[Paleopsych] Fourteen Defining Characteristics Of Fascism

[G. Reinhart-Waller]

Neither.  We need to figure out a way in combining both versions.  This 
is called "synthesis" and that's what is needed.

Gerry

Christian Rauh wrote:

>If it came in a package, which version would you choose?
>The original or the upside-down?
>
>Christian
>
>G. Reinhart-Waller wrote:
>  
>
>>For the sake of argument le us counter Dr. Britt's defining
>>characteristics of fascist regimes. In turning his 14 points upside
>>down, we then have the following characteristics of a non-fascist regime:
>>
>>1.  No nationalism....all members of a given country relate and pay
>>homage to all other nations, most especially those their ancestors came
>>from.
>>
>>2.  Place "human rights" above security.  If someone kills your brother,
>>think of the murderer's rights before thinking of protecting your family.
>>
>>3.  Don't label anyone as the enemy....this only promotes
>>scapegoat-ism.  View all as brothers and friends, even Islamic militants.
>>
>>4.  De-glamorize the military by cutting their funding.  The military
>>serves no purpose, most especially for domestic problems.
>>
>>5.  Remove males and other fascists from public office and allow support
>>for divorce, abortion and homosexuality to thrive.
>>
>>6.  Eliminate all controls of media....free speech must be supported
>>even if it twists the facts.
>>
>>7.  Removes all traces of National Security....provide for a
>>laissez-faire government in which soldiers and police become new rock
>>stars because crime will automatically disappear.
>>
>>8.  Eliminate all forms of religion and replace with a scientific ideology.
>>
>>9.  Eliminate all corporations in favor of "mom and pop" businesses.
>>
>>10.  Support and promote Labor Unions.
>>
>>11.  Allow all artists and academics freedom of expression.  Applaud
>>gourmet treats such as barbecued dead babies or artistic works such as
>>crucifix in urine.  Never censure a professor since what he has to say
>>is intellectually correct.
>>
>>12.  Provide no controls for crime which in turn eliminates any form of
>>punishment.  Butterflies are free and so are humans.
>>
>>13.  Eliminate cronyism in government and academe....only strangers can
>>attain high positions, especially those without any background.
>>
>>14.  Provide no security for elections.  Voting is a special treat
>>available only to those with huge funds to buy their way into government.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>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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>>
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