Fighting the Facist Infection
Unfortunately, history shows us that fascism is infectious, and the world is currently highly vulnerable to it.
The 26th of November 2024, may be remembered by history as the day that the US took its first step to losing its republic. It was the day Jack Smith asked for the cases against Donald Trump to be dropped, and with that the scales held by Lady Justice tipped out of their eternal balance: As the rule that should govern every other, that no one is above the law, rang hollow across the land.
I was looking back at an article I wrote in 2016 about Donald Trump’s penchant for facism. The gist was:
Disregard the law.
Make money for your rich friends
Attack the “outsider”
When it all goes to shits, double down on outsiders.
Nothing has changed in that respect, but the world certainly has. It is now further weakened by the devastating impact of the coronavirus on our societies and individual mental well-being. People are angry, searching for someone to blame. There is an almost palpable sense that something is deeply wrong.
What’s wrong is that we are facing a level of wealth disparity not seen since the World Wars. It has become "normal" for the economy to function in a way where the top 0.1% of society holds as much wealth as the bottom 90% (1). To put it into perspective, here’s another way to see how we currently measure up historically (2).
However, in an age where we consume media in soundbites, no one has time for reasoned arguments. This creates the perfect environment for the easy scapegoating of outsiders, allowing the fascist infection to spread unchecked.
Nigel Farage’s Reform is making inroads in Wales (3)
Peter Dutton’s Liberals in Australia, are forming themselves into a Donald Trump tribute act. (4)
Europe, well, it’s bad….
Learn from the Past:
Of course, the 1940s provide plenty of lessons to learn from. But every decade has its warning that immigration would lead to the destruction of our societies.
What can we take away from how that was addressed?
Never dehumanise a human being.
Regardless of creed or color, regardless of circumstances—from the President of the United States to the child in Palestine—they hold the same rights under law. This principle must lead us to condemn Israeli terrorism just as we condemn Palestinian terrorism. International law must be restored to a strong moral foundation.
Stick with like-minded countries.
Other issues pale into insignificance, and old grievances must be set aside. It’s essential to foster stronger economic and social bonds with other democratically led nations. The words of my patron saint against fascism, Vasily Grossman, seem particularly relevant in light of recent events:
“Another fact that allowed Fascism to gain power over men was their blindness. A man cannot believe that he is about to be destroyed. The optimism of people standing on the edge of the grave is astounding.”
Never stop laughing at the facist.
One of the funniest aspects of a fascist leader is their need to take themselves far too seriously, which makes them ripe for ridicule. Laugh heartily at them. What a facist needs to do is not only dehumanise those they oppress, but also those they empower to oppress. Laughter is the great weapon against this.
Never stop being kind.
If you can look at another person with openness, seek to understand them, and care, then fascism cannot prevail. Once again, I return to the words of my patron saint against fascism, reflecting after the horrors witnessed in the 1940s:
“Human history is not the battle of good struggling to overcome evil. It is a battle fought by a great evil struggling to crush a small kernel of human kindness. But if what is human in human beings has not been destroyed even now, then evil will never conquer.”
(1) https://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/nov/13/us-wealth-inequality-top-01-worth-as-much-as-the-bottom-90
(2)Data taken from:
The size of the economy and the distribution of income in the Roman Empire : Walter Scheidel and Steven J. Friesen (Stanford University and University of Texas)
Milanovic, Lindert and Williamson (n.2), 78 table 3
Saez, Emmanuel and Gabriel Zucman “Wealth Inequality in the United States since 1913: Evidence from Capitalized Income Tax Data”, NBER Working Paper, October 2014
(3) https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/nov/26/more-straight-talking-how-reform-uk-is-picking-up-support-in-wales
(4) https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/politics/there-are-parallels-incoming-trump-administration-compared-to-coalition/video/7baafd47a322e7be7249977d2a0bb6df
(5) quotes from Life and Fate.