"Fascism, pronounced /ˈfæʃɪzəm/, is a radical and authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to organize a nation on corporatist perspectives; values; and systems such as the political system and the economy. Scholars generally consider fascism to be on the far right of the conventional left-right political spectrum, although some scholars claim that fascism has been influenced by both the left and the right.
Fascists believe that a nation is an organic community that requires strong leadership, collective identity, and the will and ability to commit violence and wage war in order to keep the nation strong. They identify violence and war as actions that create national regeneration, spirit and vitality. They claim that culture is created by collective national society and its state, that cultural ideas are what give individuals identity, and thus rejects individualism. In viewing the nation as an integrated collective community, they claim that pluralism is a dysfunctional aspect of society, and justify a totalitarian state as a means to represent the nation in its entirety. They advocate the creation of a single-party state. Fascist governments forbid and suppress openness and opposition to the fascist state and the fascist movement. Fascists reject and resist autonomy of cultural or ethnic groups who are not considered part of the fascists' nation and who refuse to assimilate or are unable to be assimilated. They consider attempts to create such autonomy as an affront and threat to the nation."
When I first read this definition, I was a a bit confused, so let's break it down, and compare each point to the Tea Party movement of today, and even some of the positions of the more mainstream GOP in the past which most Tea Partyers are part of.
- "Fascists seek to organize a nation on corporatist perspectives, values, and systems" - Certainly the GOP is clearly in the pocket of Corporate America. They show this by constantly taking the side of the corporations against the public interest. They say it all the time in their campaigns as well. Words to the effect of "I ran a company, therefore I know how to run the government better" are all over the place.
- "Scholars generally consider fascism to be on the far right" - Nuff said.
- "Fascists believe that a nation is an organic community that requires strong leadership, collective identity, and the will and ability to commit violence and wage war in order to keep the nation strong." - I only have two words for you "Dick Cheney". In general, this was the position of ex-President Bush and the GOP for 8 years. Any opposition to war was called "un-American", and GW Bush's idea that the US had the right to "strike preemptively" in order to protect it's interests sounds an awful lot like this part of the definition of fascism.
- "Fascist governments forbid and suppress openness and opposition to the fascist state and the fascist movement" - See #3, also see all of the hated and violence directed at people who don't agree with the Tea Party that's all over the news, and has been ever since the inception of the group.
- "Fascists reject and resist autonomy of cultural or ethnic groups who are not considered part of the fascists' nation" - Can you say "Lou Dobbs? Seriously, anyone who looks, sounds, or acts differently from these people is attacked, both figuratively, and literally. Reference the spitting on a U.S. Congressman last Sunday.
Where the test fails is in the part where the definition says "and justify a totalitarian state as a means to represent the nation in its entirety.". Although I do think that the "unitary executive" theory that Dick Cheney believes in comes close. But still, I think that these people do still think that democracy is a good thing, at least as long as they are winning the elections...
So, is the Tea Party a Fascist organization? I don't think so, but it sure seems to have a lot in common with one.
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