Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

What is Fascism?
Couples Company ^

Posted on 01/30/2003 7:00:27 PM PST by John Lenin

What is
Fascism?

This may surprise most educated people. One of the more common government strategies today, especially in developing regions is fascism. Fascism is commonly confused with Nazism.  Nazism is a political party platform that embraces a combination of a military dictatorship, socialism and fascism.  It is not a government structure. Fascism is a government structure.

More than a class system, fascism specifically targets, dehumanizes and aims to destroy those it deems undesirable.


The most notable characteristic of a fascist country is the separation and persecution or denial of equality to a specific segment of the population based upon superficial qualities or belief systems. 

Simply stated, a fascist government always has one class of citizens that is considered superior (good) to another (bad) based upon race, creed or origin.  It is possible to be both a republic and a fascist state. The preferred class lives in a republic while the oppressed class lives in a fascist state.  Until the Civil Rights act of 1964, many parts of the US were Republic for whites and Fascist for non-Caucasian residents. Fascism promotes legal segregation in housing, national resource allocation and employment. It provides legal justification for persecuting a specific segment of the population and operates behind a two tiered legal system. One segment of society is always considered less desirable, sub-human or second class.

(Note: no single government is pure anything.  Most have elements of several structures with one dominant structure).  Below is the political definition and general characteristics of a fascist country. TOP


1. Fascism is commonly defined as an open terror-based dictatorship which is:

  • Reactionary: makes policy based upon current circumstances rather than creating policies to prevent problems; piles lies and misnomers on top of more lies until the truth becomes indistinguishable, revised or forgotten.
  • Chauvinistic: Two or more tiered legal systems, varying rights based upon superficial characteristics such as race, creed and origin.
  • Imperialist elements of finance capital: Extending a nation's authority by territorial acquisition or by the establishment of economic and political domination of one state over its allies.

Though a dictatorship is the most common association with fascism, a democracy or republic can also be fascist.

2. Fascism is an extreme measure taken by the bourgeoisie to forestall proletarian revolution; it thrives on the weakness of the bourgeoisie itself. It accomplishes this by embracing the middle-classes love of the status-quo, its complacency and its fears of: TOP

  1. Generating a united struggle within the working class

  2. Revolution

  3. Losing its own power and position within society

The 7 conditions
that foster and fuel fascism are:

  1. Instability of capitalist relationships or markets

  2. The existence of considerable declassed social elements

  3. The stripping of rights and wealth focused upon a specific segment of the population, specifically the middle class and intellectuals within urban areas as this the group with the means, intelligence and ability to stop fascism if given the opportunity.

  4. Discontent among the rural lower middle class (clerks, secretaries, white collar labor). Consistent discontent among the general middle and lower middle classes against the oppressing upper-classes (haves vs have-nots).

  5. Hate: Pronounced, perpetuated and accepted public disdain of a specific group defined by race, origin, theology or association.

  6. Greed: The motivator of fascism which is generally associated with land, space or scarce resources in the possession of those being oppressed.

  7. Organized Propaganda: The creation of social mythology that venerates (creates saints of) one element of society while concurrently vilifying (dehumanizing) another element of the population through misinformation, misdirection and the obscuring of factual matter through removal, destruction or social humiliation, (name-calling, false accusations, belittling and threats). b) The squelching of public debate not agreeing with the popular agenda via slander, libel, threats, theft, destruction, historical revisionism and social humiliation

3. Fascism concentrates each imperialist bloc (business and government sectors) into a single economic unit while concurrently increasing in-fighting and distrust between the units fostering advancement towards war. TOP

4. Fascism promotes chauvinist demagogy, junk science and obscuratinism. Fascism combines Marxist critiques of capitalism and bourgeois definitions of democracy to force its issues, confuse logic and create majority consensus between targeted groups. 

5. Both Bourgeois Democracy and Fascism are class dictatorships that use organized violence to maintain the class rule of the oppressors over the oppressed. The difference between the two is demonstrated by the policies towards non-proletarian classes.  Fascism attains power through the substitution of one state form of class domination by another form, generally bourgeois democracy segues into an open terrorist dictatorship.

