Analogies are often made between Trump and Hitler, between the Nazis and MAGA, between fascism then and now. MAGA reacts defensively and dismissively. While in my experience many on the Left who make the comparisons, often lack a basic understanding of what they’re talking about.
To be clear, what we are witnessing is indeed fascism, by definition, and there are certainly many parallels between Trump and Hitler, between today’s MAGA in the US and then Naziism in Germany.
What is Fascism, also known as National Socialism? At its core, it consists of at least four coinciding phenomena.
First, the alignment of big government with big business, in the name of nationalism. This is more than the traditional kickback scheme, where business lines the pockets of politicians through the lobbying process in exchange for large amounts of government contracts and subsidies. In this stage of National Socialism, the government actually establishes an official partnership with those businesses, at which point the lines between the public and private sectors, particularly in strategic industries and sectors, are eroded.
Such an arrangement could be Marxian in nature if it tended towards public control and the allocation of profits towards social programs and overall general uplift and progress. Instead, the tendency is towards the empowerment of the new public-private alliance, and the solidification of a self-interested and self-perpetuating juggernaut, at the expense of the taxpayer’s dollar, as well as our liberty. After all, if monopoly capitalism has not proven corrupt enough, this new phase of National Socialism will surely be remembered as the most anti-democratic and most threatening spectacle in terms of the different historical stages of capitalism.
The second facet of fascism, which we are witnessing, is the bolstering of the imperial war machine and imperial aggression abroad. In the case of Germany, it was Eastern Europe–Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Russia–and then France and Britain. In the case of the US, it has been Venezuela, Cuba, Iran, Nigeria. Of course, in a fascist society, government forms alliances with big business in the military-industrial-prison-paramilitary complex, as we are seeing currently.
The third facet of Fascism is the demonization and dehumanization of an “other” through the dominant narrative, which sets the precedent in public opinion (at least of those who support it) for the public policy which would otherwise be reprehensible if applied against the dominant demographics, but which are purportedly justified for the “other”. This is in fact always the first of these four facets shared, which commence well before the formal possession of power. As we saw here, this rhetoric started with Trumps 2016 candidacy, and had only come to fruition in every other aspect as a result of this first precondition, which is the intoxification of the masses with hate towards an “other”, and the simple reduction of all problems to a “final solution”.
In Germany, actual anti-Semitism was predominated since even before WWI. But it was especially after that war when attacks against Jews, both verbal and physical, became more systematic and endemic, until they eventually took over the hearts and minds of the majority of the German population. JEWS (AND SOCIALISTS) were blamed for all of Germany’s woes–economic, political, social; for crime; for public health issues; for national security concerns. Thus, the Jew and socialists were the scapegoats. Is this not so true of the Mexican today? Of the Brown and Black immigrant today? And of Socialists here today?
The fourth facet of fascism, is the mobilization and deployment of paramilitary forces against those scapegoats. In pre-Nazi Germany, bands of thugs would attack Jews and Socialists at random. With the formation of the SS, an official branch of the Nazi regime was created, one tasks specifically with dealing with these populations. Their objective was to eliminate the “problem”, the “problem” always being referred to in dehumanizing language. Today, it is ICE which constitutes the paramilitary wing of MAGA. As such, its objective is none other than to eliminate the “problem” of the Black and Brown immigrant. To eliminate the “problem” of Socialism.
This is Yanqui Fascism in the 21st Century! MAGA IS the new Nazi!
Still, there is work to do. For as each of us know from experience, there are many good-hearted and well-intended brothers and sisters, elders and even children, who have been duped. Who are under the spell of self-interest, of a charismatic celebrity, albeit a compulsive liar, in The White House, and a mainstream media which conceals the Truth, and preys upon the emotions of wo/men, deceiving the masses. Even I at one point in time was one of these, despite my longstanding political convictions and Leftist stance. It cost me many relationships, the collateral damage of the division which Empire seeks to sow and effectively does.
Today, I believe that it is our duty to reach these family, friends, and neighbors. These are not our enemies. Of course, we do have real enemies, those who are consciously engaged in deception, oppression, plunder, and who specifically profit thereof. But the ranks are not yet absolutely defined. We must diligently speak truth to power, with love and compassion as our guide, and the patience to discuss difficult topics between those different opinions. We must exercise our diplomatic muscles as citizens, our fraternal duties as equals. These are the foundations of democracy, of unity, of progress, and of fraternity. It is worth our time. It is worth our effort. And we will become better because of such dialogue and outreach.
Peace and Blessings!
Speak Truth2Power!