On our Authoritarian government and American Exceptionalism

[nadinbrzezinski]

So every time any of us posts about how close we are to a totalitarian state we have the usual suspects jump, and get their panties in a wad. Why? How dare we even suggest this?

What is going on? Well, people's mind's immediately go to the best known example in modern history (Nazi Germany)... and we have been trained from early on to think that the Nazis were that exceptional and out of the historic norm because of the holocaust.

So lets clear the table shall we?

I could very easily compare current events to Kirchner's Guatemala of the 1950s... look on the bright side, there is no recognized genocide committed there. (Having talked to some Maya Indians, from the Quiche region, they may take exception to this statement and rightly so... but you get the point)

So what did it have in common with every other authoritarian government in the 20th century?

Lets check, shall we?

A thuggish class... the Guatemala Army, especially some of its special forces elements, were all but nice and cuddly. Hell, they were quite nasty and remember those Maya I mentioned above? They'd be able to regale you with some stories that will make you return your cookies. Oh, they involve all the classics, from rape and murder to land taking and attacks of religious believes... and throw people into prison, no due process, torture... you know the drill.

Secret jails and dark prisons: Yep, present.. and many a Maya ended up there

A controlled press: Absolutely, and being a reporter in Guatemala could mean taking your life in your hands, especially if you wanted to be critical. Hell, most folks knew they could publish what they wanted, legally that is, but the nod and wink meant they knew better. Hell the right to speak freely WAS in the Constitution.

A legal system that was compromised: Absolutely, and that legal system did what the President told them

Rule by Fiat: The whole mess started with fiat... and continued that way.

Internal and external enemies: For Kirchner it was them damn Ruskies... I mean there were Communists under every bush... just ask those working for him.

Internal surveillance system: Check... and yes they had their intelligence people listening to calls and all that. Now for the most part they relied on the fact that people knew that you were not supposed to look over your shoulder.

Harass citizens groups: Yep, any person protesting this was observed and citizen groups were broken down and up.

Arbitrary detention and release: Absolutely, especially in the country side among the Maya, but also among the intellectual class.

Target Key Individuals: Civil Rights lawyers and civil rights workers, including one who was recognized for her life's work by the Noble committee

And of course anybody dissenting in any form, was talked off as a traitor.

Now... I could do the same exercise with other authoritarian states such as Russia, Pinochet's Chile, Franco's Spain, and so on... and what is going on in this country RIGHT NOW.

Now why do we call this fascism? Mussolini defined it best... This is the mixing of corporate and state interests... that is why this particular form is fascism.

Here is another critical note...

Yes... you can discuss this still, and in fact most of these totalitarian states left most of the middle classes alone, and even allowed them to talk ammongst themselves. The security forces had records... and in some cases citizens spied on each other (the Staszy in East Germany), but for the most part unless you are making way too much noise, they need you to keep an illusion that you are free.

Was Nazi Germany extreme? Yes... if you look at the holocaust... but genocide is not necessarily the end result of these totalitarian systems... It can be... as Germany, Cambodia, Turkey, The Balkans and Rwanda have proven. But, camps are not a necessary the end for most of the population. Nor is genocide the necessary end result

I have argued in a post offering a readying list that there is a method to close down a society. My readying list included offerings from the best known example (as far as Americans are concerned) and of course it had the usual knee jerk reaction from the usual suspects.

But if you expect American Totalitarianism to take the exact same forms as German Fascism... then you are purposely ignoring the lessons of history. After all, that extreme of death camps was also reached by the USSR, which was NOT Fascist, but nevertheless was totalitarian... but Italy and Spain did not... and neither did Chile, Argentina and even Guatemala. (even if I will argue that there was genocide committed against the Maya, but there were NO camps)

Should we all stop discussing this because oh my we dishonor the victims of the holocaust by thinking that Germany is unfortunately more the norm than we want to believe? Absolutely not. If anything, putting our head in the damn sand as the country is closed down into our own form of Authoritarian government is refusing to learn the lessons and the echoes of history...

And yes, I do expect the usual suspects to come and tell us how this is ahistorical, incorrect and damn it, I can still post this without fearing a knock from DHS agents at my door, so drop the bong... we are still free and damn it it truly could not happen here. (That is American exceptionalism talking, and yes it can and it is happening here)