Fourteen Defining Characteristics Of Fascism

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Sun, 2 Oct 2005 21:46:17 -0700 (PDT)

Fourteen Defining Characteristics Of Fascism

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fourteen Defining Characteristics Of Fascism

By Dr. Lawrence Britt

Source Free Inquiry.co

5-28-3

 

 

Dr. Lawrence Britt has examined the fascist regimes of Hitler

(Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia) and

several Latin American regimes. Britt found 14 defining

characteristics common to each:

 

1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism - Fascist regimes tend to make

constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans, 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 in 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 of

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 perceived 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 nations tend to be

almost exclusively male-dominated. Under fascist regimes, traditional

gender roles are made more rigid. Divorce, abortion and homosexuality

are suppressed and the state is represented as the ultimate guardian

of the family institution.

 

6. Controlled Mass Media - Sometimes to 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 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 and letters is openly

attacked.

 

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.

 

From Liberty Forum

 

http://www.libertyforum.org/showflat.php?Cat= & Board=news_constitution & Number=642

109 & page= & view= & sb= & o= & vc=1 & t=-1