Boston, Massacusetts, US
Posts: 8
Fascism in the Modern Age Response
Facism rises in the wake of chaos. Throughout historical examples, the rise of facism has been gradual, oftentimes so subtle that people couldn’t recognize that anything was wrong, ultimately the movement was operating at full force. At first, facism can seem like an opportunity; a chance to restore order to a struggling society. While people value having freedom, if the cost of social freedoms is economic or political suffering, the value of this freedom is greatly minimized. “The left may promise protection, but the far right promises order adn control. It can’t necessarily deliver it – but it speaks more to people’s individual and cultural fears” (Henley). Facism promised something new, something that benefited the majority and identified a common scapegoat. Fascist regimes gave the average person a cause for their failing government, and a possible solution: cleansing society of all its ‘impurities.’ It allowed them to continue believing that they are inherently good and confirmed their biases that some minority group as inherently bad.This segues into what characteristics must be present in a fascist society, the most prominent being anti-intellectualism, ultra-nationalism, and glorification of the past/return to traditional values. Anti-intellectualism gives fascist regimes the power to leave the average person in the dark. Anti-intellectualism prevents ordinary people from truly understanding the nature of the society they are living in. Ultra-nationalism is simply a gateway within facism societies. As it generally encompasses xenophobia, and general fear of any minority group, it is instrumental to helping fascist regimes push their minority scapegoat of choice. Glorification of the past is the final piece to ensuring a common scapegoat is established. Go back a few hundred years, or even just a few decades in some cases and minority groups had much less rights and common people had much less involvement in politics. Currently, the United States, France and the Netherlands are nations with prominent neo-fascist movements. In the Netherlands, three nationalist parties have seen drastic rises in support in regional elections. While they don’t hold a majority in parliament, the parties have slowly been gaining support on the national level. The main goal of these parties is to combat the current government's environmental policies and highlight weaknesses in the current administration. The anti-environmentalism reflects a return to traditional values, and highlighting weaknesses within the current administration serves to stir up public discontent with the current government, a fundamental to the rise of fascist regimes. In France, the National Rally has the same goal of stirring discontent. The party has gained significant support recently gaining over 40% of votes in the last presidential election adn winning almost 10% of seats in parliament. It currently serves as the largest single opposition in france. Members currently strive to show discipline and responsibility as a way of covering up recent accusations of racism and xenophobia. The party serves as a threat to minority groups throughout France. In the United States, anti-intellectualism has been on the rise in recent years. Hundreds of books have been banned; conversations about race, gender, sexuality and the history of the nation have been censored in classrooms; while it may not be feasible, the incoming administration has talked of dismantling the department of education.Ultra-nationalist sentiments – encompassing xenophobia and racism of course – such as “America is for Americans” and a strong push to ‘protect’ the nation from immigrants has risen recently. In terms of glorifying the past, many groups have been pushing for a return to more traditional gender roles, and even after the most recent election, a series of text messages were sent out calling for a return to a society dependent on enslavement. After the overturning of Roe v. Wade, which protected abortion access on the federal level, many states across the nation have taken action to outlaw the practice. States have taken action to outlaw a medical procedure that can save lives. People are losing their lives, and medical professionals their jobs, out of a desire to exercise the basic right of choice. This is arguably a return to the past, a past before the passing of Roe v. Wade. The issue of abortion has also highlighted men’s (within government and even ordinary people) lack of knowledge of women’s bodies, general anatomy, and why abortions may be medically necessary. While this is partially a fault of their own for not educating themselves on the topic prior to forming opinions, it could also be tied to education systems failure to properly educate students in such an essential area.The incoming administration furthermore prides itself on the fact that his party is the party of Abraham Lincon. Despite the change in values over the last 150 years, she says that this party was once great and highly praised, and still should be despite polar opposite values. Finally, placing a value on youth has become highly prevalent recently. Conversations are often focused on ‘protecting the kids from indoctrination’ through banning books, restricting education about race/gender/sexuality/history, forcing teachers to report students' pronouns and sexuality to parents and administrators. By ‘protecting’ the kids, current government officials are also censoring their education and freedoms and raising a new generation to be loyal to their ideology. This is an eerily similar pattern to what has happened during the rise of other fascist regimes throughout history.
