What is Fascism?

[thinkdr]

First let's explain what the term means. This AI version is as good as any - so I shall reproduce it here. Then I'll make a comment about its current empirical relevance.

what is fascism?
Fascism is a political ideology that emphasizes authoritarianism, nationalism, and a single-party dictatorship. It is characterized by a centralized government, often led by a strongman leader, who exercises total control over the country's political, economic, and social activities.

Fascism seeks to eliminate individual rights and freedoms in favor of the collective good and the interests of the state. It often promotes a belief in racial superiority or a specific cultural identity, and can be characterized by aggressive militarism, anti-democratic measures, and the suppression of opposition and dissent

Fascist movements have arisen in various countries throughout history, most notably in Italy under Benito Mussolini and in Germany under Adolf Hitler. Today, the term "fascism" is often used to describe any authoritarian or oppressive regime, regardless of its specific ideological underpinnings.

--------Recent ChatGPT Version.

Which major political party in the U.S. do you think is complying with this description [in March, 2023], currently? Let us label its practices accurately: fascism. It is a state of affairs in which books are banned (as we see in Florida today), and pregnant women who do not want to be pregnant are threatened with jail-time. {If a man has a right to have a say in his destiny, his future, the use of his body, then why shouldn't a woman have the same right
Please explain your answer! Especially if you disagree, guve some good reason to justify your argument.

This post is an alert to encourage the reader to take action to nip fascism in the bud before it goes too far. ...and envelops the U.S. and the rest of the "free world."

[Urwrongx1000]

and the rest of the "free world."

How is USA and Western Civilization the "free world" when most of its inhabitants don't even believe in Free-Will?

When the majority of people are NOT free, or have NO will??

Isn't culture dominated by who's the biggest Victim nowadays, since 2008?


I remember back in the 90s, nobody would tolerate this victim Olympic bullshit, but here we are today....

[Gloominary]

It's when the wealthy, educated elite tell the people what to do, and think, so basically what we have, and what we've always had, or at least for a long time.
The merger of state, corporate, academia and mass social media power.

[Gloominary]

Fascism is basically just a continuation of feudalism, and contemporary fascism a continuation of fascism.
In feudalism you had the merger of state, manorial and church powers.
In fascism you had the merger of state, corporate and church powers + mass media.
In new fascism, which is the only real system in the west, you have the merger of state, corporate and academic powers + mass social media, that's the change.

So the modern era saw the transition from manorialism, to capitalism, to corporatism (well there was also sort of a medieval corporatism but we'll just put that aside for now).
Academia is a medieval institution, but in the middle ages, it was subordinate to the church, whereas in postmodernity, the church is increasingly subordinate to academia and then you have the introduction of mass social media.
The church no longer plays a significant role in most people's lives, instead academia, mass social media and entertainment does.
The TV and the internet does.
So fascism is just getting with the times.

Now technocrats, humanities professors, social theorists, psychiatrists, climatologists, pharmacologists and silicon valley are our new priest class, and they tend to be just as aligned with state and corporate interests as the church tended to be.
Meet the new boss, not that different from the old one.
Basically we never left the middle ages, it's just one hierarchical, medieval institution, academia, has replaced another, the church.
As for liberal democracy, well we all know that's largely a ruse.

[Gloominary]

The thoughts, feelings, lived experiences, beliefs, opinions, customs, traditions, morals and values of the people don't matter.
They don't matter as individuals, families or communities.
Alternative, independent, grassroots investigation, journalism and research doesn't matter.
And increasingly the church doesn't matter.
The only thing that matters is the academic and mass (social) media consensus.
It's even increasingly difficult for academics to dissent from the consensus, not just in the hard sciences, but even in the soft, even in the humanities dissidents are excommunicated.
There's little room for academic freedom.
And of course the corporate state has heavily invested in academia and mass (social) media, to ensure their interests are aligned.
This is the Nu Fascism.

[Gloominary]

Of course the church and conservatism are still big.
But, they've lost a lot of ground, especially in Europe, but even in America.
And at this rate at least, they'll continue to lose ground, much more.
This trend has occurred for the ruling class more than for the masses.
The wealthier and more educated you are, the more likely you're nonreligious.
And it's the ruling class who produces mass culture.

Mass culture is almost entirely secular and progressive.
Turn on the TV, are there any programs promoting religious and conservative values?
They're few and far in between.
Increasingly Christianity and conservatism are a subculture, one among many, Muslim, Hindu and so on, secular progressivism mainstream.

