Is Fascism still alive?

[tonguetickler]

Greetings to everyone!!I have noticed that over the past few years fascistic and neo-Nazi ideas and attitudes have become significantly popular in many nations around the world. The most worrying fact is that this kind of shit seems to draw the attention of more and more young people between the ages of 18-30. In the recent general election in Greece the fascist party got an impressive 4%. I understand that life is generally shit, personal relations face a major crisis and a lot of people face many dead-ends in their lives, but I can't realize why people see in those blood-stained ideologies the solution of their problems. Is our world slowly sliding in barbarism once again??

 

[Canadian Ninja1]

Naturally fascism isn't going to die, just as all forms of government, in theory, won't die. So long as the idea remains, some people are always going to be attracted to it. However, the notion of the world slipping back into barbarianism makes for a decent imagination and nothing else.

Radical forms of government typically form when there's desperation. Communists, for example, overthrow the czar in Russia because of the severe number of troops killed in World War I, as well as mounting tensions back home. Germany went fascist after the treaty of Versailles decimated the nation and their pride; Hitler's goals and ideals were just the thing that Germans needed to restore their once great nation. They were desperate for change and voted in Hitler using the ineffectual democracy of the Weimar Republic to do so. To me, it makes no difference whether Hitler seized power, as one can argue he later did, or was democratically elected; people were desperate for change and turned to radical government.

I won't deny that I know jack all about the state that Greece is in, but I hardly assume it's teetering on the edge like Russia in 1917 or post-WWI Germany. 4% still isn't a terribly large percentage, and when going back at least in American history, that's consistently what the American Communist Party got between 1890 and 1928. If, after reading this, I tell you there was a surge in votes for both the Communist and Fascist parties during the Depression, you really shouldn't be surprised. I believe there's actually a famous picture on the cover of Time that shows a fascist parade in front of Capitol Hill.

There was one thing I found interesting, though, and that was the demographic of 18-30. The last fascist in power was Francisco Franco in Spain, and he died in 1975, 32 years ago. It's similar to the rise in communist beliefs I've seen over the last few years, except the demographic only goes to 25. Basically, these people would be the first generation who wouldn't have a fear of communism stuck in them when they were older because by the time they were old enough to understand, the Soviet Union had collapsed.

In conclusion, no, I don't think the world is slipping into barbarianism.

 

[Sitr]

Fascism is still alive. I support it in a way. I'm getting sick of the democratic government. Think about it. At some point the US is going to die. The beliefs we fought for to gain freedom are dissapearing. Our government is corrupt and filled with dumbass politicians who crave money over the well being of the people. Let me tell you a true story about a man named Preston Tucker. He tried to start his own car company, the American Dream, and live a wealthy life. Yet The Big Three car companies of America bought out a politician who pretty much destroyed any chance of wealth for Tucker. No senator nowadays seems to care for the people anymore.

And in a way it's better to have one person or group in charge rather then two groups whose struggles to gain control often turn the country down to a turn for the worse. Presidents are often morons, the Supreme Court doesn't do crap, and the Senate just now argues with itself day in and day out. And whenever we do get a good president he only gets two terms and boom he is forced to stop being president. Our current democratic government is declining.

Truthfully I believe perhaps a combination government of all governments might be the best sometimes. Maybe one person can be in charge yet the people can have their rights to do what they want and live how they want. But I do fascism is still alive. I do support of its ideals. I support some of the democratic ideals. And I'll admit even a few communist ideals are good. But with all goverments you're gonna have violence. There is always a government that hates another.

 

[Iridis_vi1]

Countries Like Burma, North Korea, China and Iraq and even Russia possibly are all prime examples of the continued existence of Facism.
Now Facism may be one of the least desirable forms of government, but the biggest problem with one is not the system itself but the ruler who is in charge through it. If the ruler was actually a decent person who cared for his people then it would work well, but this hasn't been the case so far. It has always been used as a way to excel these higher-ups wealth and power.
Wealth but mainly power are the biggest forces of corruption, and very few if any can resist them.

 

[Cbarton]

My $0.02 from a historical perspective:

Once again, Sitr, you prove the addage that those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. I've lived through the fall of the Soviet Union, and was a kid when the threat was VERY REAL. Trust me, you'll beg for you freedom back the second you lose it. I know people in the US who fled from those places and the stories they tell are not pretty. They left EVERYTHING behind so they could escape the tyranny to get here.

