FASCISM - n. [fash-iz-uhm]

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/fascism

American Heritage Dictionary -
fas·cism (f?sh'?z'?m) Pronunciation Key
n.
often Fascism
A system of government marked by centralization of authority under a dictator, stringent socioeconomic controls, suppression of the opposition through terror and censorship, and typically a policy of belligerent nationalism and racism.
A political philosophy or movement based on or advocating such a system of government.
Oppressive, dictatorial control.





Note: Today, the term fascist is used loosely to refer to military dictatorships, as well as governments or individuals that profess racism and that act in an arbitrary, high-handed manner.




http://www.whoseflorida.com/misc_pages/14_characteristics_fascism.htm


The 14 Characteristics of Fascism

Dr. Lawrence Britt, a political scientist, wrote an article about fascism, which appeared in Free Inquiry magazine -- a journal of humanist thought. Dr. Britt studied the fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia), and Pinochet (Chile). He found the regimes all had 14 things in common, and he calls these the identifying characteristics of fascism. The article is "Fascism Anyone?," Lawrence Britt, Free Inquiry, Spring 2003, page 20.

The 14 characteristics are:

1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism - Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans, symb ols, 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. Opposition to abortion is high, as is homophobia and anti-gay legislation and national policy.

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 is openly attacked, and governments often refuse to fund the arts.

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.

Fascism is associated by many scholars with one or more of the following characteristics: a very high degree of nationalism, economic corporatism,

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

Most modern dictionaries use the definition as you posted in the OP. Try a dictionary that is 20+ yrs old, one might find the Corporatist definition, then there is the Mussolini definition, the marriage of state & corporation.

You list of 14 points are not solely the territory of Fascism, thus some deem the 14 points as too broad of a brush. IMHO the 14 points are totalitarianism.

Franklin D. Roosevelt, president of the United States from 1933 to 1945, described fascism as follows:
The first truth is that the liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than their democratic state itself. That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power.

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

Peter Green

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.showvids&friendID=158369001&n=158369001&MyToken=ede8b3a3-db6b-42ae-9903-35eb9303465b

In 2000, Frank Bruni was covering the Bush campaign for the NYT. I met him at a Columbia function afterwards and asked him if he didn't think the Bush administration met the dictionary definition of fascism. He actually JUMPED backwards and squeaked, 'No!" Then he asked me, "What IS the dictionary definition of fascism?"

I just googled his name and discovered that in 2004 he became the NYT's restaurant reviewer. Not meant for politics, I guess.

Free Inquiry broke with their editorial policy - of not being specifically political - to condemn the rush to war with Iraq. I think that is in the same issue.

http://mwcnews.net/media/flash/Fascism.html

--IMM

k&r

http://www.secularhumanism.org/library/fi/britt_23_2.htm

But there are plenty of people out there trying their damnedest to get us there.

Starting with Chimpy the unitary executive and the full exploitation of the "new Pearl Harbor" to get us to agree to things like the Patriot Act.

Hitler would have never gotten anywhere had it not been for the backing of industrialists and bankers, including certain Americans. His ideology then provided the means for his cronies and associates to build his own military and through corruption and intimidation allow him to become a dictator. Only when his ideology got out of control did American aristocracy begin to turn.

Number 9 is important though. It's what distinguishes right wing dictatorships and oligarchies from their counterparts on the left wing.

Thanks for the thread Matsubara.

Here's a link to a poll for those that might wish to weigh in on the question: "Is this administration fascist?"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1130782

www.zeitgeistmovie.com

Your life will be changed.

We are heading towards global fascism.

Ron Paul/Bill Maher 08

feu·dal·ism (fyōōd'l-ĭz'əm) Pronunciation Key
n.

1. A political and economic system of Europe from the 9th to about the 15th century, based on the holding of all land in fief or fee and the resulting relation of lord to vassal and characterized by homage, legal and military service of tenants, and forfeiture.
2. A political, economic, or social order resembling this medieval system.

Todays feudalism is based on Corporate control of all access to power. Media, government, economy, and property are all controlled by modern Corporations. People are placed into permanent debt and held in place by Corporations holding the consumer in check.