Intro: Categories
To describe, or define fascism, you have to understand something about categories in the world. Categories are human constructs and ideas. They are not inevitably pointing to a definite ‘thing/process’ in that world. This is not a statement that they can never point at something independent and real.
The first point is that nothing exists alone. Humans exist because of the sun, the physical properties known and unknown of the universe, billions of years of genetic accidents, interactions between creatures, the presence of photosynthesis, the temperature range, the huge amounts of non-genetically related bacteria and viruses in our bodies much of which is essential for our function. Things/processes overlap and constantly change, so a human is entangled with many other processes. This makes definition a process of abstraction from a context.
The second point is that as human constructs categories do not necessarily, refer to things/processes that are all the same in the same way. This has been known since Wittgenstein and Vygotsky, but does not permeate much of our thinking. Wittgenstein talked of family resemblance – people in a family do not always resemble each other in the same way.
So when we are looking at things we can call fascism, they will probably not all be the same in the same way. Italian Fascism was not identical to German Nazism. Mussolini was not Hitler. Spanish and Hungarian fascism were different. In an earlier age, Mussolini might even become regarded as a national hero, along with the Medicis etc.
So there is a family of points which they may, or may not have in common, and which they may have in different degrees. The more of these points they share strongly, the more they have in common and the more ‘ideally’ fascist they are.
Fascism involves
Authoritarianism.
People must be loyal to the leader and the party. The leader knows what is best for you. Discipline must be maintained. Disobedience and disagreement will be punished.
The glory of the leader
The leader has mystical powers of genius. People may not understand his reasons but the reasons will be completely sure. You could follow them if you had equal genius. Faith in the leader is required. [If you don’t share that faith the leader can look crazy].
The leader is chosen by God, or some other mystical force like Fate, Destiny, or National spirit. The leader is the exemplary force of the people and the Nation.
Positions in government are allocated by loyalty to the leader, because loyalty and obedience is paramount.
Contradicting the leader is close to blasphemy.
Religion
Fascism is not anti-religion at all. It supports religions which support it and its policies, declare it to be good and the will of God, and justify the fascist hierarchy and heroic striving to be a better part of that hierarchy. As with everything, religious people who challenge them will be suppressed.
Nationalism
The home Nation is supreme and better than any other nation. It is inherently good, and its real culture has no flaws. If there are things/processes the leader or party declares to be flaws this comes from the power of degenerate others, who must be confined, deported, removed or killed. With the degenerates and other enemies of the leader, or Party, heroically removed, then the nation will be restored to its true glory. It will be Great Again.
Heroism
Heroes are prepared to suffer and lay down their lives for the nation and the leader. Heroism is the great calling for men in particular, but women who have huge numbers of children, and devote themselves to family and nation are also heroes. The nation and the leader are one. Disagreements with the leader are displays of degeneracy (lack of heroism), or deliberate subversion. Heroism in the service of the leader is the supreme virtue.
Racism
Certain people are ideal representatives of the real people of the Nation, by skin colour, facial structures etc. They are superior by way of birth. Other people are ideal representatives of degenerate races, who pollute the blood of the dominant race. They must be confined, deported, removed or killed.
Nothing should be done to further racial equality because racial inequality is a fundamental truth and a real basis of life.
Eventually inferior races will be enslaved, die out or be helped to die out
Sexism
Women and men are completely different creatures. Women exist for the pleasure of superior males, and to bear children. This makes women content and families strong. Women who want a different life are degenerate and threaten the stability of the nation. and must be confined, deported, removed or killed.
Lives of superior race fetuses are far more important than the lives of women.
Hatred of Degeneracy
Disagreement with the leader or a lack of heroic enthusiasm for the leader is a mark of degeneracy and physical and spiritual corruption and decay. Degeneracy must be purged. It is vile.
Prime examples of degeneracy are people who do not embrace their heterosexual gender roles, the more vile and inferior races and mentally or physically deficient people even if of the superior race.
Degenerates are people who lead us to revert to the primal and unheroic slime.
Scapegoating
Fascism depends on purging enemies within. Everything that goes wrong is the fault of degenerate and evil people, who are not the ideal loyal race, gender or politics. In reality, they must belong to a fairly non-powerful group in the Nation, so they can be destroyed with ease, but they are portrayed as powerful and corrupting. Everyone is to be unified in hating the scapegoat. When the scapegoat group is purged, it is probable that another degenerate group will made to replace them, to keep the unity forged going.
Life
True life is obedience. Obedience via one’s free will is true freedom. Dedicated obedience may lead heroes to rise up the party hierarchy to their true level. Everyone occupies the position they do because of their natural abilities or because of degenerate corruption. The latter must be purged.
The lives of those who oppose the Party or the Nation are not sacred at all. They are to be exterminated.
Militarism
Heroism for the party is valued. Beating up opponents is valued. Being in pro-party militias is good.
Military order is good. Everyone must obey their superior without question as long as the instructions do not conflict with the leaders.
Fascists will increase military spending even if cutting spending on everything else.
Eventually the nation will have to reveal its destiny in war and conquest as God plans. The best system must rule its neighbours because of the power of destiny and superiority.
Suspension of Elections
Fascists are suspicious of elections. The only genuine elections are the ones that they win. Eventually they will suspend elections, as elections give the forces of degeneracy a way back in. They might have votes to determine the leader’s acclaim, and the leader will get at least 95% of the vote, but that’s it. The need for elections is essentially a liberal fallacy. Being voted out is an impossibility in a fair system as the leader knowns the people, and they know him, and could not vote him out.
Riches
The rich elites and corporations who support and fund the Party are treasures. They will receive cheap and disciplined labour and regulations favourable to them.
However, they must stay obedient to the leader to maintain their positions. While personal and business profit is expected, business is for the good of the leader and the nation.
The rich initially think they chose and control the party but they soon find out that the party cannot be challenged. It has a life of its own, but they generally accommodate.
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There may be other features of fascism, but these seem to be the basic points. The more some movement has of them, the more strongly identifiable as Fascist it is.
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