"It is dangerous when you start calling people from one part of the world terrorists or fanatic, and you reduce them to some abstract notion. If evil has a geographical place, and if the evil has a name, that is the beginning of fascism. Real life is not this way. You have fanatics and narrow-minded people everywhere". Marjane Satrapi
"The strategic adversary is fascism... the fascism in us all, in our heads and in our everyday behaviour, the fascism that causes us to love power, to desire the very thing that dominates and exploits us". Michel Foucault
The Tory returns might have been inadequate.The CPS have found information that is equivalent to information from the electoral commission that led to the Conservative party being fined £70,000 pounds. This simply means that the Tories can simply see the fine as a cost that is a fraction of the millions raised and is a means by which elections are simply bought. This brings shame on the political process and shows that corruption is excused. We should have public funding if political parties and all private fundraising should be made illegal. The Tory party exists to defend privilege . Money is the key to this situation. There is no excuse to let the Tories buy the election. They will do anything necessary to hold on to power even bending and obscuring the rules of the state. They are an organised conspiracy for power. They tempt just enough people to share the crumbs if privilege , allow the press moguls privilege and the plutocrats more. They separate , divide and sell a myth of individual enterprise while keeping real power in a few hands. The essence of their outlook is empiricism tempered by prejudice. They wrap themselves in the flag, exploit us through a monarchy that has nothing to do with individual ability, defend property and wealth passed from generation to generation. They send our young men to die in foreign wars and keep us quiet by a right wing press and a selective use of institutional racism, sexism and envy. The prejudice divides, causes conformity and separates each person from another. Phrases are simple describe a world and society that no longer exists. The nuclear family has been a false description, more people live alone than in the family structure they pretend is the norm. This election is called before the chickens come home to roost and before ordinary people wake up to the implications of Brexit nd the privatisation of our schools, health and other services. The smell of modern conservatism rise to the heavens making us all gag, wretch and vomit...
Does this remind you of any particular Party elected this time ;last year to the Welsh Assembly. I think the term authoritarian populism is most apt. I can see at least 12 of these characteristics in UKIP and also in the behaviour and claims of Boris Johnson and IDS.. Its been quite clear that the central hypocrisy at the heart of UKIP is how it used European funding and resources to fund its political activities. Of course officially all those Stauffer employed the MEPS only work om European issues...however we know that with a very low number of activists UKIP somehow blurs the difference and provides activists from paid staff. Of course this does lead to complications and a great deal of patronage. The Neil Hamilton coup in Wales last year illustrated this powerfully. Both Ll yr Powell and Alexandra Phillips have their jobs and will soon be replaced by staffers loyal to Hamilton. He has already appointed his lovely wife Christine to his staff, Alexandra Phillips joined the Conservative party and we have seen last week how the local elections were a means by which Kipper voters radicalised by Brexit took their votes to the Tory party.
In the USA Trumps sacking of the Director of the FBI, smelt of Nixon and Weimar. The excuses were lame and the rationalizations were that of a toddler. They were the excuses of a man with a large ego and thin skin..the basic profile of a Fascist Leader.
Hard right parties are by nature factional Byzantine and shallow. They have no real policies but appeal to many of the following characteristics. Look at them carefully you will spot many of them within the edifice of UKIP and the right of the Conservative party.
We become strong, I feel, when we have no friends upon whom to lean, or to look to for moral guidance. Benito Mussolini
"The truth is that men are tired of liberty" Benito Mussolini
The 14 characteristics of fascism according to Umberto Eco are
:
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.
:
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.
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.
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.
Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Ann Causer
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.
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. Trump wants to increase military spending. Theresa may is filmed regularly with the military and military values are stressed.
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. Trump wants to increase military spending. Theresa may is filmed regularly with the military and military values are stressed.
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.
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.
Obsession with National Security
Obsession with National Security
Fear is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Labour Power is Suppressed
Because the organizing power of labour is the only real threat to a fascist government, labour unions are either eliminated entirely, or are severely suppressed .
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.
Because the organizing power of labour is the only real threat to a fascist government, labour unions are either eliminated entirely, or are severely suppressed .
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
“The one thing with writing stories about the rise of fascism is that if you wait long enough, you'll almost certainly be proved right. Fascism is like a hydra - you can cut off its head in the Germany of the '30s and '40s, but it'll still turn up on your back doorstep in a slightly altered guise”. Alan Moore
No comments:
Post a Comment