Just commenting on Morris'... post
It is next to impossible to talk to USians about fascism which has been turned into a post-rational shibboleth that immediately induces trembling, eye-rolling, frothing at the mouth and most of all knee-jerking.
Fascism never went out style in Europe; it simply learned to be quiet around the usual suspects. Almost as far back as i can remember, i have always run into fascists in Europe. They are: culturally conservative, nationalistic, formally religious, anti-American, anti-Jewish, mostly anti-gay and more economically left than just about any US politician.
What we call the Second World War, they consider to be a war in defence of Europe on two fronts -- not just against USA and USSR but also against brutish philistine capitalism and brute atheist communism. Generally speaking, fascism advocates economic self-sufficiency (autarchy) coupled with social rights (health care, education, paid vacations, wage and pensions). This puts them at war with global capitalism.
But because it is a hybrid solution to the political economic dilemma of industrial/finance capitalism, fascism tends to be at war with itself; i.e. its racio-cultural xenophobia & nationalism competes against its economic autarchy &"socialism". Usually the simpler part of the equation comes to the fore.
Fascism never went out style in Europe; it simply learned to be quiet around the usual suspects. Almost as far back as i can remember, i have always run into fascists in Europe. They are: culturally conservative, nationalistic, formally religious, anti-American, anti-Jewish, mostly anti-gay and more economically left than just about any US politician.
What we call the Second World War, they consider to be a war in defence of Europe on two fronts -- not just against USA and USSR but also against brutish philistine capitalism and brute atheist communism. Generally speaking, fascism advocates economic self-sufficiency (autarchy) coupled with social rights (health care, education, paid vacations, wage and pensions). This puts them at war with global capitalism.
But because it is a hybrid solution to the political economic dilemma of industrial/finance capitalism, fascism tends to be at war with itself; i.e. its racio-cultural xenophobia & nationalism competes against its economic autarchy &"socialism". Usually the simpler part of the equation comes to the fore.
