Politics and Money

[lesgetrich]

Republicans, for the past 75+ years have repeatedly run campaigns against Democrats by portraying them as Socialists or even Communists. While these charges have never been born out by more than isolated attacks against certain individual Democrats or cherry picked spin regarding some policy recommendations, isn't it now high time to examine whether Republicans have actually fully evolved into a Fascist party?

In his 1995 essay "Ur-Fascism", cultural theorist Umberto Eco lists fourteen general properties of fascist ideology. He argues that it is not possible to organise these into a coherent system, but that "it is enough that one of them be present to allow fascism to coagulate around it"....

1.) "The Cult of Tradition", characterized by cultural syncretism, even at the risk of internal contradiction. When all truth has already been revealed by Tradition, no new learning can occur, only further interpretation and refinement.

2.) "The Rejection of modernism", which views the rationalistic development of Western culture since the Enlightenment as a descent into depravity. Eco distinguishes this from a rejection of superficial technological advancement, as many fascist regimes cite their industrial potency as proof of the vitality of their system.

3.) "The Cult of Action for Action's Sake", which dictates that action is of value in itself, and should be taken without intellectual reflection. This, says Eco, is connected with anti-intellectualism and irrationalism, and often manifests in attacks on modern culture and science.

4.) "Disagreement Is Treason" – Fascism devalues intellectual discourse and critical reasoning as barriers to action, as well as out of fear that such analysis will expose the contradictions embodied in a syncretistic faith.

5.) "Fear of Difference", which fascism seeks to exploit and exacerbate, often in the form of racism or an appeal against foreigners and immigrants.

6.) "Appeal to a Frustrated Middle Class", fearing economic pressure from the demands and aspirations of lower social groups.

7.) "Obsession with a Plot" and the hyping-up of an enemy threat. This often combines an appeal to xenophobia with a fear of disloyalty and sabotage from marginalized groups living within the society (such as the German elite's 'fear' of the 1930s Jewish populace's businesses and well-doings; see also antisemitism). Eco also cites Pat Robertson's book The New World Order as a prominent example of a plot obsession.

8.) Fascist societies rhetorically cast their enemies as "at the same time too strong and too weak." On the one hand, fascists play up the power of certain disfavored elites to encourage in their followers a sense of grievance and humiliation. On the other hand, fascist leaders point to the decadence of those elites as proof of their ultimate feebleness in the face of an overwhelming popular will.

9.) "Pacifism is Trafficking with the Enemy" because "Life is Permanent Warfare" – there must always be an enemy to fight. Both fascist Germany under Hitler and Italy under Mussolini worked first to organize and clean up their respective countries and then build the war machines that they later intended to and did use, despite Germany being under restrictions of the Versailles treaty to not build a military force. This principle leads to a fundamental contradiction within fascism: the incompatibility of ultimate triumph with perpetual war.

10.) "Contempt for the Weak", which is uncomfortably married to a chauvinistic popular elitism, in which every member of society is superior to outsiders by virtue of belonging to the in-group. Eco sees in these attitudes the root of a deep tension in the fundamentally hierarchical structure of fascist polities, as they encourage leaders to despise their underlings, up to the ultimate Leader who holds the whole country in contempt for having allowed him to overtake it by force.

11.) "Everybody is Educated to Become a Hero", which leads to the embrace of a cult of death. As Eco observes, "[t]he Ur-Fascist hero is impatient to die. In his impatience, he more frequently sends other people to death."

12.) "Machismo", which sublimates the difficult work of permanent war and heroism into the sexual sphere. Fascists thus hold "both disdain for women and intolerance and condemnation of nonstandard sexual habits, from chastity to homosexuality."

13.) "Selective Populism" – The People, conceived monolithically, have a Common Will, distinct from and superior to the viewpoint of any individual. As no mass of people can ever be truly unanimous, the Leader holds himself out as the interpreter of the popular will (though truly he dictates it). Fascists use this concept to delegitimize democratic institutions they accuse of "no longer represent[ing] the Voice of the People."

14.) "Newspeak" – Fascism employs and promotes an impoverished vocabulary in order to limit critical reasoning..

From Wikipedia - Definitions of fascism


While there is no general agreement among scholars on a proper definition, Umberto Eco seems to capture most of the common themes of Fascist governments. So how does this definition fit today's Republican party and it's purported cult leader?

1.) The "Cult of Tradition" - This manifests itself in themes such as turning tradition into a fetish by inventing a phony war on Christmas and making it into a political attack line which turned it into a cultish trope. I doubt any Christians cared until Fox and the GOP made it into a cultural obsession. "Critical Race Theory" is another example since it was portrayed as as an attack on American History along with opposition to tearing down of confederate statues.

2.) Rejection of Modernism - As in the rejection of "Woke" culture and green technologies (e.g. windmills cause cancer)

3.) "The Cult of Action for Action's Sake" - The GOP introducing 400+ new voting laws to combat voter fraud when not a single case of significant voter fraud was uncovered in 2020 is a prime example of action for actions sake. Their attacks on climate change are a rejection of science and action taken without intellectual reflection.

4.) "Disagreement Is Treason" - What the GOP does to anyone who disagrees with Trump's Big Lie. e.g. Adam Kinsinger and Liz Cheny

5.) "Fear of Difference" - GOP racism and xenophobia is well documented under Trump.

6.) "Appeal to a Frustrated Middle Class" - fearing economic pressure from the demands and aspirations of lower social groups is a major tenet of GOP philosophy. That's why they fight against anything that benefits the lower class and call it communism. It appeals to the middle class who fear that the economy is a zero sum game and it what benefits lower classes will hurt them.

7.) "Obsession with a Plot" - how about the "Hordes of illegal immigrants infecting the US with Covid and criminality." or the "Caravans coming up from south America to attack us.

8.) Fascist societies rhetorically cast their enemies as "at the same time too strong and too weak." - Just how the GOP portrays the Democrats - Fear Pelosi and AOC but they are just weak minded women. Fear Biden but he is feeble and doesn't know what he's doing.

9.) "Pacifism is Trafficking with the Enemy" - GOP criticism of Biden trying to resurrect the Iran Nuclear deal and withdrawing prematurely from Afghanistan.

10.) "Contempt for the Weak" - Trump's appeal to White Nationalists who view every minority as inferior. The following describes the entire Trump administration... - "they encourage leaders to despise their underlings, up to the ultimate Leader who holds the whole country in contempt for having allowed him to overtake it by force."

11.) "Everybody is Educated to Become a Hero" - How many Trump people have fallen on their sword in the courts for Trump. Steve Bannon, Roger Stone, Michael Flynn, etc.

12.) "Machismo" - The GOP is largely an old white men's club. They continually denigrate women (e.g. no freedom of choice), homosexuals, and transgender folks.

13.) "Selective Populism" - The following perfectly describes where Trump is leading the GOP. - "the Leader holds himself out as the interpreter of the popular will (though truly he dictates it). Fascists use this concept to delegitimize democratic institutions they accuse of "no longer represent[ing] the Voice of the People."

14.) "Newspeak" - In Florida, government documents can't even mention the words "climate change". GOP school Boards are prohibiting mention of "Critical Race Theory" or teaching of evolution. Books are being banned and burned. . . .

In sum, the Republican Party has fully embraced Fascism and is now a threat to democracy. It's hard not to conclude that the GOP is fighting for a takeover of the US government and installation of a fascist dictatorship.