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According to the dictionary definition of fascism ( https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/fascism ), Stalin's Russia was also "fascist", and won many wars, invading and occupying free democracies (Poland) for years.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
One difficulty is that fascism is a very modern phenomenon, in the sense that it stood out to 20C societies because they had known alternative forms of state power, whereas someone in 14C England, say, would not have known any other form of governance than the unchecked power of the State (strictly, the King) and in particular the use of force to compel behavior, which is of course the hallmark of fascism. It would b…
> whereas someone in 14C England, say, would not have known any other form of governance than the unchecked power of the State (strictly, the King) The king's powers were not unchecked. People had human rights by custom and law (Magna Carter, for example), parliament controlled taxation, aristocrats had a great deal of power, the Church had a lot of power. Nowhere near democracy, but a very different system from an u…
It's a fun read and an interesting premise. It's a bit light on rigor than I hoped when I saw the title. It describes 3 fascist or near-fascist states that lost in recent history: Germany, Italy, Franco's Spain. But I wanted to know if Rome under Julius Caesar would be considered fascist? Alexander of Macedon? And also non-western states as well. IMO it is less about fascism but wars of conquests that are more likely…
One difficulty is that fascism is a very modern phenomenon, in the sense that it stood out to 20C societies because they had known alternative forms of state power, whereas someone in 14C England, say, would not have known any other form of governance than the unchecked power of the State (strictly, the King) and in particular the use of force to compel behavior, which is of course the hallmark of fascism. It would b…
The hallmarks of fascism include ultranationalism, mythic unity, supression of dissent, but go even further.
Instead of seeking stable control, fascism constructs an intense line of escape that it transforms into pure destruction and abolition, demonstrating a realized nihilism that goes beyond mere authoritarian management.
Fascist violence is driven by a psychological death drive—a desire not only to harm others but ultimately to destroy oneself. Under fascism, the government evolves into a suicidal state engages in a risky flirtation with its own self destruction.
Historically, this is evidenced by the Nazi rallying cry "long live death," the pivot of investments from production to pure destruction, and Hitler's 1945 order (Telegram 71) to destroy Germany's remaining infrastructure, effectively declaring that "if the war is lost, may the nation perish".
The suppression of dissent manifests as the accelerated destruction of state institutions, the severing of public assistance, and reducing the everyday presence of the federal government to masked armed agents in the streets, disappearing our neighbors and shooting civilians.
Above-and-beyons mere authoritarianksm, fascism exploits people's alienation, replacing valid grievances with a psychosis of total war and a nihilistic push toward self-destruction.
It's a fun read and an interesting premise. It's a bit light on rigor than I hoped when I saw the title. It describes 3 fascist or near-fascist states that lost in recent history: Germany, Italy, Franco's Spain. But I wanted to know if Rome under Julius Caesar would be considered fascist? Alexander of Macedon? And also non-western states as well. IMO it is less about fascism but wars of conquests that are more likely…
Where did Franco lose? He won the civil war and his administration survived until his own death.
According to the dictionary definition of fascism ( https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/fascism ), Stalin's Russia was also "fascist", and won many wars, invading and occupying free democracies (Poland) for years.
I think this essay suffers from an attempt to define fascism so narrowly it only actually includes two countries - Nazi Germany and Mussolini's Italy, who were both defeated by the same set of powers in the same war - while simultaneously stating that there's a specific quality of fascism - namely, an unwise focus on the signifiers of military strength rather than actual military strength - that is applicable to a bu…
According to the dictionary definition of fascism ( https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/fascism ), Stalin's Russia was also "fascist", and won many wars, invading and occupying free democracies (Poland) for years.
but fascist in the original sense -- as created by mussolini -- was aggressive nationalism combined with corporatism, and a reclaiming of lost glory (revanchism)
george w bush's america is closer to classical fascism than stalin would ever be
It's a fun read and an interesting premise. It's a bit light on rigor than I hoped when I saw the title. It describes 3 fascist or near-fascist states that lost in recent history: Germany, Italy, Franco's Spain. But I wanted to know if Rome under Julius Caesar would be considered fascist? Alexander of Macedon? And also non-western states as well. IMO it is less about fascism but wars of conquests that are more likely…
he was, arguably, the only successful "true" fascist
It's a fun read and an interesting premise. It's a bit light on rigor than I hoped when I saw the title. It describes 3 fascist or near-fascist states that lost in recent history: Germany, Italy, Franco's Spain. But I wanted to know if Rome under Julius Caesar would be considered fascist? Alexander of Macedon? And also non-western states as well. IMO it is less about fascism but wars of conquests that are more likely…
One difficulty is that fascism is a very modern phenomenon, in the sense that it stood out to 20C societies because they had known alternative forms of state power, whereas someone in 14C England, say, would not have known any other form of governance than the unchecked power of the State (strictly, the King) and in particular the use of force to compel behavior, which is of course the hallmark of fascism. It would b…
but before then a kings power was regularly checked, both by custom, law, and political realities -- e.g. your vassals account for most of your army.