[Caipirabob]

But the notion that any and all forms of oppressive government are socialist just won’t fly. The Roman and Chinese Empire under their worst emperors weren’t socialist.

I agree with that. I mean that the left side of the scale is totalitarian.

Fascism is a form of totalitarianism.

One person I knew who argued that the Nazis were fascists and there's no way they could be considered on the same side of the scale as the socialists under totalitarian government could not reconcile his objection because the regime still had the power to subdue personal freedom and cart people off and shove them into ovens.

Different implementations of the totalitarian state, but all the same and same results in the end.

Thanks for the response. I want to discuss this more with freepers because I know I'll get the correct perspective from a position I respect.

Here is a fascinating video that fleshes out the concept:

The Political Spectrum Easily Explained - Basic Forms of Government

[Caipirabob]

"Anarchy" as a mechanism of change is really how I see it's place on the scale. Unfortunately it most often results in something from the left side of the scale.