Boston, Massachusetts, US
Posts: 8
Fascism in the Modern Age- Reply
Facism arises when societies experience a detrimental decline in social political quality. More specifically during the aftermath of intense crises, such as economic collapse, political instability, or social upheaval. Many times not, the root of facism manifests after democratic institutions are perceived as ineffective, weak, and unable to bring people back from challenging periods. With this, there is a great social divide that is caused by the fear mongering of fascist leaders. Authoritarian leaders exploit these fears and frustrations by promising to restore order, revive national pride, and eliminate perceived threats, whether external or internal. Facism is characterized by a centralized power, in which one party has divine rights over all other possibilities of a shift in the political. Militarism and the glorification of violence towards other social parties are often connected with this ideology, because the obsession of nationalism is more often than not the reason that many do not see the oppressive natures of their lifestyles. In this blindness, Fascist states implicate propaganda through speech, media, rhetoric, and education. Negative connotations of marginalized groups tend to become the driving force of continuity and cycles of reign over nations. However, it is commonly (and wrongfully) understood that certain people always tend to start fascist regimes. According to the Guardian, it states, “Populist parties, again using the definition proposed by Mudde, are defined as those that endorse the ideas that society is ultimately separated into two homogeneous and antagonistic groups, a ‘pure people’ v a ‘corrupt elite’”. This statement argues that, although there is no specific correlation between modern (contrasting) ideologies being more prone to fascist states, the continuity of all previously mentioned characteristics must be set in order to start the driving forces of an authoritarian state. What initially makes fascism appealing to many is its promise of stability and strength in times of chaos. The ideology often romanticizes a return to an imagined golden age and offers solutions to complex problems. By presenting a common enemy—whether ethnic minorities, political ideologies, or foreign influences—it fosters a sense of unity and purpose among its followers. However, this sense of openness also comes with the guarantee of exclusion, easily turning their promise into a great evil. In modern times, the fight to erase ideas of fascist ideologies is very high, there are been a great number of people who are in sympathy with those who have suffered throughout these regimes. However, these nations also suffer from the fear of facism coming back, especially because their governance is built on very similar structures to those in authoritarian systems. According to the Guardian, it states “To differing degrees, many are Eurosceptic, with beliefs ranging from “outright rejection of the entire project of European political and economic integration”, and of one’s country’s membership, to “contingent or qualified opposition”. Some, particularly in central and eastern Europe, are socially ultra-conservative, promoting the concepts of duty, patriotism and traditional values, family structures, gender roles and sexual relations.” Essentially, the article continues to emphasize the dangers of living in governing bodies that continue to perpetuate hateful rhetoric, in hopes that people feel comfortable criticizing their governments freely. It highlights that no nation is immune to communism, and it is in the best interest of the people to be able to reform to make the world a better place to heal from the fascist mindset.
Boston, Massachusetts, US
Posts: 8
Fascism manifests in a society because there is a lack of stability or confidence in individuals’ lives. The only way for fascism to stick is if a large group of people comes together to support a leader. The feeling of community when “negative feelings about oneself are projected against others,”(The Psychology of Fascism) allows a collective hatred to push a social identity, and an us vs. them view of society as a whole. A social psychological perspective of fascism helps identify what groups of people are susceptible to fascism, but this is all based on historical references, so it is much more difficult to apply to modern societies.
There are many characteristics that are often present when fascism is present, but it is hard to generalize which characteristics must be present for fascism to exist. It is much easier to recognize fascism as a whole, and then name characteristics once the society has been labeled with the term fascism. Jason Stanley, author of How Fascism Works, says, “When thinking about fascism, you can’t think about these individual elements in isolation. They come as a bundle.” Although Stanley’s takes may be disputed, the idea that fascism stands as a whole, but never in individual pieces, stands true for every example of historical fascism that has been widely accepted. There are common characteristics that make these societies fascist, but individually, none of them create a fascist society, so it is hard to pinpoint the characteristics that must be present to constitute fascism. However, it is extremely difficult to explain a political ideology without breaking it down into its characteristics. Societies that have been considered fascist are often dependent on a strong authority figure, the control of media, and an emphasis on traditional gender roles and the past.
If fascism is broken down into characteristics, and the extremity of said characteristics is brought down, the requests may seem desirable. The importance of understanding the differences between beliefs, and extremist beliefs, is prevalent in understanding fascism. The extent to which a fascist society goes, when a goal is to be achieved, is much further than a society that believes in a goal. As previously mentioned, fascism comes out of individual unrest, and a desire for internal consolation through societal change, so if a strong leader demonstrates movement towards change, that an insecure individual agrees with, fascism may become appealing. There is also the community aspect of fascism as mentioned by Stanley, and the social psychological impact of being a part of the so-called in-group.
