - Both internal and external enemies are focused on to help unite a movement. Anyone from local minority groups to global organizations can be cast in the role of a perceived enemy. Political rivals are vilified. Some vested interests might be tempted into allying with fascists but they too are at risk of eventual vilification.
4. Militarizing Society - Society as a whole becomes regimented, starting with paramilitary youth groups and party security forces. Political leaders often mimic the appearance of military officers. National security risks are exaggerated and governments adopt warlike rhetoric. The armed forces might think they can share power with fascists but often discover that it is the fascists that control them.
5. Demonizing Decadence - Anything deemed 'decadent' by fascists is condemned. This results in prejudiced attacks on non-standard gender roles, forms of sexuality, or family structures. Selective accusations of deviance become a convenient way to destroy reputations and lives.
6. Controlling Communications - A free press is restricted by fascist regimes and employed in producing propaganda that supports the ruling party. Correspondence can be monitored and contrary opinions censored. Standards of reasoned and respectful debate are eroded.
7. A Police State - Fascists are obsessed with order. Police and surveillance personnel are given excessive power to enforce the commands of the regime. Privacy is compromised. Rules are arbitrary and punishment is harsh. The presumption of innocence is abandoned and dissent is criminalized.
8. Subverting Religion - Religious organizations must serve the regime or stay out of politics. Those that resist this face consequences. Both world religions (which offer links to an international faith community) and ethno-religious groups (which are seen as distinct from the rest of society) are deemed threats to the regime. Values like compassion are undermined in any religious practice that survives under fascism.
9. Corporatism - A model of government favoured by many fascists involves incorporating representatives of both capital and labour into the structures of the state. Labour unions might be merged into one union that follows ruling party doctrine. Businesses might still be privately owned but are controlled by the regime via government regulation.
10. Mass Manipulation - Those who are poor or feel a loss of economic standing are promised jobs and prosperity by fascists. The regime might impose tariffs on imports, announce grand construction projects, and suppress accurate economic data. Foreign guest workers might be blamed for hardship but so might international banks.
11. Hampering Science And The Arts - Evidence-based scientific thinking is undermined. Technology must serve the aims of the regime. Fascists use pseudo-science and romanticism to help bolster their doctrine. Individual expression in art, literature and music is restricted. Creative sub-cultures are attacked as subversive.
12. Model Citizens - Fascists glorify personal characteristics of loyalty, beauty, health, fitness, aggression and will-power. This can manifest in idealization of sporting heroes and war veterans. It can also take the form of restricting the right to have children, sterilizing the disabled, and forcibly 'euthanizing' the chronically ill.
13. All-Pervasive Fear - Any sense of personal security is fragile and even fascist cronies are forever at risk of falling out of favour with their leaders. Informants operate in every workplace and neighbourhood. The regime might be corrupt or it might practice a twisted form of integrity in which government personnel must serve extreme political aims rather than petty personal desires.
14. Dismantling Democracy – Democratic mechanisms can be used by fascists but will ultimately be abandoned once they have secured power. Election campaigns are contested by means both legal and illegal. Once they take over, fascists erode democratic practices such as separation of powers, an independent civil service, rule of law, freedom of association, assembly and movement. Fascists try to turn society into a 'family' in which the leadership takes on a supposedly parental role. However the regime is harmful to its 'children' and even to its own long-term survival.
I decided to post this because I feel that other versions have significant flaws and that mine makes some marked improvements. I will go into why in my next post.
1. Extreme Nationalism - Nationalism is crafted to serve the fascist regime rather than the national interest. Popular customs are recast into a caricature of themselves. Nationalist sentiment becomes bigoted. Both cultural isolationism and economic protectionism are promoted. Superficial patriotism abounds. National symbols are sometimes replaced with symbols of the ruling party.
2. Human Rights Violations - Human Rights are dismissed as an invention of cosmopolitan elites that hamper the aims of the fascist regime. The populace are conditioned to overlook or even approve of summary executions, assassinations, torture, indefinite imprisonment or the disappearing of dissidents.
3. Obsession With Enemies - Both internal and external enemies are focused on to help unite a movement. Anyone from local minority groups to global organizations can be cast in the role of a perceived enemy. Political rivals are vilified. Some vested interests might be tempted into allying with fascists but they too are at risk of eventual vilification.
4. Militarizing Society - Society as a whole becomes regimented, starting with paramilitary youth groups and party security forces. Political leaders often mimic the appearance of military officers. National security risks are exaggerated and governments adopt warlike rhetoric. The armed forces might think they can share power with fascists but often discover that it is the fascists that control them.
5. Demonizing Decadence - Anything deemed 'decadent' by fascists is condemned. This results in prejudiced attacks on non-standard gender roles, forms of sexuality, or family structures. Selective accusations of deviance become a convenient way to destroy reputations and lives.
6. Controlling Communications - A free press is restricted by fascist regimes and employed in producing propaganda that supports the ruling party. Correspondence can be monitored and contrary opinions censored. Standards of reasoned and respectful debate are eroded.
7. A Police State - Fascists are obsessed with order. Police and surveillance personnel are given excessive power to enforce the commands of the regime. Privacy is compromised. Rules are arbitrary and punishment is harsh. The presumption of innocence is abandoned and dissent is criminalized.
8. Subverting Religion - Religious organizations must serve the regime or stay out of politics. Those that resist this face consequences. Both world religions (which offer links to an international faith community) and ethno-religious groups (which are seen as distinct from the rest of society) are deemed threats to the regime. Values like compassion are undermined in any religious practice that survives under fascism.
9. Corporatism - A model of government favoured by many fascists involves incorporating representatives of both capital and labour into the structures of the state. Labour unions might be merged into one union that follows ruling party doctrine. Businesses might still be privately owned but are controlled by the regime via government regulation.
10. Mass Manipulation - Those who are poor or feel a loss of economic standing are promised jobs and prosperity by fascists. The regime might impose tariffs on imports, announce grand construction projects, and suppress accurate economic data. Foreign guest workers might be blamed for hardship but so might international banks.
11. Hampering Science And The Arts - Evidence-based scientific thinking is undermined. Technology must serve the aims of the regime. Fascists use pseudo-science and romanticism to help bolster their doctrine. Individual expression in art, literature and music is restricted. Creative sub-cultures are attacked as subversive.
12. Model Citizens - Fascists glorify personal characteristics of loyalty, beauty, health, fitness, aggression and will-power. This can manifest in idealization of sporting heroes and war veterans. It can also take the form of restricting the right to have children, sterilizing the disabled, and forcibly 'euthanizing' the chronically ill.
13. All-Pervasive Fear - Any sense of personal security is fragile and even fascist cronies are forever at risk of falling out of favour with their leaders. Informants operate in every workplace and neighbourhood. The regime might be corrupt or it might practice a twisted form of integrity in which government personnel must serve extreme political aims rather than petty personal desires.
14. Dismantling Democracy – Democratic mechanisms can be used by fascists but will ultimately be abandoned once they have secured power. Election campaigns are contested by means both legal and illegal. Once they take over, fascists erode democratic practices such as separation of powers, an independent civil service, rule of law, freedom of association, assembly and movement. Fascists try to turn society into a 'family' in which the leadership takes on a supposedly parental role. However the regime is harmful to its 'children' and even to its own long-term survival.
I decided to post this because I feel that other versions have significant flaws and that mine makes some marked improvements. I will go into why in my next post.
Labels: Political
posted by Dan at
18.9.18
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