1. Powerful and continuing expressions of nationalism: Catchy slogans, pride in the military, and demands for unity were common themes in expressing this nationalism. It was usually coupled with a suspicion of things foreign that often bordered on xenophobia. 1. To people who feel deprived of a clear social identity, Ur-Fascism says that their only privilege is the most common one, to be born in the same country: This is the origin of nationalism. 1. There may or may not be a single charismatic leader in charge of the government, i.e., a "dictator".
2. Government establishes and enforces the rules of "right" thinking, "right" action, and "right" religious devotion.
2. Disdain for the importance of human rights: Through clever use of propaganda, the population was brought to accept these human rights abuses by marginalizing, even demonizing, those being targeted. When abuse was egregious, the tactic was to use secrecy, denial, and disinformation. 2. For Ur-Fascism there is no struggle for life but, rather, life is lived for struggle: Since enemies have to be defeated, there must be a final battle, after which the movement will have control of the world. But such "final solutions" implies a further era of peace, a Golden Age 3. There is no constitution recognized by all political forces as having an authority beyond that stated by the government in power, to which that government is subject. The rule of men, not law, is supreme.
4. Official or unofficial force, internal terror, and routine torture of captured opponents are major means of government control.
3. Identification of enemies/scapegoats as a unifying cause: The most significant common thread among these regimes was the use of scapegoating as a means to divert the people’s attention from other problems, to shift blame for failures, and to channel frustration in controlled directions. 3. The followers must feel humiliated by their enemies: by shifting of rhetorical focus, the enemies are at the same time too strong and too weak. 5.The fascist takeover of the government of a major power always leads to foreign war, sooner or later.
4. Ur-Fascism derives from individual or social frustration: one of the most typical features of the historical fascism was the appeal to a frustrated middle class
4. The supremacy of the military/avid militarism: Ruling elites always identified closely with the military and the industrial infrastructure that supported it. A disproportionate share of national resources was allocated to the military, even when domestic needs were acute 5. Elitism is a typical insofar as it is fundamentally aristocratic, and aristocratic and militaristic elitism cruelly implies contempt for the weak.
6. Everybody is educated to become a hero. The Ur-Fascist hero craves heroic death, advertised as the best reward for a heroic life.
5. Rampant sexism: Beyond the simple fact that the political elite and the national culture were male-dominated, these regimes inevitably viewed women as second-class citizens. They were adamantly anti-abortion and also homophobic. 7. The fascist transfers his will to sexual matters: Implying both disdain for women and intolerance and condemnation of nonstandard sexual habits, from chastity to homosexuality). 6. Racism, homophobia, misogyny, and national chauvinism are major factors in national politics and policy-making.
8. Disagreement is a sign of diversity. Thus Ur-Fascism is racist by definition.
6. A controlled mass media: Methods included the control of licensing and access to resources, economic pressure, appeals to patriotism, and implied threats. The leaders of the mass media were often politically compatible with the power elite. 9. Ur-Fascism speaks Newspeak: All the Nazi or Fascist schoolbooks made use of an impoverished vocabulary, and an elementary syntax, in order to limit the instruments for complex and critical reasoning. 7. All communications media are government-owned or otherwise government-controlled.
7. Obsession with national security: It was usually an instrument of oppression, operating in secret and beyond any constraints. Its actions were justified under the rubric of protecting “national security,” and questioning its activities was portrayed as unpatriotic or even treasonous. 10. The critical spirit makes distinctions, and to distinguish is a sign of modernism: disagreement is treason. 8. Built as it on terror, repression, and an ultimately fictional/delusional representation of historical, political, and economic reality, fascism is inherently unstable and always carries with it the seeds of its own destruction. To date, such seeds have always sprouted in a relatively short period of time.
8. Religion and ruling elite tied together: . Propaganda kept up the illusion that the ruling elites were defenders of the faith and opponents of the “godless.” A perception was manufactured that opposing the power elite was tantamount to an attack on religion. 11. The first feature of Ur-Fascism is the cult of tradition: there can be no advancement of learning. Truth already has been spelled out once and for all, and we can only keep interpreting its obscure message. 9. There are few or no employee rights or protections, including the right of workers to bargain collectively. Only government approved labor unions or associations are permitted to exist, and that approval may be removed at any time, without prior notice.
9. Power of corporations protected: Members of the economic elite were often pampered by the political elite to ensure a continued mutuality of interests, especially in the repression of “have-not” citizens. 12. Ur-Fascism is based upon a selective populism, a qualitative populism, one might say: In a democracy, the citizens have individual rights, but the citizens in their entirety have a political impact only from a quantitative point of view -- one follows the decisions of the majority. For Ur-Fascism, however, individuals as individuals have no rights, and the People is conceived as a quality, a monolithic entity expressing the Common Will. Since no large quantity of human beings can have a common will, the Leader pretends to be their interpreter.
10. Power of labor suppressed or eliminated: Since organized labor was seen as the one power center that could challenge the political hegemony of the ruling elite and its corporate allies, it was inevitably crushed or made powerless. 10. The economy is based on capitalism, with a tight central control of the distribution of resources among the producers, and strict limitations on the free market for labor.
11. Disdain and suppression of intellectuals and the arts: Universities were tightly controlled; politically unreliable faculty harassed or eliminated. Unorthodox ideas or expressions of dissent were strongly attacked, silenced, or crushed. To these regimes, art and literature should serve the national interest or they had no right to exist. 13. Traditionalism implies the rejection of modernism: The rejection of the modern world was disguised as a rebuttal of the capitalistic way of life. The Enlightenment, the Age of Reason, is seen as the beginning of modern depravity. In this sense Ur-Fascism can be defined as irrationalism. 11. All entertainment, music, art, and organized sport is controlled by the government.
12. Obsession with crime and punishment: Most of these regimes maintained Draconian systems of criminal justice with huge prison populations. The police were often glorified and had almost unchecked power, leading to rampant abuse. 12. There is no recognition of inherent personal rights. Only the government can grant "rights". Any "rights" granted by the government may be diminished or removed by it from any individual or group at any time without prior notice, explanation, or judicial review. Thus, there is no presumed freedom of speech, press, religion, or even belief, automatically accompanying citizenship. There are no inherent or presumed protections against any violations of personal liberty committed by law-enforcement or other government agencies.
13. Rampant cronyism and corruption: Those in business circles and close to the power elite often used their position to enrich themselves. This corruption worked both ways; the power elite would receive financial gifts and property from the economic elite, who in turn would gain the benefit of government favoritism. 14. Irrationalism also depends on the cult of action for action's sake: Action being beautiful in itself, it must be taken before, or without, reflection.
14. Fraudulent elections: When actual elections with candidates were held, they would usually be perverted by the power elite to get the desired result. Common methods included maintaining control of the election machinery, intimidating and disenfranchising opposition voters, destroying or disallowing legal votes, and, as a last resort, turning to a judiciary beholden to the power elite. Ur-Fascism is based upon a selective populism, a qualitative populism, one might say: In a democracy, the citizens have individual rights, but the citizens in their entirety have a political impact only from a quantitative point of view -- one follows the decisions of the majority. For Ur-Fascism, however, individuals as individuals have no rights, and the People is conceived as a quality, a monolithic entity expressing the Common Will. Since no large quantity of human beings can have a common will, the Leader pretends to be their interpreter. 13. There is complete executive branch control of government policy and action. There is no independent judicial or legislative branch of government.
14. There is only one political party, and no mass organizations of any kind other than those approved by the government are permitted.
