Dr. Lawrence Britt's 14 Characteristics of Fascism

[AP]

Courtesy of LunaC...I didn't want this to get lost at the bottom of a long thread.

Dr. Lawrence Britt has examined the fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia)and several Latin American regimes. Britt found 14 defining characteristics common to each....and we share them all!

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. Divorce, abortion and homo-sexuality are suppressed
and the state is represented as the ultimate guardian of the family
institution.


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 and letters is openly attacked.


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 forego 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.

http://csf.colorado.edu/envtecsoc/2003/msg00700.html