interesting article...

[dgmodel]

do you see any correlations?

The 14 Characteristics of Fascism

by Lawrence Britt

Free Inquiry magazine

Political scientist Dr. Lawrence Britt recently wrote an article about fascism ("Fascism Anyone?," Free Inquiry, page 20). Studying the fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia), and Pinochet (Chile), Dr. Britt found they all had 14 elements in common. He calls these the identifying characteristics of fascism. The excerpt is in accordance with the magazine's policy.

The 14 characteristics are:

Powerful and Continuing Nationalism

Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottoes, slogans, symbols, songs, and other paraphernalia. Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Obsession with National Security

Fear is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses.

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.

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.

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 .

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.

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.

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.

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.

Copyright © Free Inquiry magazine

Reprinted for Fair Use Only.

http://www.veteransforpeace.org/The...tics_030303.htm

[barraquilla]

do you see any correlations?

Powerful and Continuing Nationalism

Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottoes, slogans, symbols, songs, and other paraphernalia. Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays.

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.

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.

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.

Obsession with National Security

Fear is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses.

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.

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.

i feel these are pretty much on target.

However, he's off with "Fraudulent Elections" and he's way off with miltary service or soldiers being glamorized. as for "Religion and Government are Intertwined"... not yet, but some are trying reallllly hard. he's also off with "Rampant Cronyism", as one could argue it is always the case, fascism or not.

nice article.

[dgmodel]

http://www.oldamericancentury.org/14pts.htm

[italia23]

Interesting article, and I do see most of the parallels. But it should also be noted that a lot of these points are generally healthy characteristics of a society that have been perverted and twisted to work to the advantage of a particular despot. I co-sign on the points previously made by Baraquilla, and also add:

1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism... Not a bad thing at all. Although occasionally overdone and somewhat commercialized, I don't see American patriotism as an exception to the national pride in most other countries.

2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights... If you think the methods of interrogation and imprisonment used in Guantanamo are something new, you are mistaken. WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm...all utilized unconventional handling of foreign POWs, you just never heard about it...remember, modern-day Liberalism is not the same as what it used to be. And after all, none of this can even compare to what has been done, and what continues to be done to American POWs.

3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause... Scapegoating is a perversion of using the identification of enemies as a unifying cause. Except for a few isolated incidences, I don't think anyone has really been scapegoated.

4. Supremacy of the Military... Well, according to the majority of the population, homeland security is priority #1. Add to that the fact that the military and its funding were excessively cut by the previous administration.

5. Rampant Sexism... Campared to the rest of the world, I think the United States is one of the more progressive nations when it comes to human rights, and can hardly be labeled as "male-dominated". And I don't necessarily with the idea that opposition to abortion and gay rights is high. If anything, the majority of the population is more socially progressive, or otherwise, generally apathetic.

6. Controlled Mass Media... Censorship of what? Besides the broadcasting of strategic military locations and photographs of American military caskets, I don't really see anything that has changed.

7. Obsession with National Security... Concerned, but not obsessed. The PATRIOT Act doesn't bother me, nor inconvenience me in any way.

8. Religion and Government are Intertwined... I think the power of Republicans from the south is largely overstated. After the '06 elections (in which I predict the Republicans will lose seats) this will become more apparent. Or at least it's what I think.

9. Corporate Power is Protected... I see somewhat of a correlation here, however, Hitler, Mussolini, etc. came into power under dire circumstances, in which the country was poor and the people were starving. Thankfully, the U.S. doesn't have this problem.

10. Labor Power is Suppressed... I wouldn't say the unions are suppressed. They ARE weakened, due to the influx of cheaper labor entering the country from Central America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, etc.

11. Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts... Academia (students and professorts) as well as the arts (musicans, Hollywood) are notorious for their rampant liberalism. Naturally, since Liberalism and Facsicm are almost polar opposites on the political spectrum, one will try to stamp out the other. Besides, I have yet to see or hear of any open hostility to either. And personally, at a time like this, I don't really see funding of the arts as a national priority.

12. Obsession with Crime and Punishment... Far from unlimited powers, I must say. Again, the PATRIOT Act doesn't bother me.

13. Rampant Cronyism and Corruption... It's a stretch, but I guess I can see where he's coming from.

14. Fraudulent Elections... Ah, this argument has been beaten to death and needs a thread unto its own.

Just my thoughts, man.

[siceone]

Are you saying this is like america?