It is hard to call out fascism while it is occurring, as it is also difficult to recognize genocide in action, or other vaguely defined poltical or social terms. There are nations that are certainly experiencing certain characteristics of fascism and that have neo-fascist parties on the rise, but it is hard to slap the label of fascist on any country, without a solid definition of what makes up fascism. It is safer to say that no country is experiencing fascism as an entire nation, because of the lack of a solid definition, but to also point out the harmful characteristics countries may be facing, because fascism is not the only evil.
Boston, Massachusetts, US
Posts: 8
Fascism in the Modern Age
Facism is simply the usage of a negative situation. In a chaotic situation where everyone is unhappy facism thrives because any leader can simply become a fake beam of hope for the people and end up as a dictator whose word is law. However, simply because a leader is followed by many people that doesn’t make a society fascist. The king/queen of England are all followed and respected by thousands of people and yet no one calls them fascist. The difference is the environment the people are in. In a fascist society, the situation has to start becoming chaotic. That is the only way for it to blossom as in a peaceful society people are content and make better decisions. Furthermore the people have to be put in a situation where they have no choice but to follow the leader. Historic fascist societies there was always this fake freedom of choice that was manipulated by the people in power. They said that they could pick whoever they wanted and yet used tactics such as violence and singling those who didn’t vote for them out and these tactics caused the people to vote for them as they had no choice but to. When these officials were elected and accused of being unjust they are able to say that everyone is happy as everyone voted for them. In a fascist society the return to power is the most appealing thing. In fascist Germany they were kicked down so low after the war that when hitler promised to bring them back into power they were filled with hope and wanted nothing more than this power. Being back in control and being able to stand over others is something humans crave to a degree and that want is simply magnified by the situations fascist societies start in and are hence more easily manipulated. There are no nations in today's world that are experiencing facism. Facism is not something that can easily be started in today's world. While there will always be a couple people who genuinely want to become fascist and see it as a great idea, there will be an even bigger majority that would see the fault of it in today's world and that is because of how connected we are as a society nowadays. In the past no one revolted against the leaders because of how the society was structured so no one could revolt unless they wanted to die and that fear made everyone listen. However, in today's world that fear is negligible as people can now post and agree with other people anonymously. Simply knowing that there are those who are also not happy with the way the society is already causes a crack in the possibility of a fascist society as a fascist society is only as strong as its belief in the people in. So having even a small amount of people not believe in it is enough to cause it to become considerably weaker and the weaker it gets the less it will be able to accomplish its “promise” and less and less people will want to follow that society.
Boston, Massachusetts, US
Posts: 9
Facism manifests in society due to several factors, one of the strongest being nativism. Nativism is the radical right belief that states should only be inhabited solely by the native group, and outside groups threaten these natives. Fascist regimes grow on this belief that one group is superior, and they have to do everything in their power to not only promote the superiority of one group, but demote and demolish the inferior ones. As seen with Nazi Germany, nativism caused the exclusion of LGBTQ, communists, and especially Jewish people, which aligns with what the article, “Populist, nativist, neofascist? A lexicon of Europe’s far right”, which concludes, “As radical right parties are typically also exclusionist towards other “outgroups” besides non-natives, including people of different religions (Muslims, for example) or gender and sexual orientation”. Radical right ideas like fascism manifests when nativism is permitted because it allows a leader to quickly gain support of a state by promising the superior group they will repeal any “outsiders”. Hitler, after becoming chancellor, created a series of measures to segregate and murder millions of outsiders who were labelled as non-natives.
Another factor that leads to the manifestation of fascism is collective group think. When a majority of people follow the same ideologies, whether harmful or peaceful, no room for argument is allowed. In fascist regimes, this is dangerous because the promotion of inequality can lead people to seek out minorities and hurt them with little repercussions, since everyone else is doing the same thing. The more common and dangerous one group acts towards another, the more likely fascism will brew as the collective starts to group together in an “us vs. them” mentality. A common way to instill fear of the other is propaganda, which uses media to demonstrate how one group needs to be suppressed and avoided at all costs.Why fascism manifests is heavily linked to fear. People are afraid that they will lose their standing in society, and lean towards fascism because it gives them a chance to be in a larger group of supporters.
