fascism: closer in time, closer to home dr. zoltán grossman dr. zoltán grossman member of the...
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FASCISM:FASCISM:Closer in time, Closer to homeCloser in time, Closer to home
Dr. Zoltán GrossmanDr. Zoltán GrossmanMember of the FacultyMember of the Faculty
(Geography/Native American Studies)(Geography/Native American Studies)The Evergreen State CollegeThe Evergreen State College
Olympia, WashingtonOlympia, Washingtonhttp://academic.evergreen.edu/g/grossmaz http://academic.evergreen.edu/g/grossmaz
Marquette ParkMarquette Parkneighborhood, Chicagoneighborhood, Chicago
Not upholding economic Not upholding economic status quostatus quo
Not simply authoritarian conservativesNot simply authoritarian conservatives
Not simply fundamentalist ChristiansNot simply fundamentalist Christians
Not simply angry “rednecks”Not simply angry “rednecks”
What fascists are notWhat fascists are not
Right-wing revolutionaries against Right-wing revolutionaries against status quo status quo (liberal or conservative)(liberal or conservative)
Extreme nationalism and/or racismExtreme nationalism and/or racism
Law & Order = Absolute rule of core ethnic/racial Law & Order = Absolute rule of core ethnic/racial groupgroup
See similar problems as Left, but not class analysis:See similar problems as Left, but not class analysis:explain world through nation/race, conspiracy theoriesexplain world through nation/race, conspiracy theories
What fascists areWhat fascists are
MagyarMagyarGárdaGárda
(Hungarian(HungarianGuard)Guard)
JobbikJobbik party forparty for “ “radicalradical change”change”
"The role of racism and the role of anti-Semitism and of scapegoating in general is quite different for a fascist movement from that of a right-wing conservative movement or a traditional Klan-type movement. That is, it is not to put people in their place. It is not to make a sub-class out of them and to exploit, or super-exploit, their labor. It is genocidal. It is exterminationist.” --Ken Lawrence--Ken Lawrence
What fascists areWhat fascists are
BritainBritain HungaryHungary
Each race/ethnic nation has its placeEach race/ethnic nation has its place- Need to stay in ancestral homeland (separatism)Need to stay in ancestral homeland (separatism)- Racial mixing as violating nature (Racial mixing as violating nature (Turner DiariesTurner Diaries))
Jews (and Gypsies) historically Jews (and Gypsies) historically depicted as “rootless.”depicted as “rootless.”-Cosmopolitan or separated from landCosmopolitan or separated from land-African Diaspora also depicted as rootlessAfrican Diaspora also depicted as rootless
Jews direct Jews direct ““global conspiracy”global conspiracy”- Smart/crafty - Smart/crafty - Manipulate others- Manipulate others
Blood and SoilBlood and Soil
Ataka (Bulgaria):Ataka (Bulgaria):““I don’t want to live in I don’t want to live in
a Gypsy country,” 2011a Gypsy country,” 2011
Blueprint for USBlueprint for USrevolution byrevolution byNational AllianceNational Allianceleader Wm. Pierceleader Wm. Pierce
Fascists as economic populists; depicted Fascists as economic populists; depicted as champions of majority ethnic group’s as champions of majority ethnic group’s working class working class (Mussolini ex-socialist, NSDAP)(Mussolini ex-socialist, NSDAP)
Reality quite different: suppress strikes, Reality quite different: suppress strikes, advocate labor and capital as partners advocate labor and capital as partners to build the nation to build the nation (Fasces as symbol)(Fasces as symbol)
Corporate backing for Fascists/NazisCorporate backing for Fascists/Nazis(Militarism as superprofitable:(Militarism as superprofitable:Expansion benefits both German farmerExpansion benefits both German farmersettlers (settlers (lebensraumlebensraum) and rich industrialists.) and rich industrialists.
Law & Order is good for business.Law & Order is good for business.
Ethnic/Racial Consciousness Ethnic/Racial Consciousness over Class Consciousnessover Class Consciousness
Fasces: Roman symbol ofFasces: Roman symbol ofstrength through unitystrength through unity
Hitler greetsHitler greetsKrupp von Krupp von BohlenBohlen
Fascism flourishes in economic crisis: Fascism flourishes in economic crisis: Scapegoating minority as source of Scapegoating minority as source of problem, not majority elite.problem, not majority elite.
Rulers need to identify enemies Rulers need to identify enemies both both belowbelow and above and above the majority.the majority.
