George Orwell: ‘What is Fascism?’ Tribune article 1944 (thrown around loosely back then as now)

Orwell.ru ^

[Bigtigermike]

20th Century Fascists stole the ancient symbol Fasces as their own but it originally had not to do with the political or economic system in Italy or that of Germany in 1930’s and 40’s. It’s used all throughout federal government buildings including American revolutionary times

[ChicagahAl]

Fascism is a form of socialism where government controls private property not by ownership but by regulation.

True.

And further...

Communism: From each according to his ability; to each according to his need.

Fascism: From each according to his social classification; to each according to his social classification.

Capitalism: From each according to his ambition; to each according to the value of his productivity.

By these definitions, Islamofascism is Fascist, because Muslims believe that Infidels should work and pay tribute to support Muslims. Welfare-State recipients are Fascist, because they believe that we should work to support them (The Reparations-NAZI's would be a good example). Democrats, today, are mostly Fascist; even those who claim to be Communists (Van Jones would be an example), because most of them want free-stuff, paid for by someone else.

[imardmd1]

Orwellian or not, the fasces (a bundle of whipping rods enclosing a war axe) was/is a symbol of the official authority of its possessor, and a "fascist" is the adjective describing the one who is capable of exercising that power to inflict corporal punishment to the law-breaker; if necessary, to the death.

The type of overarching government is irrelevant. The ability to administer punishment is personal, it is immediate, and it is meant to effect the dominance of its administrator in any situation.

Pontius Pilate was one such administrator. One would suppose that Reinhard Heydrich was another outstanding example. Any sworn law enforcement officer has, in certain circumstances, this unquestioned authority.

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

“Government control of business and industry, of media and the press, government control of education, and forcible suppression of dissent.”

This was approximately how it was defined in the 1920 version of Webster's College dictionary. A later version added “...especially from the right.”

By the 1920 definition, when progressives shriek against fascism, they shriek primarily against their own leftist progressive policy.

[vpintheak]

There is nothing new under the sun.

[lizma2]

You nailed it!!!!!

(p.s. Former Chicagah girl here. Cubbies actually did it!!!!!)