The characteristics that must be present for a society to be considered fascist is a strong nationalist movement, militarism, authoritarianism, and xenophobia. If a nation has members who believe in their superiority, they are most likely to become fascist because they will want to do whatever it takes to promote their nation. This included mobilizing the military to target non-natives and kill the opposition, which sends a non-verbal threat to citizens that if they do not comply with fascism, they may lose their life. Authoritarianism arises from this because the government will allocate resources and power to one body, and control the lives of citizens to insure they are complying. The basis of fascism is xenophobia. Without someone to blame, fascism can’t arise due to no groups being pitted against each other. In modern society, I don’t think there are nations that are experiencing neo-fascist eras because many countries use Nazi Germany as the prime example for fascism. Nations condemn the Nazi’s for their destruction and the aftermath of WW2, and therefore repress fascism as best as they can. Some nations do present authoritarian rule, like North Korea, but to say all nations with a strong central government is fascist causes the term to lose its meaning.
Boston, Massachusetts , US
Posts: 8
Fascism in Modern Age
Facism manifests itself into a society by manipulating political and social conditions. Facism usually is able to manipulate itself into a society by doing so during a time of instability and chaos. There are many reasons for why fascism is manifested into a society. For example, they often emerge due to responding to societal anxiety. They also arise due to offering “straightforward solutions to complex problems.”. The economic hardships are other reasons for the fascist ideology to manifest its way into a society. They seek leaders that have a fast recovery and stability to offer to the country. In order for a society to be considered fascist, there must be some characteristics like authoritarian leaderships, totalitarian control and militarism. Authoritarian regimes/leaderships are oftentimes what people think of when facism is brought up. There is a centralized power that is usually led by a single authoritative leader. This leader is shown as a savior of the nation. They build this character around the leader that often leads to the leaders being the embodiment of the nation’s identity and values. This leader’s directions are always put on top and done before anything else. Totalitarian control is when the political dissent happens to become suppressed. This leads to the elimination of political opposition. There are many parts of a fascist society that draw people in. For example, the promise of stability, sense of belonging, charismatic leadership, and solutions to problems. The promise of stability is often shown through hard times like an economic depression or chaos. Their promises make people believe that they will be able to stabilize their lives and gives them a sense of calming. The sense of belonging is a dangerous ideology and is usually most common. The fascist ideologies make this cultural unity in a sense, ultimately creating a mindset of “us. Vs. them” This narrative often comforts people who are feeling alienated by the community. Another common ideology that lures people into the fascist ideologies is a charismatic leader. This figure is usually decisive and is able to deliver solutions to complex problems fast, leading to many people liking them as leaders. Their personality is oftentimes very likable as well. They are usually pro-country and act as if they are for the people. Lastly, a leader’s reaction to complex problems throughout the country is a very important factor of fascist ideologies. A leader that is quick to respond to potential threatening problems is a good leader. I did some research on other countries that are sort of going through a “neo-fascist era” currently, and Austria was something that popped up. The Freedom Party of Austria had been founded by a former Nazi officer. This party is advocating for immigration policies and trying to reduce their aid to Ukraine. This is something that I consider a neo-fascist era. Another example of this is in Italy. Their party is called the Brothers of Italy Party and it is led by their prime minister, Giorgia Meloni. There were neo-fascist roots that won over 30% of the European Union assembly. This showed the future alliances what they needed to know.
