Facism....if the shoe fits, wear it.........

[Myrtle]

....from wikipedia (link to complete article at the end of this post)

Fascism (in Italian, fascismo), capitalized, was the authoritarian political movement which ruled Italy from 1922 to 1943 under the leadership of Benito Mussolini. Similar political movements, including Nazism, spread across Europe between World War I and World War II. Fascism generally attracted political support from big business, landowners, and patriotic, traditionalist, conservative, far-right, populist and reactionary individuals and groups. Classical fascism has also inspired contemporary neo-fascist organizations.

There is little agreement among historians, political scientists, and other scholars concerning the exact nature of fascism. Some scholars hold that fascism as a social movement employs elements from the political left, but it eventually allies with the political right, especially after attaining state power. A few argue that fascism is a form of socialism or left corporatism. See: Fascism and ideology.

There is also controversy surrounding the question of what political movements and governments belong to fascism. The most restrictive definitions of fascism include only one government - that of Benito Mussolini in Italy. The broadest definitions, on the other hand, may include every authoritarian state that has ever existed. Fascism is always associated with a very high degree of nationalism, and, after it attains political control of a country, involves a powerful, dictatorial state that views the nation as superior to the individuals or groups composing it. Fascism also typically calls for the regeneration of the nation and uses populist appeals to unity (Griffin).

The problem of defining fascism is complicated by the fact that the word fascist, used as an epithet, became an all-purpose insult after World War II, being widely applied to people on all sides of the political spectrum. In contemporary political discourse, adherents of some political ideologies tend to associate fascism with their enemies, or define it as the opposite of their own views.

Definition

The word "fascism" comes from fascio (plural: fasci), which may mean "bundle," as in a political or militant group or a nation, but also from the fasces (rods bundled around an axe), which were an ancient Roman symbol of the authority of magistrates. The Italian 'Fascisti' were also known as Black Shirts for their style of uniform incorporating a black shirt (See Also: political colour).

Merriam-Webster defines fascism as "a political philosophy, movement, or regime (as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition"[1]. The American Heritage Dictionary instead describes it as "A system of government that exercises a dictatorship of the extreme right, typically through the merging of state and business leadership, together with belligerent nationalism."[2]. The narrowest possible definition of fascism is the specific ideology of Mussolini's fascist state in Italy.

Scholar Stanley Payne's Fascism: Comparison and Definition (1980) uses a lengthy itemized list of characteristics to identify fascism, including the creation of an authoritarian state; a regulated, state-integrated economic sector; fascist symbolism; anti-liberalism; anti-communism and anti-conservatism[3]. A similar strategy was employed by semiotician Umberto Eco in his popular essay Eternal Fascism: Fourteen Ways of Looking at a Blackshirt[4]. More recently, an emphasis has been placed upon the aspect of fascist rhetoric that argues for a "re-birth" of a conflated nation and ethnic people[5].

Fascism in practice has expressed itself in both political and economic practices, and academics have examined these elements both together and in isolation. Hannah Arendt, whose focus is largely political, argues that regimes commonly thought of as fascist, such as Nazism, belong to a larger category of totalitarianisms, including communist dictatorships, such as that of Joseph Stalin[6]. Thayer Watkins, a professor of Economics from San Jose State University, identifies fascism as aligned with corporatism, a form of economic oppression that he argues includes most of the world's governments[7]. Watkins considers Mussolini's Fascist regime to be one example of the corporatist states that emerged during the Great Depression, including such diverse political systems as that of Spain, Argentina and the United States.

After the defeat of Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany in World War II, the term has taken on an extremely pejorative meaning, largely in reaction to the crimes against humanity committed by the Nazis. Today, very few groups proclaim themselves fascist, and the term is often used to describe individuals or political groups who are perceived to behave in an authoritarian or totalitarian manner; by silencing opposition, judging personal behavior, promoting racism, or otherwise attempting to concentrate power and create hate towards the "enemies of the state".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facism

p.s. Please be aware that there is much disagreement regarding even the correct definition of the term facism as a complete review of the link provided above will show.

[BCPVP]

While the historical meaning of Facism is interesting, I'm confused as to why there's a thread about it and nothing to really discuss. Am I missing something?

[Myrtle]

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While the historical meaning of Facism is interesting, I'm confused as to why there's a thread about it and nothing to really discuss. Am I missing something?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes

[whiskeytown]

I think I get your point -

Fascism is the merging of Business Interests with a Govt. that is solely governed by one entity that suppresses opposition -

much like our current administration.

it's a bit of a stretch - esp. given the fact it's Wikipedia's definition - but by nature I avoid calling anyone Fascist or Nazi unless they hate Jews - (also another selling point for your argument about Republicans, but again, a bit of a stretch)

RB

[Myrtle]

[ QUOTE ]
I think I get your point -

Fascism is the merging of Business Interests with a Govt. that is solely governed by one entity that suppresses opposition -

much like our current administration.

it's a bit of a stretch - esp. given the fact it's Wikipedia's definition - but by nature I avoid calling anyone Fascist or Nazi unless they hate Jews - (also another selling point for your argument about Republicans, but again, a bit of a stretch)

RB

[/ QUOTE ]

Interesting response, Whiskey.

Not quite what I was thinking, although you bring up a number of points that can certainly be discussed.

I was thining more along the lines of the sharply divided ideologies demonstated by the posters on this board.

[theweatherman]

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but by nature I avoid calling anyone Fascist or Nazi unless they hate Jews

[/ QUOTE ]

This makes no sense, do you see why?

[BCPVP]

Well my confusion was basically between whether you were implyinig the point that Whiskey made or the one you clarified. Is this a response to the increase in anarcho-capitalists in this forum?

[JackWhite]

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I avoid calling anyone Fascist or Nazi unless they hate Jews - (also another selling point for your argument about Republicans, but again, a bit of a stretch)

[/ QUOTE ]

What evidence do you have that Republicans hate Jews?

[Cyrus]

[ QUOTE ]
I avoid calling anyone Fascist or Nazi unless they hate Jews.

[/ QUOTE ]

The German fascists of Hitler's time, aka Nazis, were strongly anti-Semitic. The Italian fascisti had little or no beef with the Jews.

[whiskeytown]

concidently, neither did the Japanese - they protected Jewish immigrants in Shanghai.

But the fact is, Fascist and Anti-Semitism are too closely associated - it's sort of a guilt by association, and unless someone calls themselves a fascist, I'm not inclined to tar them with that brush.

Not to mention calling everyone I disagree with a fascist or Nazi, in addition to being wrong, is just stupid. That's the argument of the weak minded, which is why Paul Phillips pissed me off so bad with his usage of it, though I understand now he says he was being satrical.

RB