So what does that mean for fascism, does it mean fascism is going away?
Are we moving away from fascism to liberal and/or popular democracy?
For the most part, of course not, we are just replacing one form of fascism with another.
Big brother, big business, big pharma and the military industrial complex aren't going anywhere, they're just as powerful as ever.
Dividing people by race, sex, gender and so on isn't fading, we're just doing it differently now.
We are just moving from a theocratic, conservative fascism to a technocratic, progressivism one, is all.
The old fascism isn't going to die out any time soon, it still has a lot of power, but we can see it's on the defensive now, apologetic.

[Gloominary]

In the early 20th century, identifying as a progressive didn't mean you were anti-conservative, in fact many writers, politicians and activists identified as both progressive, and conservative, as progressive conservatives.
Progressivism; the sociopolitical implementation of novel insights gleaned from the humanities and socially relevant sciences, wasn't necessarily opposed to conservatism and the church, often they were thought to be compatible, even complementary.

Fast-forward to the early 21st century and identifying as a progressive usually means you're anti-conservative, that the past has to be cleansed, wiped clean, that we have to start all over again from scratch.
The past was just racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic and so on, there was nothing good about it.
Statues, museums, monuments and history itself need to be torn down.
Civil liberties too are just antiquated racist, sexist and transphobic relics from a bygone age, they too need to be exchanged for privileges, and social credit.
We can't allow dis and misinformation to proliferate, about recent events, carbon, viruses, wars or just about anything.
'Liberal democracy' then, according to these progressives, means the people can't be trusted to think for themselves and do their own research, which's in fact the very antithesis of what liberal democracy actually means.

[Gloominary]

All of this is not to say Nu Fascism is necessarily any worse than old fascism.
Fascism is fascism, conservative and progressive fascism alike.

If official history isn't lying to us, fascism is the rule, popular democracy and liberal republicanism the exception.
Democracy could be found in ancient Rome (lasting only about 250 years during the latter half of the roman republic), Athens and perhaps several other cities in Mediterranean Europe.
It was almost wholly absent from the middle ages.
There were some oligarchies like the maritime republics of Italy, the old swiss confederacy and the free imperial cities/Hanseatic league of the holy roman empire, but virtually no democracy.
Today there are some democracies in theory, but in practice we know they're
largely oligarchies.
Oligarchy, and autocracy are the rule.

Still, it's interesting to observe the evolution of fascism.
Ancient Roman fascism was pagan, medieval, and even modern fascism largely Christian.
But postmodern fascism is increasingly secular, and atheistic.
And from agrarian feudalism, to commercial mercantilism, to industrial capitalism, to postindustrial fascism, really the study of political history is essentially the study of the evolution of fascism and little else.

Really I think if humanity doesn't obliterate itself in nuclear war or some other civilization shattering event manmade or natural, if civilization continues, then I think our current age will be seen as an extension, another segment of the middle ages, perhaps the final one, beginning with the fall of Rome and lasting to whenever Christianity and conservatism cease being politically relevant.
I think future historians will be almost entirely atheistic.
Christianity and other religions will either cease existing, or be totally marginalized subcultures with no political power existing largely underground, only permitted to be practiced out in the open if they completely comply with the edicts of the technoligarchy.
This atheist epoch, perhaps beginning sometime this century or next, will still be every bit as fascistic as prior ages, if not more so, because they'll be able to subjugate us with tech and Ai.

[Gloominary]

Marxism was a bit of a departure from fascism.
Don't get me wrong, Marxism-in-practice was every bit as authoritarian and elitist as fascism, if not more so.
I think the two key differences were 1, Marxism was secular, fascism more religious, and 2, Marxism completely merged economy and state, whereas fascism kept them somewhat separate.
There's sort of a parallel here: in the middle ages Byzantium completely merged church and state, whereas western Europe kept them somewhat separate.
Oh, and fascism was nationalist, Marxism more globalist.

[Gloominary]

Different flavors of fascism, apparently that's all we've ever had.
Conservative or progressive fascism, religious or secular, Christofascism or Islamofascism, or Judeofascism, take your pick.
How contrived then is this antagonism between the contemporary left and right in America, Brazil and some parts of Europe like Poland, Hungary and Italy?
Or between the western fascist order, led by America, and the alternative burgeoning BRICS fascist order, led by Russia, or China (contemporary China is about as fascist-in-practice as it is Marxist)?