Boston, Massachusetts, US
Posts: 8
Fascism in the Modern Age
Fascism manifests in society with the need for a solution. There must be a problem plaguing society, affecting the masses, whether it is economic, political, or social. One of the key characteristics of a fascist society would be the worship of the leader. This allows for a leader to not only have full authoritative control, but also an influence in the minds of the people. Depending on the characteristics of the leader, preferably that of charisma and charm, a strong leader is able to sway the views of society by promising a solution. Worship of the leader is especially harmful, as many will accept ideas presented by a fascist leader and honor them, possibly sacrificing their own moral code. However, fascism does not reveal itself immediately. People are more willing to accept such radical ideas if it is gradual. In the case of the Nazi party, the movement began as a nationalist-populist movement, appealing to the people by criticizing the dismissal of issues of ordinary people by the elite. A necessary characteristic for a fascist society is ultra-nationalism. This is defined as extreme nationalism, promoting the idea of one state or group of people above all else. Forms of exclusion is a notorious ideal of fascism, exemplified by the intense anti-semitism promoted by the Nazi party. Ultra-nationalism promotes xenophobia and attacks diversity, overall contributing to the division of society. This division is then intensified by offensive and problematic propaganda and laws that begin to infringe on the rights of the people. Fascist leaders utilize this development of hate to influence people. Hate can be used to create unity, increasing the support of the fascist leader and their party. Another necessary criteria for a fascist society would be anti-intellectualism. Intellectual bodies, like universities, are a threat to fascism, as in fascist regimes, only one opinion is acceptable, which is that of the ruler. In order to combat this, fascist regimes utilize propaganda to inaccurately portray dissent, as they cannot target freedom of speech, “Where speech is a right, propagandists cannot attack dissent head-on; instead they must represent it as something violent and oppressive…” (Stanley 37). With the lack of accurate views attacking fascism, fascist ideology becomes more appealing to the people. A prime example of such anti-intellectualism would be the Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests of the modern era. As protests around the U.S. commenced, it was often criticized and classified as “violent” and “rioting”. The next necessary characteristic for a fascist regime would be the glorification of the “past”. This encompasses past “ethnicity”, gender roles, and sexuality. This is another form of exclusion like ultra-nationalism, that targets more people within society. With the government glorifying the past, rejecting non-conforming people of society in regards to gender roles and sexuality, people are then invited to also be against them. This overall limits the rights of people in society, creating a stricter and controlling environment, lacking self-expression. Such exclusion acts have begun to rise in the contemporary, with nativist policies stemming from the radical right advancing in Europe. Such radical right parties display opposition to people of different religions, sexual orientation, and gender, which are in accordance with fascist traits displayed in the past. Extreme right parties are also present, enacting violence and aggression. However, such traits may not be enough to fully classify this modern era of Europe as fascist. It is defensible to identify and label certain characteristics of European societies, or even that of the United States as fascist, as they coincide with such characteristics of past fascist regimes.
Boston, Massachusetts , US
Posts: 8
Fascism in the Modern Age
Fascism is a complex political ideology and manifests in a society during economic or political hardships. Certain characteristics such as the presence of a charismatic leader, propaganda, and anti-intellectualism must exist for a society to become fascism. An example of this in world history was the rise of the Nazi regime after the Werimar Republic. Hitler was the charismatic leader that spoke to many of the grievances of the working class citizens of Germany during the time after World War I. Hitler, himself fought in the war and felt the shame of their loss. Using the financial and political chaos the country was experiencing, Hitler pushed himself to the forefront of the political and social stage and garnered many followers. He promised to bring Germany back to its glory days and became the charismatic leader of this fascist regime.
Tactics employed by the Nazis, such as propaganda and censorship, also aided in developing a fascist regime in Germany. Propaganda allows the authoritarian government to control the narrative that may ostracize or marginalize a certain group of people and reinforce loyalty among followers. This is representative of the “Us vs Them” theory and is exactly what happened to the Jewish population of Germany and the concentration camps. By creating a common enemy the Nazi regime enforced a strong sense of loyalty within the citizens and created an extremely nationalistic atmosphere.
Anti-intellectualism was another tactic consistently used during fascist regimes. Governments like the Nazis knew the power of knowledge and the danger that comes with having an open dialogue on politics and society that they did things specifically to prevent anymore conversation around these topics, like banning certain books from universities. Similarly to how propaganda worked by controlling the knowledge that the citizens were able to have access to and by eliminating the intellectuals of society that might question the regime the government was able to exert more control over the population.
Fascist ideology appeals to people initially because in times of crisis, instability, or overall decline it promises a better future and the restoration of a nation back to its prime. It addresses the issues of regular people in their daily lives and almost always has a strong leader to take charge and make rapid change. For people that feel disconnected or powerless, facism allows for people to feel a sense of belonging and purpose through collective collaboration and mass movement, while also blaming a common enemy for issues that may exist during that time. There is a strong sense of discipline, nationalism that resonates with those who fear the loss of a dominant culture and significance.
