Gord said:
> >Helpful hint. Fascists do not believe in:
> >1. Constitutional government.
> >2. Capitalism.
> >3. Democracy.
> I thought that the fascists were SNIP
> I'd love mroe info if anyone knows either way.
Fascism has probably lost much of its meaning in common use. It comes from
the fascia, an icon of broken sticks tied together and symbolises creating
order from dis-order. As opposed to Liberalism where the individual is the
end and society the means, for Fascism, society is the end and the
individual has no rights in regard to the existing social order which is
personified by an infallible leader such as Mussolini in Italy or Franco in
Spain. Many describe Nazism (National Socialism) as Fascism. The Japanese,
prior to the end of WW2, were also described as Fascists.
The industrialists' leader, Mussolini, was appointed by the king to create
order from dis-order. (Hence the joke about the trains running to schedule
under Fascism).
Fascism protects the existing social order by suppression of the working
class through force and by re-directing discontent through propaganda by
providing a scapegoat such as the Jew or any other suitable foreigner
thereby creating the psychological readiness of the population for war.
So Fascism is totalitarian and nationalistic.
Fascism is definitely compatible with capitalism, (the private ownership of
the means of production), as in Italy it was the capitalist industrialists
who promoted it.
If you accept that Nazism was just the German brand of Fascism, then Fascism
is compatible with democracy as Hitler was initially democratically voted
into power.
And in a corrupt or imperfect democracy:
"Those who cast the votes decide nothing.
Those who count the votes decide everything." Josef Stalin.
Constitutional government and Fascism would not appear to be so compatible
but it's early days yet. Let us see what happens after January 20 next
year(:>).
Bob.
