Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly and others at Fox News plus Rush Limbaugh throw around the terms fascism, Nazism, socialism and communism interchangeably in making false accusations against liberals, Democrats, and especially the Obama administration. Their outrageously false and revisionist mutterings of course make little sense, except to their ignorant right wing audiences. Well how do they explain Obama simultaneously being far left and far right? Simple, just redefine and recast the anti-liberal fascism and Nazism, a form of fascism, as being extreme left liberal political philosophies.
Of course this ridiculous maneuver would expect to be challenged by recognized historians and political scientists, but no matter. Create your own "expert" on fascism to promote it as a far left political ideology. That so-called expert is Jonah Goldberg, editor-at-large for the right wing National Review whose 2008 book, Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left, From Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning grossly misrepresents and redefines fascism as a left wing liberal philosophy. But it provides the needed cover for the right wing media pundits like Beck and the Tea Party to slam Barack Obama and other liberal politicians as fascists and Nazis.
Robert Paxton, noted historian and author of the highly acclaimed book, The Anatomy of Fascism, provides an opinion on Goldberg's book in Crooks and Liars:
"But it's obvious that, despite the cold reality that Goldberg's thesis is profoundly dishonest and the most odious kind of historical fraud, right-wingers like Beck not only believe it but have embarked on avidly promoting it -- especially among the Tea Party set, where the signs calling Obama a fascist are almost as common as those decrying his tax increases."
David Neiwert, noted author of The Eliminationists, How Hate Talk Radicalized the American Right, provides his perspective on Goldberg's book in the American Prospect:
"Goldberg, who has no credentials beyond the right-wing nepotism that has enabled his career as a pundit, has drawn a kind of history in absurdly broad and comically wrongheaded strokes. It is not just history done badly, or mere revisionism. It’s a caricature of reality, like something from a comic-book alternative universe: Bizarro history. ..The title alone is enough to indicate its thorough going incoherence: Of all the things we know about fascism and the traits that comprise it, one of the few things that historians will readily agree upon is its overwhelming anti-liberalism. One might as well write about anti-Semitic neo-conservatism, or Ptolemaic quantum theory, or strength in ignorance. Goldberg isn't content to simply create an oxymoron; this entire enterprise, in fact, is classic Newspeak."
It is beyond me how Goldberg, Beck and others at Fox News can so blatantly revise history to suit their own political agendas. But they do it regularly and they get away with it.
One of the traits of fascism is a controlled media that feeds the public information that they need to hear or what they want to hear. If one day America abandons democracy for a fascist state, it will come from the far right of the Tea Party with Glenn Beck leading the way, waving the flag. And like the Germans and Italians before them, very few will recognize what had happened to them.
Comments are invited.
El Prezidente Kaboom,
All good points about the history of fascism and its traits. The topic is worthy of discussion, not that we have anything to fear from Barack Obama, but rather the opposite. The Tea Party antics exhibit many fascist traits, but I would certainly not call them fascist...not yet. Many of the grass roots members are manipulated by "hidden masters" with their own agendas. We do need to worry, however, about the longer term trend to the right in American politics. History has a tendency to repeat itself, and in my mind a new form a fascism could emerge if economic conditions don't improve for the middle class or worsens with a double dip recession. Key points on fascism that are not understood by the populace:
Fascism is a collection of characteristics that taken together define a specific form of fascism, but individually might relate to fascism, socialism or even capitalism.
Fascism is a form of totalitarianism, but not all totalitarian governments are fascists (e.g. North Korea). David Neiwert in his book, The Eliminationists, is critical of Joanah Goldberg's description of fascism that fits totalitarianism generally, but not fascism specifically.
The form of government/economic system that might emerge in a fascist USA would likely not mirror that of old Europe. Rather I believe it would have a much heavier corporate influence with the government doing the bidding of the corporations. Yes this is strictly not fascism as we know it, but it seems to be the trend that if left unchecked could lead us into the same kind of predicament of pre World War II Europe.
Fascism emphasizes national unity and "passionate nationalism." Hyper-patriotism, excessive flag waving, and "country first" slogans are traits that would fit well with fascism, but of course are not unique to fascism.
The Nazi form of fascism especially emphasized the superiority of the white race and went so far as to use eugenics to ensure the purity of the Aryan race. This fascist trait of white supremacy manifests itself today in the hyperbole around proposed anti-immigration laws and racial slurs cast at Barack Obama, but of course not to that extreme.
Fascists movements are anti-intellectual and are suspicious of academia. They attack the educated with such terms as "elitists." Why would some Tea Partiers advocate abolishing the Department of Education?
Fascists are militants and believe in imperialism. The Bush Doctrine could be characterized as a fascist leaning trait. Fascists oppose pacifists as "un-masculine."
Fascists have a Social Darwinist ideology...survival of the fittest. They have a disdain for the weak, and oppose most forms of welfare. The conservative movement of today likewise sees welfare as socialism, and the Social Security and Medicare programs as "Big Government" programs.
Although religion was not a major issue with Mussolini and Hitler fascism, modern fascism would likely embody many of the characteristics of Christian fundamentalism. Chris Hedges in his book, American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America, sees worrisome similarities between totalitarian, fascist governments and the rise of Dominionism in America.
Fascists oppose homosexuality calling it degenerate and perverted, but curable through therapy. Where have we heard that in America?
Well this list is not all inclusive and is certainly open to debate. I'll leave it for now. Your discussion of American liberalism and laissez-faire principles adds another dimension of complexity. I'll give it some thought and respond later. Hitting the road tomorrow for a short vacation.