Fascism Part III
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
This is the third of my letters dealing with the ideology of past fascist and semi-fascist regimes such as Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, Imperial Japan, Nationalist China, Francoist Spain, Peronist Argentina, and Vichy France, along with various fringe elements of the American Right of our nation's political spectrum. The first and second parts of my letter were printed in the Feb. 28 and March 28 editions of the Times-Union. This part of my letter will summarize the common characteristics of pure fascism.
Before I begin, the following should be noted: First, each of these characteristics by themselves have been practiced in one form or another for centuries before being molded together into a common belief system in the early 20th century by several infamous historical figures. Second, the previously mentioned fascist and semi-fascist regimes were never able or willing to fully implement all of these characteristics. Third, this is a preliminary list subject to future revision if necessary. Fourth, if a person, political party, or government strongly believes in implementing or has implemented most or all of these characteristics,then they are fascist.
Common Characteristics Of Pure Fascism
I. Aggression as Foreign Policy
1. Empire-building.
2. Fanatically pro-war.
3. Two-faced blackmailing diplomacy.
4. Anti-international law and order/cooperation.
5. Hyperpatriotism and/or a xenophobic/chauvinistic attitude toward other nation's and their people's.
6. Teaming up with other fascist countries to conquer the world.
II. Gangsters Politics
1. Willingness to use armed uprisings and/or illegal means to gain political power.
2. Kidnappings, beatings, torture and assassinations of political opponents.
3. Use of armed demonstrations/marches, street violence and riots to cause chaos.
4. Widespread corruption such as bribery, theft, fraud, blackmail, dishonesty, etc.
5. Public officials managing their respective bureaucratic agencies as their own personal empires.
6. The electoral process is views only as a means of gaining political power.
7. Sham elections and rubber-stamp legislatures.
8. Keeping the general public in the dark about the inner workings of their government through excessive secrecy of non-national security related information and frequent closed-door decision-making sessions.
9. Overall "we are above the law" attitude.
The remaining characteristics or pure fascism will follow shortly.
Alexander Houze
Leesburg[[In-content Ad]]
This is the third of my letters dealing with the ideology of past fascist and semi-fascist regimes such as Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, Imperial Japan, Nationalist China, Francoist Spain, Peronist Argentina, and Vichy France, along with various fringe elements of the American Right of our nation's political spectrum. The first and second parts of my letter were printed in the Feb. 28 and March 28 editions of the Times-Union. This part of my letter will summarize the common characteristics of pure fascism.
Before I begin, the following should be noted: First, each of these characteristics by themselves have been practiced in one form or another for centuries before being molded together into a common belief system in the early 20th century by several infamous historical figures. Second, the previously mentioned fascist and semi-fascist regimes were never able or willing to fully implement all of these characteristics. Third, this is a preliminary list subject to future revision if necessary. Fourth, if a person, political party, or government strongly believes in implementing or has implemented most or all of these characteristics,then they are fascist.
Common Characteristics Of Pure Fascism
I. Aggression as Foreign Policy
1. Empire-building.
2. Fanatically pro-war.
3. Two-faced blackmailing diplomacy.
4. Anti-international law and order/cooperation.
5. Hyperpatriotism and/or a xenophobic/chauvinistic attitude toward other nation's and their people's.
6. Teaming up with other fascist countries to conquer the world.
II. Gangsters Politics
1. Willingness to use armed uprisings and/or illegal means to gain political power.
2. Kidnappings, beatings, torture and assassinations of political opponents.
3. Use of armed demonstrations/marches, street violence and riots to cause chaos.
4. Widespread corruption such as bribery, theft, fraud, blackmail, dishonesty, etc.
5. Public officials managing their respective bureaucratic agencies as their own personal empires.
6. The electoral process is views only as a means of gaining political power.
7. Sham elections and rubber-stamp legislatures.
8. Keeping the general public in the dark about the inner workings of their government through excessive secrecy of non-national security related information and frequent closed-door decision-making sessions.
9. Overall "we are above the law" attitude.
The remaining characteristics or pure fascism will follow shortly.
Alexander Houze
Leesburg[[In-content Ad]]
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