When Googling, “what is fascism,” the most helpful response I received was an NPR piece where men from Ivy Leagues were providing their learned opinions of the matter. So I decided to make a quick write-up to simplify it. Individuals have the right to define “fascism” based on their own values, lived experience, and decision-making.
Britt’s the 14 Characteristics of Fascism
In 2003, a man named Dr. Lawrence Britt published an article titled, “Fascism, Anyone?” for a publication called, Free Inquiry. I’ll use these as a guideline. Dr. Britt drew his conclusions from studying the dictatorships of Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, among others. This makes the source material relevant. My own grandparents lived through the last world war. It’s certainly impacted the culture I was raised in, so let’s get to it.
Britt’s First Three Characteristics of Fascism: Powerful, Controlling Nationalism, Disdain for Human Rights, and Unity Over Common Enemies
Ohhh myyyy! The first three characteristics are very heavy. If you’re like me, a list of involuntary “unprecedented times” memories come to mind. For myself, the disdain for human rights sticks out. While working as a licensed mental health professional in Ohio, I watched as human rights for specific diagnoses of mental disorders has been weaponized against the whole.
Don’t mistake me: trans rights are human rights.
AND, the state of Ohio’s legislature is controlling and tracking trans peoples to normalize government control over mental healthcare. Just like they’re doing with medical professionals, abortion, and abortifacients.
Republican anti-trans rhetoric and law have increased since the first anti-trans bill was introduced. Republican control of the whole State, has increased. And slowly but surely, the loss of complete and ethical medical record keeping and Federal Law has been altered by the State of Ohio.
The nationalist agenda dehumanizing trans peoples the U.S. is ignoring or weaponizing page 455 of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (2013, American Psychiatric Association):
“Distress may not be manifest in social situations supportive of the child’s desire to live in the role of the other gender and may emerge only if the desire is interfered with…distress may, however, be mitigated by supportive environments and knowledge that biomedical treatments exist to reduce incongruence.”
In other words, socially and politically targeting gender diverse peoples, especially younger people, causes symptoms of gender dysphoria. It’s important to remember: not all trans people, drag queens, and non-binary people suffer from gender dysphoria. When one is free to express themselves and their gender as they wish, these symptoms do not meet the diagnostic criteria for a disorder at all.
This is the example that I think of in the lens of fascism, after living and working against this legislation the past three years.
Is this fascism? It feels like it.
Flags and Nationalism
Britt noted that flags, specifically, and compulsory under fascist regimes: “Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays.” Anything that is a stereotypical patriotic symbol of a nation can become a symbol of fascism.
The reason for this? Fascism is fear-based on a single hero-savior the nation must listen to: or else. Everyone loves merch, and to feel like a part of the “good” group, too. It’s a basic human desire for most people to want a social circle in which they “fit in.” Blending that with compulsory or required nationalist propaganda is a sure sign of fascism.
Supremacy of the Military and Rampant Sexism
Masculine power structures with intolerance of anything outside of a “feminine” is made “other.” If the “feminine” want to live, they, then, must obey the masculine supremacy of whoever it is they’re living with.
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.
Women who are lucky enough to be safe, are safe so long as they’re enthusiastic, and falling into rigidly-defined gender roles defined for them by men in power. Historically and presently, individuals who don’t adhere to rigid gender binaries are deemed inhumane, “other,” the enemy of the state, and therefore, disposable.
In a previous post, Before Abortion, I noted something worth saying again:
Historically speaking, from 1619:
- it took 229 years before New York State enacted the first Married Women’s Property Law
- 251 years before the 15th Amendment guaranteed Black men the right to vote
- 354 years before the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that an abortion is generally a constitutional right in Roe v. Wade
- 346 years before the Voting Rights Act provided Black women the right to vote
- 403 years before Roe v. Wade was overturned, after being Constitutional for 49 years.
Is this a forced gender role you feel comfortable with?
Controlled Mass-Media and Fear-Based Security Concerns
Fascist governments control the media to keep control. Fear-based security concerns of internal or external enemies are controlled for the means to maintain power.
If we were to find an example today, it could be worth noting that Elon Musk and Donald Trump are seemingly fast friends and associates. Fear-based, racist, nationalist, and bigoted rhetoric seem to be coalescing around changes for Mr. Musk since Mr. Trump’s recent Presidential election win.
Right now, the United States has a lot of fear-based rhetoric: fear of trans people, baseline fears of people who aren’t white enough or Christian, and even UFOs. In recent years, Republicans and Democrats alike are talking on all sides about a number of proved or possible, threats to national security.
In a fascist regime, this would be used to control masses. Psychologically speaking, this makes it less likely for individuals to trust others enough to interrupt the central power. That’s the point.
Of Government and Corporate Religion: Britt’s Characteristics of Fascism 8 and 9
I’m sure there’s a great way to connect these ideas to how white benefactor of antisemitism and racist apartheid owner of X and Donald Trump are presenting their unit in public. I’m too tired to draw those connections, but I’m sure you can. Join these celebs and I who have left the app formerly known as Twitter, and take back control of your dignity and central nervous system.
Corporations Exempt From Harm
Britt’s 9th Characteristic of Fascism states: “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.”
In the current timeline, the lines of what is a “corporation” or “religion” or “friend” get blurry. This obviously, then, overlaps to the education, arts, and mass-media categories, which are exempt from harm because they are part of the same family, friend group, or special-interest-associates-whose-money-is-intertwined-for-generations-club.
The symbiotic relationship afforded by finances flowing from one characteristic of fascism flow into another seamlessly.
Suppression of Unions
Dr. Britt notes: “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.” Remember: cronies first!
Disdain for Intellectuals, the Arts and Obsession with Crime and Punishment
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” (Britt, 2003).
What could this look like today?
A proposal and enforcement of removing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) individuals from work and earning a living, perhaps.
VP-elect and disappointing Ohioan JD Vance has said that he would like to see abortion be made a federally illegal act, despite abortion being a safe, outpatient, medical procedure.
Rampant Cronyism, Nepotism, Favoring Family for High Levels of Government, and Fake Elections
Britt notes that fascist regimes will overtake who branches of government. Adolf Hitler did just this. He eliminated the Weimar Republic, which was the legislative body since the end of World War I in 1918. He then systematically planned and implemented a murder spree of his own supporters.
Nacht der langen Messer, or, the Night of Long Knives, was a two day event of bloodshed. Here is an example of the Third Reich’s fascist hold which blends all of Britt’s 14 Characteristics of Fascism. After using cronies from the old aristocracy and friends, Hitler had positioned himself like a gangster surrounded by murderous yes-men; then he set them loose on his own people, securing enough fear in those left living to feel “relief”, and therefore, allegiance to him to feel safe. (The Complete Story of Hitler and the Nazis, streaming via Amazon Prime).
Fake elections, in fascist regimes, can range from fraudulent elections to political assassination, according to Britt.
The Guardian reports that Trump is planning to massively fire civil employees to instead appoint individuals in the Federal branch of government. The British are calling this “like the bad old days of Henry VIII.”
In the United States of America, this is supposed to be a representative democracy. It can be, again.