Definitions


Proletarian (adj):
1 the lowest class of citizens of ancient Rome who had no property
2: belonging to or characteristic of the proletariat (n) : a member of the working class (not necessarily employed); "workers of the world--unite!" TOP

Bourgeoisie (n): the social class between the lower and upper classes: Middle Class TOP

Imperialism  (n): The policy of extending a nation's authority by territorial acquisition or by the establishment of economic and political domination of one state over its allies and over other nations. 2: The system, policies, or practices of such a government. TOP

Demagogy (n): Impassioned appeals to the prejudices and emotions of the populace TOP

Obscurantism (n):

  1. The principles or practice of delivering vague truths and hiding key facts.
  2. A policy of withholding information from the public.
  3. The act of lying through selective omission TOP

Tyranny (n):

  1. A form of government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator and is not restricted by a constitution, laws or opposition etc.
  2. Dominance over a populous through threat of punishment, terrorism, oppression and violence  TOP

Autocracy (n):

  1. Government by a single person having unlimited power; tyranny, dictator.
  2. A country or state that is governed by a single person with unlimited power. TOP



TOPICS: Free Republic; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: copernicus5; pufflist
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120121-139 next last
To: sneakypete
Really? Ever heard of the feudal system?

Yes, actually I have. Fuedalism is not fascism or communism.

81 posted on 01/31/2003 5:30:19 AM PST by Centurion2000 (The meek shall inherit the Earth. The stars belong to the bold.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 74 | View Replies]

To: Centurion2000
Fuedalism is not fascism

Yes,it is/was.

82 posted on 01/31/2003 6:20:53 AM PST by sneakypete
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 81 | View Replies]

To: John Lenin
Some liberal seminar caller called the local (and very popular) radio station and started in on how Bush was a fascist. As soon as he uttered the accusation, the host interrupted and asked him to define fascism. The moron couldn't do it, got angry, and hung up. It was hilarious!
83 posted on 01/31/2003 6:32:26 AM PST by Blood of Tyrants (Even if the government took all your earnings, you wouldn’t be, in its eyes, a slave)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CobaltBlue; Sparta; weikel
In plain English, one could say that the Germans hated and feared the Soviets and thought Hitler would be a good way of preventing a Communist/Socialist takeover of Germany.

Bingo. Communism is the ultimate form of evil. Sometimes the ends justify the means in the real world.

Flame suit on. (Cringing while typing).

While the things Hitler and Himmler did was inexcusable, I'm not so sure the majority of 19-20 year old kids who fought on the Eastern front to save their country from the communist menace even knew about Auschwitz.(Berlin was infested with communists who worshipped Mark and Engels). Does some gunny sarge in Kabul know what Powell and Rummy talk about and plan -no. Franco and Pinochet were heroes. I know my buddy Sparta and I don't see eye to eye on this and he's going to break my cajones, but I have to call 'em like I see them. If it takes a fascist to overthrow Chavez in Venezuela,Lula in Brazil, or Castro in Cuba-so be it.

84 posted on 01/31/2003 7:03:53 AM PST by MattinNJ
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: xm177e2
Couldn't agree more with your analysis.
85 posted on 01/31/2003 7:06:27 AM PST by MattinNJ
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: MattinNJ

While the things Hitler and Himmler did was inexcusable, I'm not so sure the majority of 19-20 year old kids who fought on the Eastern front to save their country from the communist menace even knew about Auschwitz.(Berlin was infested with communists who worshipped Mark and Engels).

No disagreement there.

Franco and Pinochet were heroes.

No disagreement about Pinochet, though I'm reconsidering my stance on Franco. My disagreement with fascism is that it is also a form of collectivism.

If it takes a fascist to overthrow Chavez in Venezuela,Lula in Brazil, or Castro in Cuba-so be it.

