2002: HOW TO BE A FASCIST

        I have heard it said, by various people at various times over the past years, that the previous administration were “fascists.” I have also heard the same term applied to the current administration, along with its polar opposite, “Communist.” This same charge was made against the Clinton Administration, as well as the previous Bush Administration, Reagan before him, and so on and so forth. In fact, I often hear people using this appellation against people they disagree with, regardless of the so-called fascist’s political coloring. No one, it seems, is exempt from being labeled a fascist, especially in the heat of the moment.

        I suspect that this is because no one really knows what Fascism is, and simply use this as a convenient term of abuse, as a way of saying “I totally disagree with everything you say and think and I have decided to view you as absolutely evil and/or wrong and thus I can totally disregard any- and everything you say.” It is the easiest way to avoid a discussion.

        Now, that’s no way for reasonable adults to behave towards one another, is it? Especially when trying to steer the course of the world’s most powerful and influential nation. Again I see a misconception about what a word really and truly means as the source of the trouble, and please do spare me the argument that a word means what people say or think it means – I do not hold to that view, especially when the word describes a fairly recent political and social phenomenon, engendered within and promulgating a very clear historical and philosophical context. The carelessness with which this word is bandied about and yet the attendant seriousness of the perceived threat the so-called fascist represents just shows how easy Americans have had it; no American, no matter how poor, downtrodden or oppressed they may feel themselves to be, has ever lived through the conditions which are the fertile ground in which fascism takes root and grows until it has taken over the entire yard.

        Fascism is first and foremost a system of government, in much the same way parliamentarianism or republicanism is. Firstly, it is anti-liberal (meaning Leftist) yet eventually becomes anti-conservative as well. It is its own thing. It is preoccupied with modernity and modernization, though it can either express itself as very pro-modern (up-to-date technology combined with a corporatist ideology, like in Nazi Germany) or it can be very anti-modern life, extolling the virtues of some agrarian ideal (like in Salazar’s Portugal). Fascists often espouse Third Way principles, but implement them by government control over business and labor into what Mussolini termed the Corporate State. It very much includes a radical interpretation of the common misconception of the Darwinist principle of “survival of the fittest” (the misconception being that the strongest species wins out in evolutionary completion and does so by right, whereas the term actually means that the species that fits their ecological and evolutionary niche best, survives and flourishes), but extended to an entire “nation” (which is a race, language, culture, and political entity all-in-one) which then attempts to dominate all other “inferior” nations by a perceived right, and even duty, to do so.

        Often times, fascism can only really be defined by what it is not – it is not individualist and yet not collectivist either; it is neither liberal nor conservative, but focused instead on a charismatic leader to whom all citizens and governmental systems are subordinate; it is not rationalist, that is that it does not reach its conclusions by deduction and rational thought but relies heavily on an emotional appeal embodied by the Leader.

        The Leader is a totalitarian dictator who has complete and total power in all things. As such, it is often dependent upon a sort of cult of personality, with the Leader being the great ideal for the nation and the finest living example of his or her people (in terms of race, manner, taste, etc.).

        The Leader engages in forcible suppression of all opposition, in the political, philosophical, or any other sense, as well as criticism of any sort from any quarter of the Leader and the State. The Leader regiments all industry, commerce, and other means of economy and production. S/he may do this alone or with an appointed group of elite men and women acting as an extension of the Leader.

        Finally, the Leader emphasizes an aggressive nationalism which often includes racist or xenophobic elements, often couched in terms of the Fascist state being the best suited to leading the world, though world domination is not necessarily an inherent goal of the Leader, just as racism or xenophobia need not be a part of the program.

        It is interesting to note that Fascist states seem to fall apart after the death of the Leader, mainly because there is no clear line of succession (so the various interested parties fight among themselves for control of the all-encompassing system) or because the Leader’s death is brought about prematurely by revolution of some sort or another.

        The word fascism can also be used to describe the philosophies, principles, or methods of a Fascist governmental system.

        The father and creator of Fascism was Benito Mussolini (b. 1883 – d. 1945).  He was a completely power-hungry individual, with a deep hatred of liberal-democratic governments, which he saw as weak and ineffective,  and no loyalty beyond his own self-indulgence. His ruthless personality was to shape the new ideology.

        The term comes from the fasces – the bundle of rods with a protruding axe blade carried by Roman magistrates as a symbol of power, though used at the time of Fascism’s inception to mean any political group (from Latin fascis – bundle, pack).

