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In reply to the discussion: BINGO [View all]

Martin Eden

(14,968 posts)
12. Fascism starts as a protest movement?
Sat Oct 4, 2025, 05:56 PM
Oct 4

That was certainly not the case with Trumpism.

It's the same old forces of oligarchy and rightwing extremism fomenting an astroturf (not genuine grassroots) "populism" around a cultish figure whose primary skill is pushing the buttons of grievance and fear, identifying "enemies within" who are different due to their race, religion, ideology, or cultural/sexual identity.

The rule of law (in countries with a tradition of constitutional protections) is steadily eroded by an increasingly authoritarian regime claiming emergency powers to justify suppressing dissent and political opposition.

The "fascist" label perhaps does not apply to authoritarian regimes like Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, Saudi Arabia, because they lacked legitimate democracy and/or privately owned means of production.

The fascist regimes headed by Mussolini, Hitler, and Trump were elected with populist support but were already in league with or soon colluded with industrial and business interests for mutual benefit.

All authoritarian regimes have much in common: tyranny, repression, brutality. Fascism mostly has different roots and is found in the Western world. What you call it is less important than what it is.

Recommendations

4 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

BINGO [View all] pbmus Oct 4 OP
Impressively clear explanation Raven123 Oct 4 #1
Hear, hear peppertree Oct 4 #34
Perfectly stated malaise Oct 4 #2
Wow. A couple questions: Who is this? How do I get a transcript? Thank you. Hekate Oct 4 #3
Kicked and recommended Uncle Joe Oct 4 #4
For those not looking at xitter... 2naSalit Oct 4 #5
It is an incredibly clear and concise explanation of what fascism is. Biophilic Oct 4 #7
I don't recall... 2naSalit Oct 4 #23
Sorry. I see that word thrown around a lot. Biophilic Oct 4 #26
Wow, that was excellent. Yeah, who is this guy? Biophilic Oct 4 #6
Bright and clear take BaronChocula Oct 4 #8
Here is the tiktok account the video came from. Wiz Imp Oct 4 #9
A video pinned at the top of that tiktok account Wiz Imp Oct 4 #10
Ty 4 sharing this questionseverything Oct 4 #11
WOW!!! brakester Oct 6 #39
Fascism starts as a protest movement? Martin Eden Oct 4 #12
one could argue it started with the tea party protests proud patriot Oct 4 #14
Tea Party was astroturf Martin Eden Oct 4 #20
hofstader's classic "paranoid style in american politics" rampartd Oct 4 #29
Wow!! Another fascinating and lively discussion in DU! brakester Oct 6 #37
Bookmarking thanks proud patriot Oct 4 #13
Great explanation. Thanks for posting. Timeflyer Oct 4 #15
That seems 10,000X too academic to actually inform anybody who needs to understand this. Bluetus Oct 4 #16
Thank you. LittleGirl Oct 4 #19
Dead on... dwayneb Oct 4 #30
Yes, but this is about the playbook Bluetus Oct 4 #35
Thank you, bluetus! brakester Oct 6 #38
Maybe it's just me dweller Oct 4 #17
It's to avoid the TikTok filter JoseBalow Oct 4 #18
Seriously ? dweller Oct 4 #21
Possibly JoseBalow Oct 4 #22
And there is the bugabear dweller Oct 4 #25
Yessir pbmus Oct 4 #27
Thank You!!!! cjon Oct 4 #24
Ah well. Not going to xhitter, nor joining google play. niyad Oct 4 #28
When you start using "conservative" to describe the radical right, valleyrogue Oct 4 #31
Everybody has one pbmus Oct 4 #33
This definitely needs to be simplified Racygrandma Oct 4 #32
A very powerful and insightful discussion. I think the Lincoln Project guys, former conservatives, are early in... NNadir Oct 5 #36
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