8. The 14 CHARACTERISTICS OF FASCISM

THE SHEEPLE (Sheeple (a portmanteau of "sheep" and "people") is a term of disparagement in which people are likened to sheep, a herd animal. The term is used to describe those who voluntarily acquiesce to a suggestion without critical analysis or research. By doing so, they undermine their own individuality and may willingly give up their rights.) ARE LED BY A SHEPHERD -

I HAVE NO SHEPHERD, FOR I AM NOT SHEEP! - Winter Laake

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Speech, "Mountain Top"

The 14 Characteristics of Fascism

by Lawrence Britt

Spring 2003

Free Inquiry Maganize

http://www.ratical.org/ratville/CAH/fasci14chars.txt

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:

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 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.

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. Opposition to

abortion is high, as is homophobia and anti-gay legislation

and national policy.

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 is openly attacked, and

governments often refuse to fund the arts.

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 forgo 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.

Copyright � 2003 Free Inquiry magazine

Reprinted for Fair Use Only.