Rightwing fascism tends to favor the middle classes, men and the majority a bit, whereas leftwing fascism tends to favor the lower classes, women and minorities a bit, but either way the bigs; big brother, big business and the military will continue to expand, largely at the people's expense.
As a working poor person, I'm swayed a bit by the left, but as a socially conservative white man who loves liberty, I'm swayed a bit by the right.
And with all the carbonphobia, covidphobia, Russophobia and ensuing inflation, what's the left doing for the working poor these days anyway?
But either way, they are both forms of fascism, FTMP no one is standing up to the bigs.

Contrived or not, if civilization continues on its current trajectory, I believe leftwing fascism will probably ultimately prevail, and perhaps do away with democracy altogether, except maybe a bit at the local level.
But the future is a dark road, nothing's certain, will rightwing fascism instead succeed, or can a genuine populist and/or classically liberal movement somehow emerge to challenge all forms of fascism?
If so, it'll be grassroots.

[HumAnIze]

Fascism is when you say something that nihilistic atheist government-simping billionaire-humping crypto-communist libtards disagree with.

[thinkdr]

Dictionary.com defines the concept "fascism" this way:

FASCISM (sometimes initial capital letter) a governmental system led by a dictator having complete power, forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism, regimenting all industry, commerce, etc., and emphasizing an aggressive nationalism and often racism.
(sometimes initial capital letter) the philosophy, principles, or methods of fascism.
(initial capital letter) a political movement that employs the principles and methods of fascism, especially the one established by Mussolini in Italy 1922–43.

Comprehending that definition is a good start to understanding the implications of this way-of-life. In order to learn how it comes about to a nation, study these two books, each filled with highly-valuable content !!!

Milton Mayer - They Thought They Were Free

Timothy Snyder, Ph.D. - ON TYRANNY

[HumAnIze]

Fascism is when you say stuff that makes sense, like "only women can have babies" or "race is biological" or "prioritizing your own nation and people over foreigners/outsiders is a good thing" or "guns are important for self-protection and as deterrence against crime and tyranny" or "abortion is murder" or "end the fed".

[HumAnIze]

But on a more serious note, fascism is most accurately defined as the false conflation of the people/nation/culture/history with the state/administrative-legalistic government. The former is invoked as justification to expand and demand subservience to the latter, when in reality the latter is absolutely not equivalent to the former nor even oriented in any serious and non-contradictory way toward its maintenance or preservation.

[HumAnIze]

Hence also why fascism often needs a cult of personality around its leader to be successful. And also why it devolves predictably into a police state.

[thinkdr]

First let's explain what the term means. This AI version is as good as any - so I shall reproduce it here. Then I'll make a comment about its current empirical relevance.

what is fascism?
Fascism is a political ideology that emphasizes authoritarianism, nationalism, and a single-party dictatorship. It is characterized by a centralized government, often led by a strongman leader, who exercises total control over the country's political, economic, and social activities.

Fascism seeks to eliminate individual rights and freedoms in favor of the collective good and the interests of the state. It often promotes a belief in racial superiority or a specific cultural identity, and can be characterized by aggressive militarism, anti-democratic measures, and the suppression of opposition and dissent

Fascist movements have arisen in various countries throughout history, most notably in Italy under Benito Mussolini and in Germany under Adolf Hitler. Today, the term "fascism" is often used to describe any authoritarian or oppressive regime, regardless of its specific ideological underpinnings.

--------Recent ChatGPT Version.

Which major political party in the U.S. do you think is complying with this description [in March, 2023], currently? Let us label its practices accurately: fascism. It is a state of affairs in which books are banned (as we see in Florida today), and pregnant women who do not want to be pregnant are threatened with jail-time. {If a man has a right to have a say in his destiny, his future, the use of his body, then why shouldn't a woman have the same right
Please explain your answer! Especially if you disagree, guve some good reason to justify your argument.

This post is an alert to encourage the reader to take action to nip fascism in the bud before it goes too far. ...and envelops the U.S. and the rest of the "free world."

As I look around the United States lately, and listen to late-breaking-news bulletins, I get the impression that people are not taking the warning given in the above seriously

There is a very real danger that U.S. citizens may soon be living under a fascist dictatorship. Wake up, folks. Organize, mobilize, and campaighn against the prospect that an authoritarian might govern 40 of the states, paving the way for a President who has these fascist values
You can't say you weren't warned !