We can see this charismatic leadership in modern politics, specifically with Donald Trump, “This has become Trump supposedly pledging to become a dictator beginning on Day One.” Although I believe it is aggressive to say that Trump is a fascist leader, I do believe that he does show some characteristics that are similar to one, like his ability to rally up his extremely loyal supporters. He has been able to build a large community to those that may feel like other political parties don’t give them a voice and has been known to spread misinformation surrounding certain issues. This doesn’t make him outright a fascist leader but it does show how he does exhibit similar behaviors.
Hyde Park, Massachusetts, US
Posts: 6
Fascism in the Modern Age
Fascism manifests during vulnerable economic moments in a country’s history. A prime example of this would be the rise of the Nazis. As the Germans faced a time of political and economic chaos following the loss of World War I, fascist ideals became very appealing. These ideals allowed the German people to unite and created groups where they could channel their hatred. It also gave Germans a sense of purpose and power, as fascism was rooted in ultranationalism. It's easier to control people during periods of economic instability because they are more susceptible to influence. Throughout history, money and goods have been symbols of wealth and power. Without financial stability, Germans may have adopted a more nihilistic outlook on life, seeking something with strong values to cling to. Thus, fascist ideals—with their vigorous hatred for perceived enemies and charismatic leaders—became attractive to those who believed their lives were meaningless.
The three most important characteristics of a fascist society are ultranationalism, the veneration of a leader, and an obsession with “enemies within,” as these factors not only initiate political movements but also sustain them. Ultranasionalism unites people with a shared mindset, making it easier for everyone to collectively support a common agenda. It legitimizes their goals by demonstrating that they have substantial backing from others in their country. Charismatic leaders are crucial to such movements because they inspire change with ease. These leaders are often idolized, seen as saviors who will guide the people toward a "better" future. Charismatic leaders tend to be populist, exploiting the struggles of ordinary people and the inadequacies of established leadership to gain power, often in a loud yet seamless manner. An article titled “Populist, Nativist, Neofascist? A Lexicon of Europe’s Far Right” states, “Populist parties argue that politics should be ‘an expression of the will of the people.’ Anything that stands between ‘the will of the people’ and policymaking they dislike, and in power, they may try to weaken: a free press, an independent judiciary” (Guardian 2). This quote underscores the immense power of the “will of the people.” Lastly, the concept of “enemies within” is a prominent aspect of fascism, as it unites people through fear. Every individual needs an extra push to engage in actions that deviate from the norm, such as adopting a fascist regime, and for some, that push is the fear of outsiders. The perceived threat from enemies motivates people to protect themselves, and they expect their government to do the same.
Out of the three aspects I listed, I would argue that Americans exhibit all of them to a minor degree. We can observe this through President Trump’s victory in the election. Although President Trump lacks the political and leadership experience of figures like Kamala Harris or Hillary Clinton, he still won the election due to his charisma and showmanship. He has cultivated a fanbase that worships him, buying his merchandise, disparaging other candidates without reasonable cause, and even inciting violence. Additionally, Trump’s campaign was built on the reactionary slogan “Let’s make America great again.” This slogan not only implies that Trump seeks to return the U.S. to a time with fewer individual rights and freedoms for certain groups but also reflects his ultranationalist ideas. His campaign has fostered an increasingly strong appeal to patriotism while promoting disdain towards anyone who does not fit the mold of "American." Trump has a prominent history of anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim sentiments. In one of his speeches, he jokes, “They’re eating the cats and dogs,” referring to immigrants entering the country. Such statements have turned the immigration debate into a laughingstock, allowing stereotypes and hate speech against marginalized groups. Overall, while I do not believe America is a fascist state, the alarming events unfolding during this time period make it justifiable to suggest we are moving in that direction.
Boston, Massachusetts, US
Posts: 8
Fascism in the Modern Age
Fascism is characterized by nativism, which is the idolization of a certain group and the exclusion of the rest, authoritarianism, and glorification of violence. Fascists believe that an “out-group” is opposing the goals of an “in-group” and conclude that the “out-group” must be eliminated at all costs. Additionally, fascism is connected to populism which, as The Guardian argues, supports a conflict between “the people” and “enemies of the people”. Many follow populist parties because they feel that they, as members of “the people”, are threatened. This is further emboldened by propaganda that supports the party’s view and often exploits people’s feelings about their country to direct them against the out-group. Ultimately, people align themselves with a fascist ideology because it allows them to view themselves as part of the in-group and blame all of their problems on the out-group.
