Characteristics of Fascist Nations

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> P

> Wed, 1 Sep 2004

> Characteristics of Fascist Nations

 

>

> Identifying Characteristics of Fascist Nations:

>

> " #1: Powerful and continuing nationalism - Fascist

> regimes tend to make

> constant use of patriotic mottos, 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 of 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 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

> preceived 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

> regimes tend to be almost

> exclusively male-dominated. Under fascist regimes,

> traditional gender roles are

> more rigid. Opposition to abortion is high, as is

> homophobia and anti-gay

> legislation and national policy. "

>

> " #6: Controlled Mass Media - Sometimes the 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 of 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 is openly attacked, and

> governments often refuse to

> fund the arts. "

>

> " #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. "

>

> --Dr. Lawrence Britt, political scientist, who

> studied the fascist regimes of

> Hitler, Mussolini, Franco, Suharto and Pinochet and

> who compiled their 14

> shared identifying characteristics.

>