What Does Fascism Involve?
Today, the term “fascist” is used across the political spectrum. Conservative Republicans sometimes label liberals as “fascist,” while liberals accuse the Trump administration of pursuing a fascist agenda. Some also compare the president to outspoken, self-proclaimed fascists of the twentieth century, such as Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini. Experts today also distinguish among proto-fascism, meaning not yet fascist but moving in that direction; fascism, meaning actively and consciously following a fascist path; and post-fascism, meaning having moved beyond fascism after once embracing it.
Now I must admit I am not well-versed with the word (fascism) or its actual meaning, but it seems the accusations are less rooted in a clear understanding of the term and more in emotion or opposition to certain policies enacted by so-called “fascists.” In this essay, I explore a basic understanding of the term and then try to answer the question I have posed: Is Donald Trump a Fascist?
Meaning of the Word Fascism
So first, what does fascism mean? The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines it this way: a populist political philosophy, movement, or regime … that exalts nation and often race above the individual, that is associated with a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, and that is characterized by severe economic and social regimentation and by forcible suppression of opposition.
The Encyclopedia Britannica defines it in this way: political ideology and mass movement… [Fascism has] had many characteristics in common, including extreme militaristic nationalism, contempt for electoral democracy and political and cultural liberalism, a belief in natural social hierarchy and the rule of elites, and the desire to create a Volksgemeinschaft (German: “people’s community”), in which individual interests would be subordinated to the good of the nation.
General John Kelly, who served as President Trump’s Chief of Staff from 2017-2019, was fired by Trump in December 2018. He offers a less formal description of what makes a person a fascist. He writes: ” a far-right authoritarian, ultranationalist political ideology and movement characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural social hierarchy.”
Characteristics of Fascism
Now there are characteristics one might add or subtract from their understanding of the definition. But for our purposes I want us to draw from these basic definitions the characteristics of fascism that stand out:
- an autocratic governing style,
- extreme militarism and threats of violence,
- extreme nationalism,
- severe economic and social gaps between the haves and have-nots.
- Contempt for any view or policy or political position deemed as “liberal”.
- Suppression of opposition in any form.
- and a strong belief in a social hierarchy.
Because of the characteristic of a belief in social hierarchy, there is a tendency to categorize certain groups of citizens as not being worthy of concern: immigrants, refugees, non-Christian religious persons, people of certain ethnic groups, and racism. Because such people are lower on the social hierarchy, their concerns are of less concern and are outright ignored by those in power.
What About Donald Trump?
The term “fascist” is loaded with assumptions and values that many people find overly biased. I ask the reader to check your defensiveness and assumptions about the term and just think about this question in terms of the characteristics we have listed as characterizing fascist thinking and action. In asking the question “Is Donald Trump A Fascist?” I am not asking: Is he a Hitler or a Mussolini?
I do not think the president would associate himself with the term, fascist. He may not even have a deep grasp of it. He appears to see himself as the supreme ruler, the person in control, who can and must issue edicts shaping the country in ways he deems most in line with his values and visions. Coming from a business background, he may think of himself as the man in ultimate control of the “company” called the United States. The challenge is that business and politics operate on different assumptions, so what may be allowed in business is seen in a much different light politically.
That being said, let us ask: …
- Is the president autocratic in his governing style?
- Does he use threats of violence to silence enemies and political foes?
- Does he endorse an extreme nationalism in his call to “Put America First” and “Make America Great Again?”
- Are there significant economic and social gaps between the haves and have-nots caused by the policies of his administration?
- Does he have contempt for liberal policies and practices like DEI, Critical Race theory, and for people who are political and media critics and protesters against his policies?
- Does he operate from a social hierarchy that degrades certain groups of people whom he deems not worthy of concern?
How do We Answer the Question?
How would the president answer these questions? He seems to take great pride in getting his way, and often it is through practices like this. How would he feel being regarded as fascist-like in his leadership style? Because fascist is such a loaded world he might not want to use that term; how would he describe himself?
How do we regard his leadership style and carrying out his duties as President? Do I call him a fascist? He certainly embodies many of the practices listed above.
What about you? How would YOU characterize his leadership style?
