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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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