Beware the temptation of the press to make a fascist dictator look good because he runs the place so well. The press did it with Castro, Franco, heck, TIME made Hitler Man of the Year once. It's easy to look good when you control what goes out. When you get reports of what really happens there (like in Iraq after Saddam Hussein was kicked out and the torture of kids, maiming of men, and the rape jails were brought to light), then you see the true ugly head of the dragon.

True benevolent dictators are very rare, if not nearly impossible. History is replete with corrupted kings, princes, dictators, etc. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Human nature is too predictable to put our heads in the sand and let one person rule all.

 

[Wade1]

heck, TIME made Hitler Man of the Year once.

That wasn't because the magazine approved of Hitler, of course, or was trying to make him look good.

I would also argue that there was a pretty strong general consensus that Saddam Hussein was a monster even before he was deposed.

Beyond that, though, kyhawkeye's right on, kids: tyranny bad.

 

[Cbarton]

Yes, but the press at times tried to make Hussein seem like a great guy doing great things for Iraq, as some sympathetic reporters did with Hitler back then.

The point being this: there is no such thing as "Good Tyranny"

 

[Rox_My_Sox1]

I think Communism was a radically stupid idea. Granted, it's founded on some good ideas (aka the benefit of the poor over the indulgence of the wealth) but it was NOT A GOOD IDEA to take all the wealth and power away from the wealthy and give it over to the government.

What they should have done instead was create laws helping to balance the equation between corporate wealth and governmental aid. Laws that taxed the wealth somewhat more heavily but not strip them of all their wealth (a man and his family CAN live on $1,000,000 a year after all).

Instead of making a balanced form of government they basically gave all the power from the rich to the government and effectively created their own worst nightmare (aka Lenin, Stalin, and most recently Putin [who runs the nation now like his own private Mafia playground]).

It's ironic that the USA has a similar problem to Russia. We don't take all the power from the wealthy and give it to the government. Oh no. We allow the wealthy and rich to do whatever the hell they want. So, yeah, I kinda believe the USA won't be the USA for very much longer.

That's just from the perspective of a woman who can barely afford a decent apartment, a car, and little else [Even if her Mom, Sis, and Bro are all pitching in. So, yeah, Barbarism is taking hold. At least the seeds for it. Like it or not, resources will start to dwindle and humanity is gonna start noticing that some people are getting more of what MANY others want.

Soylet Green anyone?

 

[Wade1]

Yes, but the press at times tried to make Hussein seem like a great guy doing great things for Iraq

F'real? You mean in the American press? I didn't see any of that; like who?

as some sympathetic reporters did with Hitler back then.

Just outta curiosity--because this is historical ignorance on my part--what American media outlets were pro-Hitler? (Apart from rags like Henry Ford's anti-Semitic Dearborn paper, of course.)

 

[Darth Vegeta]

Actually fascism was quite successful. As seen during my course on Modern History most of Europe integrated portions of it, even the few democracies that lingered like England or France. Also Fascism like Democracy had many diverse variants.
Also National-Socialism isn't exactly the same as Fascism. It is a sidebranch of the ideology.

Also Democracy is in fact relatively new and though the current autocratic regimes are NOT adapted to the political climate that doesn't mean an alternative more succesful variant will pop up eventually. In fact a diversity of autocratic regimes have existed successfully throughout history.
Also what we call Democracy is usually more an elitist oligarchy and very minority orientated, hypocrite and excessively technocratic and bureaucratic.
And though given the current situation in the west 'Democracy' is the best thing yet that doesn't mean it isn't devolving into questionable excess.

Ironic that such criticism in Belgium is off course glared upon. As in a democracy after all we should shut up and think politically correct... how delightfully paradoxal that the big defenders nowadays of so called 'correct' democracy are the first to tell you to 'shut up', 'sit down' and act conform with the imposed ideology/personal agenda.

Truth be it... humanity hasn't changed and in the end true democracy remains non-existant. As soon as things will go bad... either the people or the ruling class who see opportunity be it politically, financially or other will go where their personal interests lie. Be it something new or old.