“And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?”
W.B.Yeats, The Second Coming, 1919
FASCISM is traditionally described as a far-right, authoritarian movement characterized by a dictatorial leader, exploiting the politics of anger and resentment, hyper-nationalism, and attacks on democratic institutions. There are countless books, articles, and websites discussing its history, methodology, and characteristics, as well as innumerable personal accounts and fictional dystopian depictions of fascist regimes.
NEO-FASCISM is the same old wine (or vinegar, or acid) in new bottles, now circulating openly in America and around the world.
To better understand the re-emergence (and re-ascendence) of this toxic ideology, here are presented four “faces” by which neo-fascism can be more readily recognized. (Each “face” of neo-fascism will be examined in greater detail in future posts.)
The Demagogue
Demagogues gain popularity by exploiting emotions, prejudices, and ignorance. Skilled at oratory, they appeal to passion over reason. Through simplistic slogans and promises, vulgarity and ridicule, fear-mongering and scapegoating, they shut down rational thought and intentionally arouse racial, religious, and class prejudices. They are especially expert at turning one part of the populace against another and at leveraging the deep fears and hatreds of a small minority into a fanatical following with power out of all proportion to their numbers.
“Demagogues are like fishers for eels; in still waters they catch nothing, but if they thoroughly stir up the slime, their fishing is good.” (Aristophanes, 424 BC)
Demagogues are always pathological liars who overturn established norms of political conduct in the guise of “I’m not a politician.” They have an insatiable lust for power (always under the guise of “man of the people”) and a grandiose sense of omnipotence (“I alone can can fix this”). Their narcissistic self-deification allows them to ignore all constitutional limits and to unravel democratic institutions in order to consolidate their own personal power. The demagogue’s true goal is always the same: to use democratic means to achieve power, and then to convert democracy into dictatorship.
The Politics of Resentment
The times they are a’changin’, and for many Americans, not in a good way. Everywhere there are people who feel left behind, left out, and betrayed. And the demagogic leader skillfully leverages their frustration and anger and resentment to his own ends, always pointing his finger at the scapegoats: “They,” he tells his followers, are to blame for your dissatisfactions, “they” are taking over your country, “they” are replacing you.
Early in his career Hitler stirred up crowds with the claim that “they stabbed us in the back.” When asked who exactly were “they,” he said it didn’t matter; people could project any enemy onto that word.
The basic fundamental key was this: “they” are not like us.
Perennially, of course, “they” were the Jews. Long ago Nietzsche called anti-semitism the “ideology of those who feel cheated,” and in 2017 the world witnessed hundreds of angry tiki-torch-carrying white males winding their way through the University of Charlottesville campus chanting “Jews will not replace us.” (White males especially feel themselves under attack by wide-ranging demographic, economic, and societal changes.)
But in today’s neo-fascist world “they” take many forms: Muslims, Mexicans, immigrants, globalists (especially, of course, international Jewish bankers like George Soros), socialists, liberals (with their “radical” liberal agenda), elites, intellectuals, LGBQ folks and blacks and all those “others" who seem to get special privileges. In the politics of resentment, “they” are the problem, and neo-fascism is the solution.
Hyper-Nationalism
In the 2018 movie The Hummingbird Project, entrepreneur Vincent is building a high-speed fibre-optic cable from Kansas to New York. In one scene, he observes a property under which his cable must pass, an old red-brick house with a very large American flag on the porch. A young employee with a dark “foreign-looking” face, approaching the house with surveyor’s pole in hand, is confronted at once by the angry homeowner, an aging pensioner with Kenny Rogers-style white hair and beard. The young man begins his pitch (“We’re OpticalCableSystems and we’re here to … ”) when he is rudely interrupted by the old man.
“Where you from?”
“I’m from New Jersey, Sir.”
“Originally?”
“I’m Hispanic, Sir. Where are you from?”
“America.”
“Right,” says the young man, clearly annoyed, “but where are you from originally?”
Vincent the boss rushes forward, motions his young employee back across the street, and offers his hand to the angry old man. “Hi,” says Vincent, his clean-shaven all-American face smiling broadly, “I’m an American.”
The fundamental hyper-nationalism that animates this scene derives from the polarizing neo-fascist dynamic of Us (good, patriotic, flag-loving, God-fearing white Americans) versus Them (those who are not like us). And the people who are most susceptible to the hyper-nationalist call of neo-fascism are those who, like the old pensioner, feel their very identity as Americans is threatened by the presence (and perceived success) of these others, these immigrants, globalists, Muslims, and elites. And it is through their over-the-top flag-waving and patriotic fervor and unquestioning loyalty to their “America First” leader that they believe their personal grievances will be resolved and their status (and the nation’s) will be restored and made great again.