Well I wouldn't call a general who supports capitalism and liberty a fascist, but I get your drift. Again, no disagreement.

know my buddy Sparta and I don't see eye to eye on this and he's going to break my cajones

Now why would I do that?:)

86 posted on 01/31/2003 7:10:19 AM PST by Sparta (Statism is a mental illness)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 84 | View Replies]

To: Sparta
Creation/God...REFORMATION(Judeo-Christianity)---secular-govt.-humanism/SCIENCE---CIVILIZATION!

Originally the word liberal meant social conservatives(no govt religion--none) who advocated growth and progress---mostly technological(knowledge being absolute/unchanging)based on law--reality... UNDER GOD---the nature of GOD/man/govt. does not change. These were the Classical liberals...founding fathers-PRINCIPLES---stable/SANE scientific reality/society---industrial progress...moral/social character-values(private/personal) GROWTH(limited NON-intrusive PC Govt/religion---schools)!

Evolution...Atheism-dehumanism---TYRANNY(pc/liberal/govt-religion/rhetoric)...

Then came the SPLIT SCHIZOPHRENIA/ZOMBIE/BRAVE-NWO1984 LIBERAL NEO-Soviet Darwin/ACLU America---the post-modern fascist age

87 posted on 01/31/2003 7:15:34 AM PST by f.Christian (Orcs of the world: Take note and beware.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 86 | View Replies]

To: f.Christian
What in the Hell are you trying to say?
88 posted on 01/31/2003 7:19:51 AM PST by Sparta (Statism is a mental illness)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 87 | View Replies]

To: The Duke
where fascism was described basically as an "unholy alliance between government and big business", in which individuals own the business, but government skims off all the profits.

Correct, with the addition that they reserve the power to control the business as well. In most fascist senerios, that is done by regulations. The US is a mixture of things in one degree or another, and fascism is one of them.

89 posted on 01/31/2003 7:22:55 AM PST by Protagoras
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Sparta; weikel
It seems we are starting to have a meeeting of the minds.

I know I am going to come under fire from some for daring to say that Franco was a hero. I just think it's impossible to brand Franco as a bad guy just because he was labeled a fascist. He had no interest in politics and was more than happy to spend his time fighting North Africans. He only took over the resistance when he saw thousands of Stalinists pour into Barcelona and Madrid and realized it was now or never. We can't know what it's like to see nuns raped, priests murdered, churches burned, and having the anarchists and stalinists destroy your country. If it was happening in America right now (which it soon might) wouldn't we fight on Franco's side. Churchill said if he were a Spaniard he would have. One more thing, Ike liked Franco. I'll line up with those two guy's anyday.

90 posted on 01/31/2003 7:23:42 AM PST by MattinNJ
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 86 | View Replies]

To: Sparta
To: f.Christian

Dakmar...

I took a few minutes to decipher that post, and I must say I agree with a lot of what you said.

fC...

These were the Classical liberals...founding fathers-PRINCIPLES---stable/SANE scientific reality/society---industrial progress...moral/social character-values(private/personal) GROWTH(limited NON-intrusive PC Govt/religion---schools)!

Dakmar...

Where you and I diverge is on the Evolution/Communism thing. You seem to view Darwin and evolution as the beginning of the end for enlighted, moral civilization, while I think Marx, class struggle, and the "dictatorship of the proletariat" are the true dangers.

God bless you, I think we both have a common enemy in the BRAVE-NWO.

452 posted on 9/7/02 8:54 PM Pacific by Dakmar

91 posted on 01/31/2003 7:24:36 AM PST by f.Christian (Orcs of the world: Take note and beware.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 88 | View Replies]

To: John Lenin
You can crumble this article into a tight little ball and shoot a free-throw with it. This is a definition of Fascism as written by a Marxist -- the tip-off is the emphasis on the economic angle.

Marxism & Fascism are both extreme forms of Socialism. The NSDAP (NAZI) stood for "NATIONAL Socialist German Workers Party". The chief difference between the Germans, Italians & Spanish on one hand, and the Russians on the other, was that the former encouraged Nationalism while the Soviets (Russians) tried to suppress it.