        Mussolini started off his political career as a Socialist, as that was the only Revolutionary movement around at the time. He rose to the highest ranks of the Party, but split with them over the issue of Italian involvement in the First World War, breaking with the Socialists in 1915.

        After the war, Italy was in pretty bad shape financially. Food shortages and widespread discontent created an atmosphere of uncertainty and discord that Mussolini exploited to his own ends. His particular style of public address, including the stylized gestures and short, staccato way of speaking, emotionally manipulated masses of people and remained an effective instrument for control throughout his career.

        On March 23, 1919, the first meeting of the Fascist Party was held in Milan. A rather paltry party program was developed, including declaring “war” on Socialism. In the November 1919 elections, the Fascists failed to win a single seat in parliament.

        However, all that was to change rather quickly. In just three years, Mussolini would be Prime Minister and begin sculpting his Fascist State. It may be useful to quickly outline the basics of his rise to power.  The summary of events that follows is the barest of skeletons and takes into account only a few of the factors involved.  For a more comprehensive account, I refer the reader to MUSSOLINI: A STUDY IN POWER by Ivone Kirkpatrick.

        One of the key moments in the development of Fascism was the armed takeover of the town of Fiume – part of the disputed territories between Italy and Yugoslavia (today’s Rijeka in Croatia) – by Gabriele D’Annunzio, a poet and general troublemaker. D’Annunzio marched on Fiume with a squadron of Blackshirts with the intention of giving the city to Italy. When the Italian government dithered, he declared it an independent state. Every day he had parades, designed lavish military uniforms, declared music to be the central principle of the state, and gave long speeches to the crowds. The enterprise came to a close rather quickly, but many of the trappings of the Fiume Republic remained in Mussolini’s Fascism, especially the pomp and spectacle, and the use of violence to achieve ends.

        In the meantime, the Italian lira continued to fall in value and Italy’s credits were exhausted. Increasing violence, some from D’Annunzio’s disbanded militia against Socialists, some from an increasingly frustrated and humiliated populace, added to the strain. Violent strikes broke out in 1920 – a total of 1,881 strikes that year (or five a day) – yet they all ended when the workers occupying the factories could not get the white collar staff to go along with their goals. Violent clashes between Fascist Blackshirts and Socialists increased, including the occupation of towns by Fascist forces and the destruction of Socialist newspaper offices and the homes of Socialists. Mutinies broke out among the military.

        Violence, inflation, and disorder increased and the general populace grew frustrated and angry. In the May 1921 elections, the Fascists managed to gain 35 seats in parliament (this despite the fact that they were responsible for much of the disorder – Mussolini had convinced some of the public that only he could control the situation in Italy and restore safety and the country’s glory).

        Guerrilla war was waged throughout the countryside and each day the citizens of Italy did not know if there would be food available, if the trains would be running, if the roads would be open, or if they might find themselves suddenly involved in a street fight.

        On November 7, 1921, 4,000 fascist delegates met in Rome and approved Mussolini’s new party program:

1.       Functions of the state would be limited to those of a purely political and judicial nature; other functions to be delegated to technical councils elected by professional and economic corporations.

2.       “Agnosticism” regarding the monarchy, yet opposed to a republic.

3.       Public ownership of land but no socialization of land.

4.       Administrative decentralization in the economy and bureaucratic reform (Mussolini would do nothing once in power)

5.       Withdrawal of the right to strike in public utility services.

6.       No monopolies and no subsidies.  Private industry encouraged and unprofitable state industries to be turned over to private ownership.

7.       Revision of all peace treaties, based on economic considerations.

8.       Maintenance of an efficient army and navy.

        In February 1922, the government, unable to deal with the chaos in Italy, resigned. In May of that year, 63,000 armed Fascists blocked access to the city of Ferrara, paralyzing and eventually taking control of the city. This was repeated in Bologna, Ravenna, and Parma. Soon most of Northeast Italy was under Fascist military control. In July, the new government resigned.

        After the summer of 1922, Fascists marched on Rome and the king, under pressure, gave the portfolio for Prime Minister to Mussolini on Oct. 23, at which time the Fascists withdrew.

        Mussolini now started to consolidate his position. He fixed the new government with only 4 Fascist Ministers, but this was soon to change. In July, 1923 he introduced his new electoral reform bill, which abolished proportional representation – the entire country was considered one constituency divided into 15 electoral districts. After votes were counted, two-thirds of the parliamentary seats (357 out of 535) would be given to the party that received the most votes, provided that they got at least 25% of the popular vote.  This would eliminate the need for coalitions, giving the winning party a clear majority.

