Replies

Although some do not see it this way, to me Fascism is definitely a leftwing philosophy. It is collectivism, and Mussolini was very clear on that point. Hitler's party was the National Socialist Workers Party, so that sort of tells the story. Big, centralized government, few personal rights for individuals. Sounds leftwing to me.

Anyway, the big ideological conflict within the Left in mid-20th century was between Stalin's approach and Hitler's approach. In Germany, the Fascists and the Communists engaged in many street fights. In America, the Communists thought Hitler was a fine gentleman -- after he signed the non-aggression pact with Stalin. One big Happy Family! Then Hitler invaded Russia and the American Communists hated his guts.

Anyway. the Kennedy family were supporters of Fascism. Old Joe didn't like the British much and he didn't want us to get involved in WWII. Given all that, it is hardly surprising that a strong anti-communist like Joe McCarthy would find allies within the Kennedy family. I have absolutely no idea what McCarthy thought about Fascism, but he certainly opposed the communists -- just as the Kennedys did, right up until Teddy became their patriarch. At that point, the Kennedys went right over to Karl Marx.

“Although some do not see it this way, to me Fascism is definitely a leftwing philosophy. It is collectivism, and Mussolini was very clear on that point. Hitler’s party was the National Socialist Workers Party, so that sort of tells the story. Big, centralized government, few personal rights for individuals. Sounds leftwing to me.”

Exactly. I remember being taught in school that fascism was “right-wing collectivism” but that whole concept is an oxymoron.

“Anyway, the big ideological conflict within the Left in mid-20th century was between Stalin’s approach and Hitler’s approach. In Germany, the Fascists and the Communists engaged in many street fights. In America, the Communists thought Hitler was a fine gentleman — after he signed the non-aggression pact with Stalin. One big Happy Family! Then Hitler invaded Russia and the American Communists hated his guts.”

Exactly. Just like lefty Barbara Streisand’s openly communist character in the 1973 movie “The Way We Were”, a left wing movie that (unintentionally I’m sure) proves that the right wingers were correct.

“Anyway. the Kennedy family were supporters of Fascism. Old Joe didn’t like the British much and he didn’t want us to get involved in WWII. Given all that, it is hardly surprising that a strong anti-communist like Joe McCarthy would find allies within the Kennedy family. I have absolutely no idea what McCarthy thought about Fascism, but he certainly opposed the communists — just as the Kennedys did, right up until Teddy became their patriarch. At that point, the Kennedys went right over to Karl Marx.”

Exactly.

I think there may have also been an ethno-religious component at work. The article states, "JFK liked the fact that McCarthy went after the "elites" in the State Department whom JFK regarded with contempt."

The State Department (and the OSS/CIA) had been largely populated by the ivy leaguers, which had been in turn, bastions of the WASPs, with Irish Catholics being viewed somewhat suspiciously. Bill Donovan (who himself harbored ambitions of being America's first Roman Catholic President) was, I believe, one of the first to employ the notion of, "the best and brightest," recruiting heavily from the ivies when standing up the OSS. In doing so, he unwittingly(?) seeded the intelligence and later diplomatic communities with the very elitists the Kennedys would naturally resent, not out of ideology, but envy.