Amerika: 14 Defining Characteristics of Fascism

[Ufomammut]

Dr. Lawrence Britt has examined the fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia) and several Latin American regimes. Britt found 14 defining characteristics common to each:

1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism - Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs, and other paraphernalia. Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays.

2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights - Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in fascist regimes are persuaded that human rights can be ignored in certain cases because of "need." The people tend to look the other way or even approve of torture, summary executions, assassinations, long incarcerations of prisoners, etc.

3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause - The people are rallied into a unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to eliminate a perceived common threat or foe: racial , ethnic or religious minorities; liberals; communists; socialists, terrorists, etc.

4. Supremacy of the Military - Even when there are widespread
domestic problems, the military is given a disproportionate amount of government funding, and the domestic agenda is neglected. Soldiers and military service are glamorized.

5. Rampant Sexism - The governments of fascist nations tend to be almost exclusively male-dominated. Under fascist regimes, traditional gender roles are made more rigid. Divorce, abortion and homosexuality are suppressed and the state is represented as the ultimate guardian of the family institution.

6. Controlled Mass Media - Sometimes to media is directly controlled by the government, but in other cases, the media is indirectly controlled by government regulation, or sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Censorship, especially in war time, is very common.

7. Obsession with National Security - Fear is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses.

8. Religion and Government are Intertwined - Governments in fascist nations tend to use the most common religion in the nation as a tool to manipulate public opinion. Religious rhetoric and terminology is common from government leaders, even when the major tenets of the religion are diametrically opposed to the government's policies or actions.

9. Corporate Power is Protected - 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.

10. Labor Power is Suppressed - 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.

11. Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts - 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 and letters is openly attacked.

12. Obsession with Crime and Punishment - Under fascist regimes, the police are given almost limitless power to enforce laws. The people are often willing to overlook police abuses and even forego civil liberties in the name of patriotism. There is often a national police force with virtually unlimited power in fascist nations.

13. Rampant Cronyism and Corruption - Fascist regimes almost always are governed by groups of friends and associates who appoint each other to government positions and use governmental power and authority to protect their friends from accountability. It is not uncommon in fascist regimes for national resources and even treasures to be appropriated or even outright stolen by government leaders.

14. Fraudulent Elections - Sometimes elections in fascist nations are a complete sham. Other times elections are manipulated by smear campaigns against or even assassination of opposition candidates, use of legislation to control voting numbers or political district boundaries, and manipulation of the media. Fascist nations also typically use their judiciaries to manipulate or control elections.

[TAPat]

1. Sounds familiar!

Do you have a link to this info?

[The Stranger]

4. This was posted before with a link to the author.

Google may provide the answer.

[Ufomammut]

5. Google for it

This info has been readily available at online dissident sites for years. I've seen different studies on it, books have been written, etc.

But really, just open your eyes.

[9119495]

2. Nice post, new guy.

I think I'll use this with my classes in a few weeks.

[Sparkman]

3. Addendum: 15. Illegalities openly tolerated among their cronies.

[Sydnie]

6. That list is good - but I like this one better - it has examples

http://www.oldamericancentury.org/14pts.htm

:hi: Welcome to DU!

[Clara T]

7. A major milestone in child protection:Child Identification Program.

http://www.glmasons-mass.org/Grand_Lodge/IMAGES/JPG/gm+amie.jpg

A major milestone in child protection: 100,000 children have participated in the Massachusetts Masonic Child Identification Program.

SPRINGFIELD, MA-The Massachusetts Masonic Child Identification Program (CHIP) is the most comprehensive in the world because it includes Toothprints®. When John and Sherry Clark of Monson brought their 10-year-old son, John, Jr. and 7-year-old daughter Amie to the Masonic CHIP program at the Springfield Civic Center as part of Kid's Safety Day, their goal was to take advantage of this free program that includes a videotape interview, fingerprints, and Toothprints. They had no idea that Amie would be recognized as the 100,000th child in Massachusetts to participate in the CHIP program.

To celebrate this major milestone, Amie was presented with four tickets to next year's Melha Shriners Circus, a certificate recognizing her new status, and a $100 U.S. Savings Bond by the Grand Master of Masons in Massachusetts, Fred K. Bauer. Amie will also be the featured guest at the circus.

The CHIP program is provided free of charge by Massachusetts Freemasons in cooperation with local dentists who are members of the Massachusetts Dental Society, and the Massachusetts Crime Prevention Officers Association. All materials including the Toothprints and fingerprints are given to the parents and no copies are kept on file.

Toothprints were developed by Dr. David Tesini of Framingham, a pediatric dentist as another means of identifying a child that fingerprints alone may not guarantee. According to Peter Banks, Director of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, when a Toothprint is taken, sufficient proteins remain in the saliva on the wafer from which a DNA test can be successfully performed for yet a second means of identification from the Toothprint. He also stated that, since the Toothprint wafer is sealed in a "zipper"-type plastic bag, enough scent remains for a trained dog to identify and track it. The Massachusetts Masonic CHIP program is the only child identification program to offer Toothprints.

http://www.glmasons-mass.org/Grand_Lodge/NEWS/100k_child.html

Go Here to Learn More About Surveillance Nation:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x621233

[stellanoir]

8. ???

Mike Malloy narrated a powerful flash video that was kicking around last June that was really well done wherein he read these 14 Charactaristics. Though I saved the link I just spent an hour searching for it in my files and through google and had no luck finding it. Only lots of references to it.

Does anybody have the link to the video itself???