The 14 Defining Characteristics of Fascism

[FUNKED1]

Interesting list.  Do you think it's correct?  Anything missing?

Dr. Lawrence Britt has examined the fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia) and several Latin American regimes. Britt found 14 defining characteristics common to each:

1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism - Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs, and other paraphernalia. Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays.

2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights - Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in fascist regimes are persuaded that human rights can be ignored in certain cases because of "need." The people tend to look the other way or even approve of torture, summary executions, assassinations, long incarcerations of prisoners, etc.

3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause - The people are rallied into a unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to eliminate a perceived common threat or foe: racial , ethnic or religious minorities; liberals; communists; socialists, terrorists, etc.
 
4. Supremacy of the Military - Even when there are widespread domestic problems, the military is given a disproportionate amount of government funding, and the domestic agenda is neglected. Soldiers and military service are glamorized.

5. Rampant Sexism - The governments of fascist nations tend to be almost exclusively male-dominated. Under fascist regimes, traditional gender roles are made more rigid. Divorce, abortion and homosexuality are suppressed and the state is represented as the ultimate guardian of the family institution.

6. Controlled Mass Media - Sometimes to media is directly controlled by the government, but in other cases, the media is indirectly controlled by government regulation, or sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Censorship, especially in war time, is very common.

7. Obsession with National Security - Fear is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses.

8. Religion and Government are Intertwined - Governments in fascist nations tend to use the most common religion in the nation as a tool to manipulate public opinion. Religious rhetoric and terminology is common from government leaders, even when the major tenets of the religion are diametrically opposed
to the government's policies or actions.

9. Corporate Power is Protected - The industrial and business aristocracy of a fascist nation often are the ones who put the government leaders into power, creating a mutually beneficial business/government relationship and power elite.

10. Labor Power is Suppressed - Because the organizing power of labor is the only real threat to a fascist government, labor unions are either eliminated entirely, or are severely suppressed.

11. Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts - Fascist nations tend to promote and tolerate open hostility to higher education, and academia. It is not uncommon for professors and other academics to be censored or even arrested. Free expression in the arts and letters is openly attacked.

12. Obsession with Crime and Punishment - Under fascist regimes, the police are given almost limitless power to enforce laws. The people are often willing to overlook police abuses and even forego civil liberties in the name of patriotism. There is often a national police force with virtually unlimited power in fascist nations.

13. Rampant Cronyism and Corruption - Fascist regimes almost always are governed by groups of friends and associates who appoint each other to government positions and use governmental power and authority to protect their friends from accountability. It is not uncommon in fascist regimes for national resources and even treasures to be appropriated or even outright stolen by government leaders.

14. Fraudulent Elections - Sometimes elections in fascist nations are a complete sham. Other times elections are manipulated by smear campaigns against or even assassination of opposition candidates, use of legislation to control voting numbers or political district boundaries, and manipulation of the media. Fascist nations also typically use their judiciaries to manipulate or control elections.

[lazs2]

so you are saying that england is a fascist state?

Interesting.

lazs

[Clifra Jones]

I would say for the most part, yes. But you could change a few words here and there and describe most of the Leftist/Marxist regimes of the 20th century.

Totalitarian/Authoritarian regimes have many things in common regardless of their ideology.

[storch]

so ... what are you trying to troll for ... er ... say, say here?

[lukster]

"Properly understood, fascism and communism were, as the Soviet and German labels openly declared, actually the same thing:, just two varieties of socialism."

http://coastalpost.com/95/10/15.htm

[nirvana]

Quite a few of those point a finger directly at America soo....

[SFRT - Frenchy]

"Democracy is the worst of the regimes, but we don't know a better one" (Karl Marx).

[Sandman]

To the citizen (or subject if you prefer), both fascism and socialism probably taste the same, but there are some differences.

[Sandman]

Originally posted by nirvana
Quite a few of those point a finger directly at America soo....

That wasn't direct finger pointing... This is direct finger pointing.

[J_A_B]

That list is carefully worded, much like a horoscope.  Depending on how you interpret it, you could make it apply to virtually any country in the world.

J_A_B

[Makarov9]

I think he's saying that school unions are a necessary evil.

[john9001]

let me translate funky's post......

BOOOSH IST HITLER, SIG HIEL

[Holden McGroin]

5. Rampant Sexism - The governments of fascist nations tend to be almost exclusively male-dominated. Under fascist regimes, traditional gender roles are made more rigid. Divorce, abortion and homosexuality are suppressed and the state is represented as the ultimate guardian of the family institution.

Eva Peron wielded much power in Fascist Argentina, and Juan Peron resisted the entreaties of the military in 1943 to crack down on homosexuality. Instead he ordered the police and judiciary to let up on their gay-baiting. In addition, Perón promoted the tango, legalized prostitution, granted women's suffrage, recognized divorce, and suppressed former discrimination between first-born and later children.

9. Corporate Power is Protected - The industrial and business aristocracy of a fascist nation often are the ones who put the government leaders into power, creating a mutually beneficial business/government relationship and power elite.

10. Labor Power is Suppressed - Because the organizing power of labor is the only real threat to a fascist government, labor unions are either eliminated entirely, or are severely suppressed.

The cornerstone of Juan Perons power was the poor and the Unions... most notably the CGT... Argentina's AFLCIO...  The CGT was more or less his powerbase, his political party. He greatly expanded union power

[dmf]

Originally posted by lazs2
so you are saying that england is a fascist state?

Interesting.

lazs

Actually I think he means America.

[SFRT - Frenchy]

John9001, you do have the social skills of a SS in the way your answer threads around this board.

On a side note, Democracies protect themselve the same way fachist do, because there's only one way to protect oneself. When Bush will start killing education, and sending to prison the educated Americans, then I'll start to believe.