Politics | World History | Fascism

Fascist Dictatorship is Not a Laughing Matter

Are we really at the point where we need to explain that?

**Seriously. Smash it.** | Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

What would you say if someone asked you if you wanted to be a dictator?

One would hope you would immediately say ‘no’. Maybe you’d laugh, maybe you’d make a little joke out of it to lighten the mood, you know. But you would, hopefully, say ‘no’.

If you were a Presidential hopeful, if you were campaigning to take the seat at the head of the table for the Republican Party before the general election, you would definitely say ‘no’. You’re supposed to be emphasizing your love of democracy and freedom, after all.

If you were a Presidential hopeful who had previously been accused of authoritarian rhetoric, fascist policies, and who had been criticised for failing to denounce white supremacists and praising dictators…you really, really should say ‘no’.

You definitely shouldn’t respond to the question of, “You won’t be a dictator, right?” with “Only on day one!” Especially if the next thing you say is that your first plan is to close the borders. Not a great look.

But when Donald Trump did exactly that, something horrifying happened. The audience didn’t laugh as if he’d said something funny.

They cheered as if he’d said something they wanted to hear.

**Seriously, we’re all laughing. Ha.** | Photo by Marija Zaric on Unsplash

Now, I know what you’re thinking. It was a joke, Fox News said it was.

Here’s the thing: no it wasn’t. And you know it wasn’t, so stop pretending that it was. We all know who Donald Trump is. His repeated praise of dictators and strongmen is a matter of public record.

For years, Trump has been making comments like this and his supporters have brushed it off as an easily baited public freaking out over nothing.

Then January 6th happened. Suddenly it’s not so funny anymore, is it? Suddenly, it’s sounding an awful lot like a genuine call to arms.

To those of us who have studied the history of fascist regimes around the world, it has never been funny. Trump and his allies have been hitting on talking points and stoking the same fires as so many other abominable leaders of the past.

The man has spent years identifying marginalized groups as the ‘other’, glorifying nationalism and aggrandizing himself. He’s worked hard to destroy trust in the press, to bash his political opponents as enemies of the people, and to elevate conspiracy theories to ‘alternative facts’ in the eyes of those who support him.

None of this is new information. We have always known exactly who Donald Trump is. We’ve known from the moment he first stepped into the political scene, and his strategy has been set in stone from the second he opened his mouth.

From the beginning, he has sought power by inciting fear and hatred. Remember his claims about Mexican immigrants? What about the Muslim registry, travel ban, and all of that Islamaphobic nonsense?

For goodness sake, what does it say about America that blatant racism and fearmongering won him the 2016 election?

Whatever it said back then, you can’t tell me you’re okay with seeing it happen again! Racism and bigotry don’t go away on its own, and it doesn’t loosen its grip on the population once it has been let off the leash.

It’s a wildfire that will grow unless the community puts it out. The more we ignore it, the worse it’s likely to get.

**How screwed up is our system that we think of human beings this way?** | Photo by Miko Guziuk on Unsplash

For those who think I’m overreacting, please explain to me why you believe that. For those who think that Trump couldn’t possibly institute fascism in America, why are you so sure?

Let’s take a look at the characteristics of fascism and try to figure that out.

We typically define fascism by 14 characteristics. There are a couple of different versions of the list, one by Laurence Britt which I linked above, and one created by Umberto Eco. There are probably more, but these are the ones I’m most familiar with, so these are the ones I’ll be working from.

Most of the points on these lists are basically the same, just worded differently and laid out in a different order. I’ll paraphrase the points in my own list below, but I would urge my readers to study the other two as well.

The more knowledge the better. It’s very important to understand these things, especially now.

You don’t need to hit all 14 for a government to be considered a fascist regime, but just for fun, let’s see how many feel familiar to those of us who pay attention to U.S. politics.

I don’t recommend making a drinking game out of it. It wouldn’t end well.

