America Unspun

Today is October 26, 2024.

Two nights ago, at a town hall meeting sponsored by CNN, Vice President Kamala Harris labeled former President Donald Trump a Fascist and “dangerous”.  She went on to reference former President Trump’s Chief of Staff, retired Marine Corps General John Kelly.  General (Ret.) Kelly has stated that former President Trump “certainly falls into the general definition of fascist, for sure”.   I find this statement interesting, because I am not certain the average American knows the “general definition” of Fascism. 

I have followed the evolution of this election carefully, and I have noticed the (not so) gradual increase in the use of the terms “Nazi” and “Fascist” to describe both candidates and political parties.  These terms strike deeply into the American psyche, particularly since our parents and/or grandparents fought a World War to defeat these ideologies.  That they are used interchangeably by people who in many cases have no idea what they mean disturbs me. 
I understand all too well that our up and coming generations do not study history as I did.  From my direct observations they are more apt to get information from a scrolling data feed, Youtube, or TikTok than from peer reviewed and vetted sources.

To that end, I want to compare and contrast National Socialism and Fascism. 

I will begin with Fascism.  Fascism was an Italian creation with its roots in the turbulent 1920’s.  It was embraced by the Italians and had these characteristics:

• The mission of the State was to unify and glorify the Italian people and the Kingdom of Italy.
• Fascism emphasized the supremacy of the Italian State to the detriment of the individual and required individuals to conform to the expectations of the State. 
• Fascism rejected liberal democracy and embraced authoritarianism.
• Fascism raised its leader – Benito Mussolini – to a cult like status, able to exercise complete control of the country as an expression of national will.
• Fascism did not allow for dissenting voices or points of view.
• Fascism used propaganda to mobilize the nation and exert control.
• Fascism used fanatic patriotism and expeditionary military action to unite Italy and maintain a strong national identity. 
• While it was anti-Semitic, Fascism did not seek the eradication of the Semitic peoples. 
• Fascism did not seek to eliminate upward social mobility and was willing to at least partially preserve a capitalist economy.
• Fascism sought to incorporate all areas of society into service to the State. The military, the workforce, manufacturing, educational institutions, etc., were all expected to exist only to serve the needs of the State.

I will continue with National Socialism.  National Socialism was a German creation with its roots in the 1920’s as a reaction to the humiliation of defeat in World War I.  The National Socialist German Worker’s Party (Nazi Party) had these characteristics:

• The mission of the State was to undo the humiliation of the Treaty of Versailles, gain more territory by conquest, and promote the supremacy of the “Aryan” race.
• National Socialism sought to eliminate threats to the progress of Aryan domination. (Communists, Jews, any other dissenters)
• National Socialism emphasized the supremacy of the Greater German Reich to the detriment of the individual.
• National Socialism rejected liberal democracy and embraced authoritarianism.
• National Socialism raised its leader – Adolph Hitler – to a cult like status, able to exercise complete control of the country as an expression of national and personal will.
• National Socialism did not allow for dissenting voices or points of view.
• National Socialism used propaganda to mobilize the nation and exert control.
• National Socialism used fanatic patriotism and expeditionary military action to unite Germans and maintain a strong racially based national identity. (Aryanism).
• National Socialism was fanatically Anti-Semitic and sought the eradication of the Semitic peoples.  This was due to Hitler’s belief that Jewish cowardice and plotting caused Germany’s defeat in World War I.
• National Socialism sought to eliminate social classes and to eliminate capitalism in order to establish a State controlled economy. 

Here is the point of this little essay.  Words mean things.  While Fascists and National Socialists were similar in some ways, they were very different in others. 

As for Vice President Harris’ contention that former President Trump is a Fascist, I eagerly await any documented proof of this.  Political rhetoric is a part of our election process – we hear things in every election that turn out to be false.  We also hear some things that turn out to be true.  In this case, we have important data about both candidates and how they behave(d) in office.  I saw nothing during Mr. Trump’s first term that convinces me he is a Fascist.  I stand ready to review any solid evidence any one can produce.