Some days I wish I were one of those bloggers that wrote about how their dog always poops on the new furniture. But I get to reading and watching and listening and ideas strike. Some are far better than others. But I usually at least make a go of them. If you saw all my unfinished blog entries you’d be shocked. I’ve left a good many ideas unfinished because I just couldn’t find the words and ideas to finish them.
But enough about my lack of writing skills, I have an idea. I’ve been reading and listening and watching and hearing a lot about how America is in some ways resembling a fascist state. Now I’m not going to attempt to convince you that the good ole US of A is letting her democratic government slide into the pit of fascism. But there are some things that have given me pause. I think it’s always good to remember that democracy is not forged steel but rather delicate china. It can be easily broken if the citizens are not careful to protect it.
For those of you not well versed in politics I shall now offer a definition of fascism. Please note however there are many definitions of fascism. So I picked one straight from the source, Benito Mussolini. The following is from his book, The Political and Social Doctrine of Fascism.
"Granted that the 19th century was the century of socialism, liberalism, democracy, this does not mean that the 20th century must also be the century of socialism, liberalism, democracy. Political doctrines pass; nations remain. We are free to believe that this is the century of authority, a century tending to the 'right', a Fascist century. If the 19th century was the century of the individual (liberalism implies individualism) we are free to believe that this is the 'collective' century, and therefore the century of the State."
Now what did we learn there? We learned that fascism favors the state over the individual. Mussolini also stated that fascism could also very well be called corporatism. Because fascism is government in which both corporations and the government act as one.
Now what does an Italian fascist have to do with modern American politics you may ask? Well there are some unsettling similarities between fascism and current US policy. I want you to go to the following link and read something. It’s an article by Henry Wallace from 1944. Wallace was the Vice-President under FDR. He preceded Harry Truman. Fascism Column.
OK now that you’ve digested that fine bit of writing let me comment on a few points.
First this fine quote, “The American fascist would prefer not to use violence. His method is to poison the channels of public information. With a fascist the problem is never how best to present the truth to the public but how best to use the news to deceive the public into giving the fascist and his group more money or more power.”
Does what this administration has done with the tragedy of September 11th sound eerily similar to this? Every time this administration gets into trouble they seem to play the 9/11 card. They have used this war to evade Congressional oversight. The powers they claim being at war gives them to stonewall investigations.
Now this, “If we define an American fascist as one who in case of conflict puts money and power ahead of human beings, then there are undoubtedly several million fascists in the United States. There are probably several hundred thousand if we narrow the definition to include only those who in their search for money and power are ruthless and deceitful. Most American fascists are enthusiastically supporting the war effort. They are doing this even in those cases where they hope to have profitable connections with German chemical firms after the war ends. They are patriotic in time of war because it is to their interest to be so, but in time of peace they follow power and the dollar wherever they may lead.”
War profiteers used to be considered evil. Now corporations like Halliburton make billion s in the war effort and no one says a word.
This administration has consistently put corporations and power ahead of people. Just look at the state of affairs in Iraq or New Orleans.
OK I’ve given you enough to chew on for now. But there is a lot more to come soon. Included will be the 14 points common to fascist governments and how the current state of our own country compares.
But enough about my lack of writing skills, I have an idea. I’ve been reading and listening and watching and hearing a lot about how America is in some ways resembling a fascist state. Now I’m not going to attempt to convince you that the good ole US of A is letting her democratic government slide into the pit of fascism. But there are some things that have given me pause. I think it’s always good to remember that democracy is not forged steel but rather delicate china. It can be easily broken if the citizens are not careful to protect it.
For those of you not well versed in politics I shall now offer a definition of fascism. Please note however there are many definitions of fascism. So I picked one straight from the source, Benito Mussolini. The following is from his book, The Political and Social Doctrine of Fascism.
"Granted that the 19th century was the century of socialism, liberalism, democracy, this does not mean that the 20th century must also be the century of socialism, liberalism, democracy. Political doctrines pass; nations remain. We are free to believe that this is the century of authority, a century tending to the 'right', a Fascist century. If the 19th century was the century of the individual (liberalism implies individualism) we are free to believe that this is the 'collective' century, and therefore the century of the State."
Now what did we learn there? We learned that fascism favors the state over the individual. Mussolini also stated that fascism could also very well be called corporatism. Because fascism is government in which both corporations and the government act as one.
Now what does an Italian fascist have to do with modern American politics you may ask? Well there are some unsettling similarities between fascism and current US policy. I want you to go to the following link and read something. It’s an article by Henry Wallace from 1944. Wallace was the Vice-President under FDR. He preceded Harry Truman. Fascism Column.
OK now that you’ve digested that fine bit of writing let me comment on a few points.
First this fine quote, “The American fascist would prefer not to use violence. His method is to poison the channels of public information. With a fascist the problem is never how best to present the truth to the public but how best to use the news to deceive the public into giving the fascist and his group more money or more power.”
Does what this administration has done with the tragedy of September 11th sound eerily similar to this? Every time this administration gets into trouble they seem to play the 9/11 card. They have used this war to evade Congressional oversight. The powers they claim being at war gives them to stonewall investigations.
Now this, “If we define an American fascist as one who in case of conflict puts money and power ahead of human beings, then there are undoubtedly several million fascists in the United States. There are probably several hundred thousand if we narrow the definition to include only those who in their search for money and power are ruthless and deceitful. Most American fascists are enthusiastically supporting the war effort. They are doing this even in those cases where they hope to have profitable connections with German chemical firms after the war ends. They are patriotic in time of war because it is to their interest to be so, but in time of peace they follow power and the dollar wherever they may lead.”
War profiteers used to be considered evil. Now corporations like Halliburton make billion s in the war effort and no one says a word.
This administration has consistently put corporations and power ahead of people. Just look at the state of affairs in Iraq or New Orleans.
OK I’ve given you enough to chew on for now. But there is a lot more to come soon. Included will be the 14 points common to fascist governments and how the current state of our own country compares.
posted by Eric at 9:31 PM
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