Win over “Middle” by diverting animosity Win over “Middle” by diverting animosity toward poor, also by emphasizing threat toward poor, also by emphasizing threat from above, to detract attention from rulingfrom above, to detract attention from rulinginstitutions. institutions. (Warren, (Warren, The Radical Center)The Radical Center)
Majority citizens portrayed as underdogs,Majority citizens portrayed as underdogs,or victims of elite-underclass conspiracyor victims of elite-underclass conspiracyHungary: Jews & EU above, Roma below;Hungary: Jews & EU above, Roma below;U.S.: Coastal elites above, immigrants belowU.S.: Coastal elites above, immigrants below
Scapegoating as Scapegoating as Social Control of MajoritySocial Control of Majority
Jobbik/Magyar Gárda march through Jobbik/Magyar Gárda march through Hungarian Roma communityHungarian Roma community
Minutemen on Arizona borderMinutemen on Arizona border
Early Nazis used Pre-Christian pagan warrior ethosEarly Nazis used Pre-Christian pagan warrior ethosLater tried to secure loyalty of Christian churchesLater tried to secure loyalty of Christian churches
Celebrate rural homeland as symbol of organic purity; Celebrate rural homeland as symbol of organic purity; City as degraded, cosmopolitan, distant from natureCity as degraded, cosmopolitan, distant from nature
Hiking societies, chorale groups, youth health groupsHiking societies, chorale groups, youth health groupsHitler “was a vegetarian and loved dogs” Hitler “was a vegetarian and loved dogs”
German Left held rallies and speeches, failed to articulate visionGerman Left held rallies and speeches, failed to articulate vision
Manipulating paganism, youth countercultureManipulating paganism, youth counterculture
Wandervogel Wandervogel (Wandering Birds)(Wandering Birds)proto-hippies later proto-hippies later joined Hitler Youth,joined Hitler Youth,SA BrownshirtsSA Brownshirts
Nationalist RockNationalist Rock
Fascists can oppose: Fascists can oppose: Corporate globalization,Corporate globalization,Outsourcing of jobs overseas,Outsourcing of jobs overseas,Environmental pollution,Environmental pollution,Demise of family farms,Demise of family farms,Consumerist culture,Consumerist culture,Iraq and Afghan wars,Iraq and Afghan wars,CIA drug running,CIA drug running,Foreign arms sales,Foreign arms sales,Free trade (EU, NAFTA, WTO),Free trade (EU, NAFTA, WTO),but for opposite reasons than the leftbut for opposite reasons than the left. .
They exploit and manipulate legitimate They exploit and manipulate legitimate issues for their own nefarious ends. Inissues for their own nefarious ends. Incompetition with the left for followers. competition with the left for followers.
Exploiting anti-elite/Exploiting anti-elite/anti-government sentimentanti-government sentiment
LaRouche cult against VP CheneyLaRouche cult against VP Cheney
Public face of French National FrontPublic face of French National Front
Axis or “Fascist International” is difficult;Axis or “Fascist International” is difficult;Competing national priorities (or territories)Competing national priorities (or territories)
Differences over primary enemyDifferences over primary enemy(Japanese fascists sheltered Jews in Shanghai)(Japanese fascists sheltered Jews in Shanghai)
Differences over central role of Differences over central role of traditional institutions traditional institutions (Church central in Clerical Fascism)(Church central in Clerical Fascism)
Fascism about Fascism about ethnicityethnicity; Nazism about ; Nazism about racerace..Mussolini (Italy), Horthy (Hungary), Mussolini (Italy), Horthy (Hungary), Franco (Spain) were Fascists but not Nazis.Franco (Spain) were Fascists but not Nazis.
Differences among fascistsDifferences among fascists
Hungary annexes Hungary annexes southern Slovakia, 1938southern Slovakia, 1938
““The Result: Racial Pride Disappears”The Result: Racial Pride Disappears”
U.S. Fascist Sympathizers, 1920s-30sU.S. Fascist Sympathizers, 1920s-30sMany Western conservatives saw communism as the main enemy (e.g., in Spain)Many Western conservatives saw communism as the main enemy (e.g., in Spain)
Charles Lindbergh with Hermann Göring
Henry Ford’s The International Jew:The World’s Foremost Problem
Henry Luce,Time publisher
Father Charles Coughlinaddresses rally, radio
William D. Pelley ofSilver Shirts
German-American
Bund
Jean-Marie Le Pen (France), 2Jean-Marie Le Pen (France), 2ndnd for French presidency, 2002 for French presidency, 2002
Jörg Haider (Austria), party in government, 2000-04Jörg Haider (Austria), party in government, 2000-04
Gábor Vona (Hungary), Jobbik party won 17% of vote, 2010Gábor Vona (Hungary), Jobbik party won 17% of vote, 2010
David Duke, Lyndon LaRouche, etc. (U.S.)David Duke, Lyndon LaRouche, etc. (U.S.)
Popularize racist policies (e.g., anti-immigrant) that are Popularize racist policies (e.g., anti-immigrant) that are then taken up by conservative politicians to win votes. then taken up by conservative politicians to win votes.
Modern Fascist LeadersModern Fascist Leaders
Klan/Nazi leaderDavid Duke won
majority of white votein Louisiana
governors’ race, 1991
Searchlight (UK) on European fascismhttp://www.searchlightmagazine.com
Center for New Communityhttp://www.buildingdemocracy.org
Turn it Down: Campaign Against White Power Musichttp://turnitdown.newcomm.org
Political Research Associateshttp://www.publiceye.org
Hatewatchhttp://www.splcenter.org/intel/hatewatch
Hate symbolshttp://www.adl.org/hate_symbols/default.asp
Extreme-rightrecruiting inTea Party(NAACP report,2010)
Jobbik gains17% of vote,46 seats inHungarianParliament,2010
Militia followersbomb Oklahoma City, 1995
Novel warns ofAmericanhomegrownfascism, 1935