        On January 25, 1924, parliament was dissolved and April 6 was declared an election day. The Fascists got 4.5 million votes, and the opposition got 3 million.  Under the new law, the Fascists received a majority of seats in parliament.

        In 1925, the militias were mobilized and 95% of “politically suspect” clubs were dissolved, 150 offices closed, 655 homes searched and 111 people arrested for anti-Fascist activity. Opposition newspapers were sequestered and scores of journalists arrested. The Fascists brutally assaulted any and all opposition, sometimes resulting in the victim's death. In November, Mussolini began a program of legislation that converted Italy into a police state under his direct control. It took just one year:

·         November 26, 1925 – Secret associations such as Freemasonry prohibited, and all associations and institutions required to give details of activities and membership to the police – failure to do so would result in imprisonment and the dissolution of the association. The law was also applicable to political parties.

·         December 11, 1925 – Mussolini declares Italy to be in a permanent state of war.

·         December 24, 1925 – Mussolini eliminates title of Prime Minister; he is now the Head of Government and has full executive authority without the intervention of parliament. Another law stated that no question could be discussed in parliament without the express permission of the Head of Government.

·         December 31, 1925 – Newspaper proprietors now held responsible for editorial content and an association of journalists created that excluded anti-Fascists.

·         January 31, 1926 – The Government could deprive any Italian of citizenship if that person committed an act abroad designed to disturb public order in Italy, or damage Italian interests or prestige, even if the act were not a crime. If citizenship were revoked, the person’s property was subject to confiscation. A further law allowed the Head of Government to rule by decree.

·         July 7, 1926 – All administrative, communal, and provincial elections suspended.

·         November 9, 1926 – Parliamentary mandates, and the attendant parliamentary immunity, declared to have lapsed. Parliament essentially permanently dissolved and the Government now consisted of the Head of Government and his appointed Ministers.

·         November 25, 1926 – capital punishment for attempts against the life of the King, the Queen, the Crown Prince, or the Head of Government, as well as for treason, insurrection, or incitement to civil war. Lesser penalties laid down for anti-Fascist activities, with offenders tried before a special Tribunal, with no appeal possible.

        Adolf Hitler said that Mussolini was his “guiding star” while he was in prison. Franco adopted Fascist ideology and methods to begin a civil war in Spain, and Salazar took over Portugal using the Mussolini model. While both Hitler and Mussolini would meet their ends in 1945, Salazar ruled Portugal until 1968, when he suffered a stroke and was replaced by Marcelo Caetano (who then ruled until a bloodless coup in 19744 finally toppled the regime), and Franco survived until 1975, when he died of natural causes. 

       

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how Fascism gets in there. It fosters violent disorder and then manipulates the masses into thinking that only the Fascists can get them out of the hunger and chaos that life has become. Then the Fascist Leader strips away the liberal-democratic principles until he is the sole authority in a police state, using violence and fear to rule, as well as creating a paternal emotional connection to himself in the populace.

        Now, the United States of America has not experienced anything even remotely like the chaos  in which Fascism takes root since the Civil War. And while some people may wish to find elements of the above progression of Mussolini’s rise in our previous or present administration, I would caution those people that even if one element were found in common that does not mean Fascism is among us.

        The US does not in the slightest resemble a fledgling Fascist State, nor has it ever. If nothing else, the military must either be on board with the fascist agenda or have been subordinated to a military or quasi-military group that is loyal to the State. 

To prevent such a thing from happening, we must be watchful and clear-headed, and not go around using exaggerated rhetoric to demonize those we happen to disagree with. Every conservative who disagrees with a liberal is not a fascist, just like every white person who disagrees with a black person is not a racist.

Fascism is one of the greatest evils the 20th century produced. Its allies are fear, ignorance, chaos, and emotional hysteria; its foes are clarity, calmness, and vigilance. There can be no doubt whatsoever when Fascists try to take over a country. If, God forbid, a Fascist actually tries to gain power in the USA, everyone will know - the sign will be clear. When you see the warning signs listed above progressing in like fashion, when there is chaos and violence and it feels like you are in a war zone whenever you leave your house, when neighbors inform on neighbors and people disappear for speaking their minds in public, then it is time to get your passport ready, or your gun.