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Veterans for Peace
Wilson "Woody"
Powell
Executive Director
World Community Center
438
North Skinker
St. Louis MO 63130
(314) 725-6005
FAX (314)
725-7103

The 14 Characteristics of Fascism
by Lawrence
Britt
Spring 2003
Free Inquiry magazine

Political
scientist Dr. Lawrence Britt recently wrote an article about
fascism ("Fascism Anyone?," Free Inquiry, Spring 2003, page 20).
Studying the fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini
(Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia), and Pinochet
(Chile), Dr. Britt found they all had 14 elements in common. He
calls these the identifying characteristics of fascism. The
excerpt is in accordance with the magazine's policy.

The 14 characteristics are:

Powerful and Continuing Nationalism
Fascist
regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottoes, 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.

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.

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.

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
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.

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.

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 .

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.

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.

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.

Copyright © 2003 Free Inquiry
magazine
Reprinted for Fair Use Only.

© 2003 Veterans
for Peace

Updated April
28, 2004 12:51 PM
E.S.T