They tend to be associated with certain forms of government, but don’t have to be. Thus it’s is only natural to think of fascism like so:įirst, and I don’t want to spend too much time on this, but FIRST, capitalism and socialism are not systems of governance. Americans against the British Imperialists, Americans against the Nazis, Americans against the Communists, America against the terrorists. This error is commonplace because American history is always taught in public school as the narrative of the triumph of capitalist American democracy against all forms of tyranny or revolution. But fascism is something more specific, a philosophy defined by a particular powder keg of values. To many Americans, fascism is just another word for despotism, or any moves away from democracy. The Myth of Progress Fascism Isn’t Synonymous with Tyranny (What Fascism Isn’t)
We have to talk about this. This is the first in a series of long reads that is intended to give you-regardless of your shade on the political spectrum-the ability to recognize and discuss fascism. I used to laugh when my right-wing friends shared images of Obama as a fascist, but that was a mistake. Meanwhile, opposition on the left uses the word indiscriminately to bash anything they disagree with, or worse, they lack the knowledge to identify it at all.
People support fascist ideologies while thinking they are opposing fascism by supporting “the All-American Way” ( for example, this exchange). There’s a growing fascist movement in America that we aren’t prepared to grapple with.