Bear in mind that many of the top Soviet revolutionaries were non-Russian. Stalin (Georgian) and Dherzhinski (Sp? Polish) viewed socialism as an international enterprise at first. Stalin only appealed to Russian nationalism after Hitler's invasion threatened his very existence.

92 posted on 01/31/2003 7:27:23 AM PST by Tallguy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: f.Christian
Thank you. I agree with Dakmar's view.
93 posted on 01/31/2003 7:28:50 AM PST by Sparta (Statism is a mental illness)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 91 | View Replies]

To: Dr. Frank
I would also disagree with the author's claim that fascism is a reaction of the "bourgeoisie" to contain or control the proletariat. In both Germany and Italy, the fascists came to power on the back of the dissatisfied proletariat class. Hitler's Black Shirts and Mussolini's Brown Shirts were not middle class salarymen. They were laborers and farmers of the lower class.
94 posted on 01/31/2003 7:30:30 AM PST by Ditto
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: sneakypete
Hmmm Ill have to think about this one.
95 posted on 01/31/2003 7:33:44 AM PST by weikel
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 82 | View Replies]

To: Sparta
To: f.Christian

fC...

Originally the word liberal meant social conservatives(no govt religion--none) who advocated growth and progress---mostly technological(knowledge being absolute/unchanging)based on law--reality... UNDER GOD---the nature of GOD/man/govt. does not change.

LC...

Now I follow, thank you. Actually, I don't disagree with this at all since I see the left as abandoning the uncertianty of democracy and majority rule for the assurance technocracy and expert rule.

152 posted on 9/10/02 12:17 PM Pacific by Liberal Classic


96 posted on 01/31/2003 7:37:22 AM PST by f.Christian (Orcs of the world: Take note and beware.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 93 | View Replies]

To: Ditto
...I would add to your point that Hitler's version of Fascism played to the German longing for a simpler, rural lifestyle. He was tapping into the energy (dissatifaction)created by the rapid urbanization of Germany. Same thing is happening in China today.
97 posted on 01/31/2003 7:41:44 AM PST by Tallguy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 94 | View Replies]

To: MattinNJ; Sparta
In regards to the knowledge of the German population and the members of the Wehrmarcht about the holocaust, I think most people were either ignorant or willfully ignorant about it( willful ignorance being people who had jewish friends who were "resettled to the east" and never heard from). Knowledge about the Soviet holocaust in the Ukraine and other areas was more widespread among the German and Russian population( though America is pretty ignorant of it). Thus the Bolsheviks were seen by most of the European population as the greater evil. Hitler in fact refused a lot of foreign volunteers, including the entire Russian and Ukranian population( which he stupidly abused to the point they turned on the Germans).

Franco was the lesser evil by far compared to the communist he was fighting. He also benefited the Allies by being close enough to Hitler that Der Fuhrer was reluctant to attack and seize Gibraltar( which would have cut off Britain from its raw materials lifeline in India and the Middle East and stopped the Russian supplies through Iran) but strong enough not to join in the war with him( he did send a division of volunteers to the Eastern Front). Pinochet was an unblemished hero.

98 posted on 01/31/2003 7:47:38 AM PST by weikel
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 90 | View Replies]

To: John Lenin
Well, I do know it's not what the tiny, ignorant socialist gnats who are always demonstrating and whining think it is...

A fascist state and a rigorously socialist one are indistinguishable.

99 posted on 01/31/2003 7:48:44 AM PST by Publius6961
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Dr. Frank
LOL

My history teacher was a dyed-in-the-wool communist, he very much respected Russia and especially China. He was always telling us what good they had done for the people.

Back then I was a quiet little 16 yr old and I knew he was bonkers but I never said anything. I think that class is what made me a conservative because I could see how wrong he was.

100 posted on 01/31/2003 7:51:04 AM PST by tiki
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 67 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120121-139 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson