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Good piece there, Aggo. If you take away the suppression of abortion,
divorce and homosexuality, we will certainly qualify as a fascist
state. Read my lips!
Have a good one!
PETER VAKUNTA
----- Original Message -----
From: Aggo Akyea <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Thursday, June 9, 2005 9:44 am
Subject: The 14 Characteristics of Fascism
> The 14 Characteristics of Fascism
>
> by Lawrence Britt
> Spring 2003
> Free Inquiry magazine
>
> Political scientist Dr. Lawrence Britt recently wrote an article
> about fascism ("Fascism Anyone?," Free Inquiry, Spring 2003, 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:
>
> 1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism - Fascist regimes tend to
> make constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs,
> and other paraphernalia. Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag
> symbols on clothing and in public displays.
>
> 2. 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.
>
> 3. 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.
>
> 4. 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.
>
> 5. Rampant Sexism - The governments of fascist nations tend to be
> almost exclusively male-dominated. Under fascist regimes,
> traditional gender roles are made more rigid. Divorce, abortion
> and homosexuality are suppressed and the state is represented as
> the ultimate guardian of the family institution.
>
> 6. 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.
>
> 7. Obsession with National Security - Fear is used as a
> motivational tool by the government over the masses.
>
> 8. 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.
>
> 9. 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.
>
> 10. 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.
>
> 11. 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 and
> letters is openly attacked.
>
> 12. 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.
> 13. 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.
>
> 14. 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.
>
> From Liberty Forum
>
> Copyright © 2003 Free Inquiry magazine
> Reprinted for Fair Use Only.
>
>
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