Some important reading you may want to do to get a perspective:

Milton Mayer - THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE FREE
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milton_Mayer

Prof. Timothy Snyder, Pj.D. currently at Yale - ON TYRANNY
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_D._Snyder

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Tyranny

[HumAnIze]

First let's explain what the term means. This AI version is as good as any - so I shall reproduce it here. Then I'll make a comment about its current empirical relevance.

what is fascism?
Fascism is a political ideology that emphasizes authoritarianism, nationalism, and a single-party dictatorship. It is characterized by a centralized government, often led by a strongman leader, who exercises total control over the country's political, economic, and social activities.

Fascism seeks to eliminate individual rights and freedoms in favor of the collective good and the interests of the state. It often promotes a belief in racial superiority or a specific cultural identity, and can be characterized by aggressive militarism, anti-democratic measures, and the suppression of opposition and dissent

Fascist movements have arisen in various countries throughout history, most notably in Italy under Benito Mussolini and in Germany under Adolf Hitler. Today, the term "fascism" is often used to describe any authoritarian or oppressive regime, regardless of its specific ideological underpinnings.

--------Recent ChatGPT Version.

Which major political party in the U.S. do you think is complying with this description [in March, 2023], currently? Let us label its practices accurately: fascism. It is a state of affairs in which books are banned (as we see in Florida today), and pregnant women who do not want to be pregnant are threatened with jail-time. {If a man has a right to have a say in his destiny, his future, the use of his body, then why shouldn't a woman have the same right
Please explain your answer! Especially if you disagree, guve some good reason to justify your argument.

This post is an alert to encourage the reader to take action to nip fascism in the bud before it goes too far. ...and envelops the U.S. and the rest of the "free world."

As I look around the United States lately, and listen to late-breaking-news bulletins, I get the impression that people are not taking the warning given in the above seriously

There is a very real danger that U.S. citizens may soon be living under a fascist dictatorship. Wake up, folks. Organize, mobilize, and campaighn against the prospect that an authoritarian might govern 40 of the states, paving the way for a President who has these fascist values
You can't say you weren't warned !

Some important reading you may want to do to get a perspective:

Milton Mayer - THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE FREE
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milton_Mayer

Prof. Timothy Snyder, Pj.D. currently at Yale - ON TYRANNY
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_D._Snyder

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Tyranny

Well you actually pay attention to "news", that's your first problem. Well one of your problems anyway, probably not your first.

[thinkdr]

First let's explain what the term means. This AI version is as good as any - so I shall reproduce it here. Then I'll make a comment about its current empirical relevance.

what is fascism?
Fascism is a political ideology that emphasizes authoritarianism, nationalism, and a single-party dictatorship. It is characterized by a centralized government, often led by a strongman leader, who exercises total control over the country's political, economic, and social activities.

Fascism seeks to eliminate individual rights and freedoms in favor of the collective good and the interests of the state. It often promotes a belief in racial superiority or a specific cultural identity, and can be characterized by aggressive militarism, anti-democratic measures, and the suppression of opposition and dissent

Fascist movements have arisen in various countries throughout history, most notably in Italy under Benito Mussolini and in Germany under Adolf Hitler. Today, the term "fascism" is often used to describe any authoritarian or oppressive regime, regardless of its specific ideological underpinnings.

-Which major political party in the U.S. do you think is complying with this description [in March, 2023], currently? Let us label its practices accurately: fascism. It is a state of affairs in which books are banned (as we see in Florida today), and pregnant women who do not want to be pregnant are threatened with jail-time. {If a man has a right to have a say in his destiny, his future, the use of his body, then why shouldn't a woman have the same right
Please explain your answer! Especially if you disagree, guve some good reason to justify your argument.

This post is an alert to encourage the reader to take action to nip fascism in the bud before it goes too far. ...and envelops the U.S. and the rest of the "free world."

As I look around the United States lately, and listen to late-breaking-news bulletins, I get the impression that people are not taking the warning given in the above seriously

There is a very real danger that U.S. citizens may soon be living under a fascist dictatorship. Wake up, folks. Organize, mobilize, and campaighn against the prospect that an authoritarian might govern 40 of the states, paving the way for a President who has these fascist values
You can't say you weren't warned !

Some important reading you may want to do to get a perspective:

Milton Mayer - THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE FREE
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milton_Mayer

Prof. Timothy Snyder, Pj.D. currently at Yale - ON TYRANNY
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_D._Snyder

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Tyranny

You actually pay attention to "news"...

Yes, I do that. It doesn't have to be a 'problem.'

It can actually make one aware. It helps if one has developed a sensitive and an educated conscience prior to listening to the latest breaking-news developments.

Then one who has moral clarity,, and/or moral integration, will be able to differentiate, to exercise discrimination as to what is profound, and what is trivia - and a waste of time.
.