BF2S Forums [D&ST Political Slider 2010]

eleven bravo wrote:

forum joke

Kmarion wrote:

Actually, the funny thing is that he was willing to accept the scholarly explanation of fascism when he thought he could use it.

lowing wrote:

Kmarion wrote:

He does not fall in line with all of these.
http://www.ratical.org/ratville/CAH/fasci14chars.html

I take note you saids he does not fall in line with ALL of these...Meanig he must fall in line with SOME of these.....so elaborate please.

On further consideration..(only a couple were debatable)

Kmarion wrote:

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. Opposition to abortion is high, as is homophobia and anti-gay legislation and national policy.

   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 is openly attacked, and governments often refuse to fund the arts.

  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.

I highlighted the ones he does not fall in line with.. as you can see it is most of them. The ones that are not highlighted are debatable, at best.

.. then of course he wanted to through it all out.

Last edited by lowing (2010-05-08 05:59:36)

Spark wrote:

I also object to the fact that this list is not hte definition of fascist.

Why not? It's as legitimate a definition - probably more so as it is backed up by scholarly analysis.

lowing wrote:

Spark wrote:

I also object to the fact that this list is not hte definition of fascist.

Why not? It's as legitimate a definition - probably more so as it is backed up by scholarly analysis.

it is not a definition, it is an observed opinion. Also he fails to mention a fascist economy, or are you saying fascists govts. have no economy affected by a fascist govt?

lowing wrote:

Spark wrote:

lowing wrote:

it is not a definition, it is an observed opinion. Also he fails to mention a fascist economy, or are you saying fascists govts. have no economy affected by a fascist govt?

Fascism is a political theory, not an economic one. Economic policy flows from ideological motivation - not the other way around.

uhhh yeah, and when fascists do not believe in a free market economy, it is pretty much safe to assume a free market does not exist under a fascist govt., but an economy based on govt. control. I would think that would be an important characteristic to mention, yet is not.

Last edited by Turquoise (2010-05-08 11:20:05)

eleven bravo wrote:

I would argue that fascism really only pertains to Mussolini's italy.  Every other authoritarian regime has gone by its own name.  Its only a lot easier to lump dictatorships and autocracies into this all encompassing category.

eleven bravo wrote:

that goes with lumping all dictatorships into one category.