Does this remind you of anyone?
 

The 14 Defining
Characteristics Of Fascism
Free Inquiry
Spring 2003
5-11-3

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 wide------ 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.



FIRE AT WILL BITCHES. :6

Unemployment ownes. If you don't see some frightening similarities then you my friend are wearing rose colored glasses.

Re: Does this remind you of anyone?
 

This might be a little too deep for this forum....

Put your faith in God, not in man. O0

Re: Does this remind you of anyone?
 

bah. tell us something that we dont know.

good read none the less.

Re: Does this remind you of anyone?
 

god can't save us from george dubbya

Re: Does this remind you of anyone?
 

the only similiarity between fascism and "republicans" is a pipe dream made up by anti-american liberal fruitcakes

Re: Does this remind you of anyone?
 

:y Have you ever noticed how whiny Liberals are?

Re: Does this remind you of anyone?
 

all those things in that list and complete extremes which are not even remotely close, not even in the same ------- universe as whats happening right now


btw sorry cs i hit modify instead of quote on accident :)

Re: Does this remind you of anyone?
 

I love how easy it is to start a party war. If conservatives don't like what you say then you are automatically a bleeding heart liberal. If you support some conservative ideas then your are a nazi conservative.

.Keep that blind faith patriotism rockin. I realize that you are a stubborn closed minded person and that's OK. If someone doesn't agree with what the government is doing then they are anti American? :l

Let us not forget that our country was founded by people who disagreed with English rule. If the Revolutionary had not been successful then they would have been tried for treason. By your logic they were anti English.

How about a few examples:

Obsession with national security
The Patriot Act. End of story.

Supremacy of the military.
Well first we invaded Iraq under false pretenses And it looks as if we are going to invade Iran as well. We have lots of problems going on at home. If you don't see them you must live in a bubble.

Sexism.
Well Condeleeza Rice may be a woman but....... :4

Rampant Cronyism.
Read the news much?

I don't claim to be a political expert, but I am also not naive enough to believe that everything is as it appears and that all people in positions of power have everyones best interest at heart.

Re: Does this remind you of anyone?
 

Don't you love how rupublicans like to stereotype? ;)

Re: Does this remind you of anyone?
 

Its a shame the democrats are such pussies. There is no arguing that Bush is a terrible president.