Fascism is a term we hear on a lot nowadays
When it's said, you might think of some historical figures like Hitler, or Franco
Or maybe even some contemporary ones
But what does it actually mean
In this video I’ll answer this question by giving you a clear definition of fascism
which you can then use to test whether or not certain ideologies or individuals are
fascistic or not.
The best way to understand fascism is to understand it as a combination of two ideologies. record
One of these ideologies is nationalism, which is defined as the advocacy of one’s own
nation over others.
However fascism incorporates extreme nationalism, not the nationalism of my football team is
better than yours, but the nationalism of my people, my race is superior to yours.
The other ideology fascism incorporates is that of dictatorship
The best way to understand dictatorship is to look at democracy, the idea it is often
held in contrast to
The word for word definition of democracy is government by the people.
In the vast majority of countries claiming to be democratic this government by the people
is maintained through near or universal suffrage as well as the election of representatives.record
Dictatorship on the other hand, actively subverts the power of the people, instead power is
vested in one single person and all other opposition stamped out.
So let’s look at some examples of historical and modern day figures to test if their ideologies
are fascistic.
Let’s start with the obvious contender- Adolf Hitler
Was he a dictator?
In 1933 he passed the enabling act giving him power to pass laws without consent from
the Reichstag, the building where Germany’s elected representatives sat.
He also made the Nazi party the only single legal party in Germany in the same year.
So yes Hitler was a dictator.
Was he an extreme nationalist?
Now the thing Hitler is possibly most associated with, not including World War 2 as a whole,
is the Holocaust.
The Holocaust was the genocide of 6 million jews by the Nazis during world war 2, and
the ideology that undergirded this slaughter was an extreme nationalist, racist belief
in the German people’s superiority, as well as a belief that the Jews were an inferior,
subhuman race.
So yes Hitler was an extreme nationalist.
Putting these two beliefs together we can clearly see how Hitler was a fascist.
Another example of a supposed fascist is the current President of the United States, Donald
Trump
Let’s test to see whether he is one, using the definition. record
Is he a dictator?
Donald Trump was fairly elected under the rules of the US constitution, and neither
made any attempts to overturn or abolish elections, nor does he rule by executive fiat.
So no.
An extreme nationalist?
Trump has called himself a nationalist, but has also disavowed the KKK and racism.
However he was accused of flirting with more racist elements during his election campaign
and early on in his presidency, specifically in the aftermath of the Charlottesville attack
when he implied a parity in ideology between the antifascists and the white supremacists.
So Trump’s record on whether or not he’s an extreme nationalist is a bit patchy
But that doesn’t mean he is one, and he’s certainly not a dictator. record
In conclusion the President isn’t, by my estimation a fascist.
But if you disagree with me, please leave a comment explaining why.
So where does this all of this leave us?
It leaves us with a clear and concise definition of fascism as an ideology that combines dictatorship
and extreme nationalism.
If people demonstrate this kind of an ideology, call them out for it, but don’t band it
around, using it as a blunt object to silence people you disagree with.
Thanks for watching, please like and subscribe.