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Now people are rightly worried about #Fascism (after the event's in #WashingtonDC) - this is a short thread about what it is, and what we should all be looking out for and doing, and some links to some useful resource/further reading. 1/
First up. A quote from Primo Levy "Every age has its own fascism"
That includes ours. The key is to resist the fuckers and not to let them near power. You can only do this if you equip yourself with the knowledge of what they look like and how they sound 2/
That includes ours. The key is to resist the fuckers and not to let them near power. You can only do this if you equip yourself with the knowledge of what they look like and how they sound 2/
So what is it? Normally people think of it as the end game - a totalitarian ultranationalist state. Crucially most people think of it as something historical (Nazi Germany etc). Not something that is multi-faceted and grows and shrinks depending on how we interact with it 3/
A quick mention of two studies (that this thread relies on heavily) point to the characteristics. First up is Timothy Snyder's 'On Tyranny' https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/mar/08/on-tyranny-timothy-snyder-review-trump-twenty-lessons-democracy and second is Umberto Eco's 14 shared characteristics https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Definitions_of_fascism#Umberto_Eco 4/
These were then combined with other sources and original thought by @GreenPartyMolly (with help from @julialagoutte) to produce these useful materials https://mollymep.org.uk/molly-at-work/campaigns/fight-fascism/ - do download them and share them far and wide. This is basically this work in a different format 5/
This is also a recording of one of the public talks @GreenPartyMolly did on the subject. https://soundcloud.com/molly-scott-cato/people-and-power-stroud It's amazing how much still rings true from 2017. At times more so as situations have developed and fascists have been allowed to lay their groundwork. 6/
So what are the core components of fascism?
1) That the nation can be reborn into previous greatness
2) That the elite and institutions are to blame while the current leader(s) represents the will of the people
3) That the institutions are rotten and need to be swept away
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1) That the nation can be reborn into previous greatness
2) That the elite and institutions are to blame while the current leader(s) represents the will of the people
3) That the institutions are rotten and need to be swept away
7/
Now think how easily modern examples come to mind:
1) "Make America great again"
2) "It's the will of the people"
3) Well they say a picture speaks a thousand words ...
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1) "Make America great again"
2) "It's the will of the people"
3) Well they say a picture speaks a thousand words ...
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But this is all top-level stuff. Let's take a deeper dive through Umberto Eco's characteristics of fascism (taking them in turn followed by obvious modern examples).
"Fear of Difference" - again - an image!
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"Fear of Difference" - again - an image!
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"An appeal to social frustration" - what's putting the NHS under pressure? Chronic underfunding or 'the other'? @LeaveEUOfficial thought they had the answer
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"The cult of tradition" - is this exemplified more so than the warped understanding of empire that our leader(s) still hold (see https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/11/01/boris-johnson-churchill-british-rule_n_6086126.html) - no teaching of the atrocities in our schools just railways in India!
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"Rejecting experts" - Remember @michaelgove's "people have had enough of experts" comments https://www.ft.com/content/3be49734-29cb-11e6-83e4-abc22d5d108c
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This thread could go on. Have a read of Eco's 14 characteristics ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Definitions_of_fascism#Umberto_Eco) and see what examples jump to your mind (and respond to this to let me know - I'd be interested. 13/
None of this above "is" fascism, but it all helps lay the foundations for it. It creates safe-havens.
In this way misogyny, limits to free speech and ignoring experts are all bad in of themselves but together attack the foundations to our democracy and need to be resisted 14/
In this way misogyny, limits to free speech and ignoring experts are all bad in of themselves but together attack the foundations to our democracy and need to be resisted 14/
If you're still reading there's loads you can do:
1) Cherish privacy (seen the new What's App update? Do you really want that in your life?)
2) Ask for evidence and be cautious of any alternative sources
3) Defend institutions - even if you don't always agree with them
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1) Cherish privacy (seen the new What's App update? Do you really want that in your life?)
2) Ask for evidence and be cautious of any alternative sources
3) Defend institutions - even if you don't always agree with them
15/
4) Listen and engage with those you disagree with
5) Don't be afraid to stand out from the crowd
6) Read @eitanhersh's book and engage in meaningful political activity and avoid clicktivism https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49556729-politics-is-for-power
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5) Don't be afraid to stand out from the crowd
6) Read @eitanhersh's book and engage in meaningful political activity and avoid clicktivism https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49556729-politics-is-for-power
16/
You get the idea. Engage with the world in all it's diversity and ask how you can evolve the society around you to better work for you, your family and your community. Don't believe in quick fixes. And cherish the democracy that we still have 17/
Last up - this a useful checklist from historian Benjamin Bland from the @ucl that provides useful lessons from history on opposing the far-right today https://mollymep.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/OpposingFarRight-March19.pdf. 18/
Actually, last up. Out of interest, do you see fascism as something to be worried about? 19/
Again huge hat tip to @GreenPartyMolly & @julialagoutte - this is mostly their work rehashed into a Twitter thread format. I am super proud of that work and I'm still in awe at how Molly could see the need for it with such clarity back then and how much still holds true. 20/
