[Paleopsych] Fourteen Defining Characteristics Of Fascism

Sat Mar 19 00:26:53 UTC 2005

No, of course not. Special pleading. This is an old pattern, invent a 
bunch of "similarities" that have no particular validity, and prove 
something from it.

Or, maybe you are showing some sense of humor. Like the CBS memos: Fake 
but accurate?

Steve Hovland wrote:

>Even if it is fake, does it fit?
>
>Steve Hovland
>www.stevehovland.net
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From:	Lynn D. Johnson, Ph.D. [SMTP:ljohnson at solution-consulting.com]
>Sent:	Thursday, March 17, 2005 8:50 PM
>To:	The new improved paleopsych list
>Subject:	Re: [Paleopsych] Fourteen Defining Characteristics Of Fascism
>
>So is Lawrence Britt a real Dr? See this blog:
>http://www.genesoc.com/blog1/index.php?p=27
>
>Possibly - well, likely - a hoax. It doesn't have the feel of an 
>academic piece. It sounds more like the typical professional skeptic / 
>humanist piece, with contrived "relationships" designed not to enlighten 
>but to enflame. There is one book on Amazon by a Lawrence W. Britt, no 
>Dr. attached to his name. It is a novel, not a scholarly piece. The 
>novel sounds contrived and forced, and hasn't sold many copies.
>
>Have you been had, Steve?
>
>Steve Hovland wrote:
>
>  
>
>>Dr. Lawrence Britt has examined the fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany), 
>>Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia) and several Latin 
>>American regimes. Britt found 14 defining characteristics common to each:
>>
>>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.
>>
>>
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>>
>> 
>>
>>    
>>
>
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