Dr. Lawrence Britt, a political scientist, studied the fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia), and Pinochet (Chile). He found the regimes all had 14 things in common, and he calls these the identifying characteristics of fascism. The article is titled ‘Fascism Anyone?’, and appears in the magazine Free Inquiry
I’m thinking of a modern regime, that exhibits all these characteristics in spades. Can anyone guess which country I have in mind?
The 14 characteristics are:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 through sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Censorship, especially in wartime, is very common.
Obsession with National Security -- Fear is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Rampant Cronyism and Corruption – Fascist regimes almost always are governed by groups of friends and associates who appoint each other to government positions, and who 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.
Fraudulent Elections – Sometimes elections in fascist nations are a complete sham. Other times elections are manipulated by smear campaigns against (or even the assassination of) opposition candidates, the use of legislation to control voting numbers or political district boundaries, and the manipulation of the media. Fascist nations also typically use their judiciaries to manipulate or control elections
Internet bullshit. Who exactly is “Dr. Lawrence Britt”? Where does he teach? Does he even have a PhD? If so, from where? The only think he seems to have published is a novel about a “fascist” takeover of the US.
And it doesn’t matter whether it’s a good list or not…it’s being presented as serious academic work. It’s not. It’s simply leftist internet chain email propaganda. They are exactly the same characterists of the USSR, the PRC, Cuba, North Korea and Vietnan.
And…Have either of you ever actually lived under either a fascist or a communist regime?
With some minor modifications those 14 defining characteristics of fascist regimes would apply to all totalitarian governments of both right and left including fascism and communism.
They are exactly the same characterists of the USSR, the PRC, Cuba, North Korea and Vietnan.[/quote]
I don’t understand. Are you saying Dr. Britt’s list is a good one? If so, then apparently your only criticism is over how well those characteristics apply to the US. Is that right?
That might be the case Mother T, but I was quite shocked to see how many references were made to the good “Dr. Lawrence Britt,” “famous Dr Lawrence Britt” and the “renowned political scientist, Dr. Lawrence Witt” in a straight up Google.
I do think these things matter. Let’s not belittle our universities and scholars by artificially raising the status of commentators.
Big Goofy Hats – All self-respecting Fascists must wear big, goofy hats to all public functions. Personal Goofiness is a definite plus. Bad teeth are a fine counterpoint to dim weasel eyes, a droopy moustache and a pale, flaccid complexion.
[quote]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[/quote].
Sorry, I hardly think your kindy is a fascist pro-American regime
[quote=“Toe Tag”]Dr. Lawrence Britt, a political scientist, studied the fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia), and Pinochet (Chile). He found the regimes all had 14 things in common, and he calls these the identifying characteristics of fascism. The article is titled ‘Fascism Anyone?’, and appears in the magazine Free Inquiry
I’m thinking of a modern regime, that exhibits all these characteristics in spades. Can anyone guess which country I have in mind?[/quote]
This tired exercise has been done before, and rebuked before.
Yes, the list is a fairly accurate description of fascist characteristics. However, any yahoo with an education from even any ordinary state school understands that the issue is a matter of degree.
Any yahoo can correctly state that a major characteristic of communisim is a very large central government. However, only an idiot would take that very general characteristic and say that the Democratic Party in the US exhibits this same characteristic and then attempt to imply that the Democrats are thus Communists.
[quote=“Toe Tag”]Dr. Lawrence Britt, a political scientist, studied the fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia), and Pinochet (Chile). He found the regimes all had 14 things in common, and he calls these the identifying characteristics of fascism. The article is titled ‘Fascism Anyone?’, and appears in the magazine Free Inquiry
I’m thinking of a modern regime, that exhibits all these characteristics in spades. Can anyone guess which country I have in mind?[/quote]
North Korea? Iran? Cuba? The Palestinian Authority?
There seems to be a lack of background on this commentator. I am suprised that so many bloggers, magazines, and even some international newspapers have decided to publish his paper. In my opinion, his conclusions are stating the obvious This is original research??
They are exactly the same characterists of the USSR, the PRC, Cuba, North Korea and Vietnan.[/quote]
I don’t understand. Are you saying Dr. Britt’s list is a good one? If so, then apparently your only criticism is over how well those characteristics apply to the US. Is that right?[/quote]
My reply was removed by the Taliban…enjoy yourselves in your delusions.
Yeah, can’t find anything about this guy- universities, think tanks, advocacy groups, employers, publications.
It’s pretty obvious that -if he even exists- he simply started out with a hit list against Bush and filled in the blanks.
I mean, Suharto’s Indonesia? Sukarno, maybe- did he get the names mixed up?
And Pinochet’s Chile? That was simply a fairly mild (by Latin American standards) right-wing military dictatorship- the only thing special was they subcontracted the actual running of their country to the University of Chicago Economics Department.
And it doesn’t matter whether it’s a good list or not…it’s being presented as serious academic work. It’s not. It’s simply leftist internet chain email propaganda. They are exactly the same characterists of the USSR, the PRC, Cuba, North Korea and Vietnan.[/quote]
[quote]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.
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. [/quote]
1)based on a mass movement expressed in a political party
2)has a nationalist/racist ideology; appeals to a specific national/ethnic group
3)is opposed to liberal democracy
4)is a modernising movement in that it also opposes traditional power structures i.e. monarchy, the autonomous church, class structures based on wealth/descent
5)exalts militarism (not necessarily the existing armed forces) and constant struggle against enemies both internal and external
6)seeks to establish a totalitarian society
7) is not necessarily opposed to capitalism, but sees it as subordinate to the greater collective good
8) opposed to Enlightenment values conveniently summed up as Liberty, Equality, Fraternity
So Communism doesn’t qualify based on 2, 7, and 8.
(However horrible the implementation of Marxism was, the ideals were still based on humanist values)