Nationalism: Frequent use of symbols and buzzwords and an emphasis on the greatness of your nation. Your country is the only one that matters, your flag is a sigil to be worshipped, and criticism of the nation is treated like a betrayal.
Disregard for Human Rights: Individual freedoms and liberties don’t matter; what matters is cracking down on the perceived enemy of the people. Establish an ‘other’, convince the people that the ‘other’ is a threat, and strip away rights on the pretense of preventing that ‘other’ from undermining the nation’s safety.
Creating Unity By Identifying an Enemy: Beware. Beware of Mexico, beware of China, beware of the LGBTQ+ community, beware of Antifa, beware of the socialists and commies, and the woke left. The enemy will keep changing, but there will always be one, and you will always be in a war against them.
Supremacy of the Military: Strength is the ideal that the country should live up to. A show of force is necessary to maintain the safety and security of the nation. Emphasis on military parades and the militarization of law enforcement. Funds are given to the military even when serious domestic problems need money.
Sexism: Traditional gender roles are emphasized. The past is idolized, stay-at-home mothers and the ‘tradwife’ concept are idealized. Living outside of the gendered norms of society is considered extremely taboo. Homosexuality and gender non-conformity are viewed with disgust.
Suppression of the Free Press: The press is the enemy of the people. The accusation of fake news and falsified reporting instills a lack of trust in the media. Censorship is common, if not outright control of what gets written and shared.
National Security: The idea that the country is under attack from all sides is used to instill fear in the people. In conjunction with nationalism and identifying an enemy, this is used to pacify the public and prevent them from pushing back.
Government and Religion Combine: God and country. Fascism’s goal is to control the masses, and the best way to do that is by preaching to the choir. Using faith as a means to legitimize power and authority becomes common and expected. Loving the Bible and reciting its passages becomes a legitimate way to argue your point in the political arena.
Corporate Power is Expanded: Money is power, and as fascism sets in its roots, you can expect to see more and more handshakes between wealthy business owners and the people in charge of policy.
Labor Unions Are the Enemy: Organizing on the part of the people is a huge threat to a fascist government. They do not want people banding together and practicing democracy in the workplace, or anywhere else. Any form of collective action, any way that people could push back against their structure of power, is something to be eliminated.
Anti-Intellectualism: Fascists love the poorly educated. A huge part of keeping democracy functional lies in education and the spreading of reliable information. Demonizing education and treating academics as figures of ridicule is commonplace. Actively messing with the curriculum of schools is to be expected, preventing true history from being taught to keep students ignorant.
Law and Order: Much like the obsession with national security, fascists will always be beating the drum about lawless behavior and punishing criminals. Violence on the part of the police is excused, even for minor offenses, and anyone resisting or criticising law enforcement is considered unpatriotic. Supporting the cops is a sign of a good citizen.
Corruption Out of Control: Cronyism, nepotism, backroom deals and outright lies. Never expect a fascist government to be honest, and always keep in mind that the people in power only care about keeping it. Loyalty is more important than integrity.
Election Fraud: In a fascist dictatorship, there are often elections. It’s just that the vote is not treated with the respect it deserves; the end result of the election has been pre-determined, and the act of collecting ballots is just a pretty show for the audience.

Are you uncomfortable yet?

**I don’t know about you, but when I see a pickup truck plastered with the flag, pictures of guns, and a ‘Thin Blue Line’ sticker, I get nervous.** | Photo by Andrew Ruiz on Unsplash

The idea that the ‘Land of the Free, Home of the Brave’ could morph into a fascist dictatorship has long been considered a flight of fancy.

Unless, of course, you’re a history nerd like me. Then it’s been a clear and present danger since before you were born, and you’ve always been afraid it could happen. Seriously; I’ve been waiting for it to happen since 9/11.

Trump’s style of rhetoric is not a new thing, and it isn’t unprecedented.

Nothing about what he’s done, or what he’s talked about doing in the future is unexpected or out of left field. When you recognize the talking points for what they are, they all fit together perfectly.

When he praised the level of control that dictators have over their countries, he was displaying envy. He respects power. That’s why he’s so obsessed with the dichotomy of ‘winners’ versus ‘losers’. To him, strength and control are the only things that matter.

Watching him parade around the country to drum up support is like watching a tornado make its way toward your house. It’s a slow-moving disaster, and there’s no way to predict how much damage it's going to do.

But we can be absolutely certain that if he wins, if that tornado makes it to your front door, what he leaves behind him will be unrecognizable.

Let’s hope that the people of the United States are wise enough to batten down the hatches and protect themselves from the storm. I would rather not see a once-proud nation reduced to rubble in the wake of one man’s dictatorial ambitions.

In the meantime, let’s stop pretending that Trump’s rhetoric is a joke. His supporters aren’t laughing, and we shouldn’t be either. We need to take this seriously, and we need to snap out of this collective trance before it’s too late.

It’s just like that old quote, commonly attributed to Sinclair Lewis:

“When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.”

Solidarity wins.

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