Many fascist movements play on human psychology. For example, the use of fundamental attribution error: by describing the out-group as inherently evil and the in-group as inherently good, the out-group is seen as problematic and the in-group as victims, even if the problems are caused by members of the in-group themselves. Members of the out-group are blamed because they are fundamentally meant to do harm and are directly responsible for any problems that appear, while members of the in-group are sympathised with. Additionally, some movements may gradually build up their goals. There are two ways of doing this: either by using small actions that add up to equate a large action, or to use those small actions to normalize change and lead up to a large action. In both cases, people will be unwilling to act against these actions because they are perceived as inconsequential, so they may be as unwilling to act against the larger outcome because it will be also seen as inconsequential. Through these methods, fascist movements are able to make people unknowingly support them.
Many modern far-right movements mirror historical fascist movements: they grow from populist movements, glorify the past and tradition, and seek radical changes to deal with an out-group. Thus, it is reasonable to assume that far-right movements such as AfD are fascist or inspired by fascism. However, while fascism is inherently right-wing, not all right-wing movements are fascist. There are those who are right-wing but view far-right movements as extreme. Additionally, there are movements that share concepts with fascism, but are not considered fascist. Many scholars, such as political scientist Wilhelm Reich, identify nativism and militarism as the driving forces of fascism and authoritarianism as simply strengthening nativism. Authoritarian regimes aren’t necessarily fascist: China is authoritarian, but it isn’t widely regarded as fascist. Nativism and militarism must also work with each other, as one who is purely nativist can be seen as one simply full of hate, and one who is purely militarist may not have nativist goals. One who denigrates an out-group and seeks to take arms to incite violence against them is fascist. It is important to not use the term “fascism” in place of “enemy”, since it takes away the significance of atrocities carried out by fascist movements.
Boston, Massachusetts, US
Posts: 2
Fascism in the Modern Age
Fascism has been known to manifest during periods of instability or crisis, in which discontents seek out an extreme in efforts to pull away from the system that they have grown to resent. This was evident during the growth of fascism in Weimar Germany, which saw Germans losing trust and faith in their democratic government, and experiencing economic hardships. Characteristics that must be present for a society to be considered fascist include ultra-nationalism, an authoritarian system, propaganda, and social hierarchy. Ultra-nationalism provided the stability and unity needed for the necessary support for a successful fascist movement, and it was later weaponized and tied to ideas of ethnic purity. An authoritarian system would involve a dictator, such that Hitler would become, taking full power over the country and doing away with democracy, eliminating German citizens’ place in politics. Propaganda is necessary for the manipulation of the general public, and would go along with the suppression or elimination of political opposition. Finally, likely the most critical, troublesome, and dangerous component of a fascist society, is the creation of a social hierarchy, which in Germany’s case would have racial connotations. A social hierarchy makes individuals nervous and frightened about losing their position, and it successfully pushes loyalty to the dominant group. Despite the danger of a hierarchy, as well as other characteristics, fascism was initially found appealing and was accepted widely in Germany. This can be attributed to the manipulation Germans were subjected to, their dissatisfaction with the state of their country, and their growing fear of other political ideologies, such as communism, all promoted support for fascism. Fascism seemed to provide clear answers to problems that Germans had been dealing with through scapegoating, offering targets for blame in the form of the Jewish people, among other minorities, and establishing a collective identity among the majority group. Leaders of fascist movements appeal to people who have lost confidence in their government, and wish for decisive leadership. The fascist movement of Germany promised recovery, not just in the form of economic recovery, but also in the return to Germany’s pre-WWI “golden age”. In terms of the role of fascism in modern day, neo-fascism refers to post-WWII movements that adopt the aforementioned characteristics and historical elements of fascism, while adapting to the current political context. There are no nations that are experiencing any explicitly fascist movement, but there are some similarities and shared characteristics that have been seen in fascist movements in history. In a New York Times article, regarding Trump’s recent presidential victory, and Europe’s interest in the return of a U.S. president who shares their right-wing views, there is a reference to Italy’s right-wing prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, and how “her party traces its roots to postwar fascist groups”. This is a reference to the Brothers of Italy, a party that has neo-fascist roots. There is also a concern of autocratic governments and that when more countries are autocratic and repressive, nations become unstable, and violent extremists, who may be neo-fascists, have greater room to operate (Democracy in Crisis - Freedom House).