It has often been asked how people can vote against their own self-interest, how they can vote for someone who promises, for example, to take away their health insurance. But the appeal of neo-fascism is not about economic self-interest; it goes far beyond mere economic issues. On a much deeper level of self-interest, neo-fascism appeals to their identity as the true Americans. For people who feel they’ve lost their rightful place of prominence in America, who feel threatened by the forces of demographic change, whose status and identity have been thrown into doubt, for these people politics has become an arena, not of issues, but of anger, resentment, prejudice and hate. And so by literally wrapping themselves in the flag, by wearing clothes festooned with American symbols and by holding great rallies resplendent with flags and banners - they are loudly and visibly proclaiming one simple but potent message: “we are the true Americans!” Hyper-nationalism transforms personal grievances into fervent patriotic duty.
Attack on Democratic Institutions
Ruthless, power-hungry demagogues, passionate and irrational resentments stirred to a fever pitch, hyper-nationalism as a renewal of individual status in the name of patriotic duty: these are three faces of the emerging neo-fascist movement in America. But the fervent animus leading to its ascendancy is most visible on the faces of the Jan. 6 insurrections.
Long before we arrived at that infamous day, the attack on democratic institutions was well begun. To the neo-fascist movement, the free press is an “enemy of the people,” the justice system is part of a “Deep State,” and elections are “rigged” whenever a neo-fascist candidate loses. Anything that questions or contradicts the leader is “fake news” and sycophantic enablers and apologists are quick to proclaim “alternative facts” to justify the dishonest words and actions of their leader.
“Under conditions of tyranny it is far easier to act than to think.” (Hannah Arendt)
And so, on Jan. 6, 2021, all of these simmering resentments and long-standing hatreds, stoked to the boiling point by demagogic rhetoric and hyper-nationalist sloganeering, were unleashed in a violent attack on the seat of government by citizens who - ironically, and tragically - truly believed they were acting as “patriots” defending their rights, their identity, their country.
Here in these faces are reflected the re-emergent forces of neo-fascism: the lying demagogue lusting after power, stirring to a frenzy the fear and envy and resentment of those who feel cheated and dispossessed, vilifying scapegoats, amplifying hyper-nationalist rhetoric, attacking the institutions (press, judiciary, elections themselves) that form the very bedrock of democracy. These are the faces of the neo-fascist movement in ascendence today in America, and elsewhere around the world.
The purpose of this Substack newsletter on Neo-Fascism is to re-focus attention on this virulent phenomenon before democracy is damaged beyond repair, before these faces swell in numbers beyond control, before America (and other nations) literally vote away their cherished democracies and Yeats’s rough beast returns yet again.
1. Demagogues gain popularity by exploiting emotions, prejudices, and ignorance. Skilled at oratory, they appeal to passion over reason.
This explains Joe Biden and the Democrat machine. I won’t get into too much detail here other than to explain that have a large cohort of friends on both sides, and the right-side friends are much more rational in their arguments. The left-side is inflamed by irrational emotive symbolism, and they will reject math and facts that challenge their views. The claim that the right is emotional is hilarious given the left COVID hysteria, the climate change hysteria (Greta pounding her fist on that podium!) and just general hysteria. Uncontrolled emotions is the common thread of the modern Democrat. Months and months of calm Trump supporter rallies and then one protest gone bad... and THAT is the "proof" ignoring that 50% of the Democrat protest in the prior months had gone violent.
2. The politics of resentment.
Geesh… way to much indication of a complete lack of self-awareness. What was the 2016 – 2020 “we will resist”, violent protesting, Russiagate, and two failed impeachments if not the politics of resentment. Self-awareness requires understand that the resentment of losers is prevalent and if it is connected to fascism, then both parties must be. Democrats are the most resentful cohort. Just try to take away their political advantage by, for example, ensuing free speech and watch them scream with resentment and attempt to destroy all that get in their way.
3. Hyper-nationalism
Remove the “hyper” because there is nothing hyper about the modern conservative movement except this is hyperbole as their interests are the same as moderate democrats of 20-30 years ago before Democrats went hard left. Secure the border. Demand election integrity. US Energy Independence. Tough on crime. Protect the unborn. Support parental choice. Defend human rights as covered in the constitution. Put America first… always. These are not hyper-nationalistic. However, they are certainly connection to nationalism… which is a great “ism” compared to globalism… the ideology of the modern Democrat. And related to this is the Democrat support of corporatism.. and consolidation of private business that colludes with government… a HALMARK of fascist systems.
4. Attack on democratic institutions.
You mean the FBI colluding with the Democrat party apparatus to influence elections for the Democrats? Yeah, that is very fascist. And if the Republics were doing this your hair would be on fire in criticism. Other than that, protests and civil disobedience are protected civil rights.
I've thoroughly enjoyed the samples of your writing, style, topic, and opinions where discernible. Thank you for the samples. That said if I must pay to continue with a subscription, I won't be able to do that. I'm in the unfortunate position of existing solely on SS disability; a dollar toward one thing is dollar not available for another. Cheers though !