Leefeller:

America has certainly become a corporatocracy, oligarchy, kleptocracy and/or plutocracy - it is, of course, no longer a (small “r”) republican democracy, except in name.  Sure, we still have the vestiges of democracy (voting, some freedoms, etc.), but these are carefully controlled and/or manipulated.  And, of course, the mainstream has become (in large part) a tool of the government and business (which might as well be thought of as one entity now).

But I strongly believe that it will take more than even the unlikely “perfect storm” of true (full) corporate-government synthesis, true (full) control of media for propaganda purposes, and the rise of a charismatic demagogue for the U.S. to become a “fascist” country in the way that Hitler, Mussolini, Franco et al brought about in their respective countries.

Yes, we might get closer, and it might look different.  But that would simply be, as I noted, a form (possibly “light,” possibly virulent) of proto-totalitarianism or actual totalitarianism in SOME regards.  Obviously, that would be more than scary enough for me!

Peace.

Fascism is well hidden, and then all of a sudden it jumps out and hits you like a drunk stick.

Mannie, the new authoritarianism does not have to emulate the old fascism verbatim, new subtle differences or changes (improvements?) are all it needs to be what it is.

What I am saying is looking at Hitler as the panacea of what Fascism can be as the template, may possibly be a mistake. Actually I hope you are correct in your synopses!  The demography of today is different and so far slightly less in ones face than 70 years ago in Germany, but is present nonetheless. How bad does it need to become for one to say, oh yeah that is just like Adolf?

Although there is no question that there are aspects of American life, politics, culture, media, etc. that are proto-totalitarian or even quasi-fascist in nature, it is unlikely that fascism per se would ever develop here.  There are any number of reasons for this, but I’ll give just two.

First, the U.S. is not nearly as “cohesive” as the peoples of Germany, Italy, etc. were at the time that fascism took root there.  We are far more diverse, and, indeed, far more polarized.  Indeed, it is our very “polarization” that I believe currently protects us from moving too far toward it: while there are “factions” that might move (unwittingly or not) toward it (the TP, etc.), there are factions that would not - and the latter still outnumber the former.

Second, for fascism to succeed, it needs a demagogue on the order of a Hitler or Mussolini.  That is VERY unlikely here.  Yes, we have plenty of demagogues, including the Palins of the world.  But despite the “sheeple”-ness of much of the populace in some regards, even many of the sheeple would very quickly see through (or at least be very skeptical of) a true fascist demagogue.

Yes, politics and the corporations have aligned in a way that also presaged National Socialism.  And I myself have been pointing out regularly how many ways our society is “fulfilling” both Dr. Lawrence Britt’s “14 Characteristics of Fascism” and Naomi Wolf’s “Fascist America in 10 Easy Steps.”  However, I am not convinced that fascism will take root here.  I believe we will continue to move toward proto- and even possibly actual totalitarianism in some regards.  But not the type of fascism we associate with Hitler, Mussolini, et al.

Peace.

By the way: May I use this cartoon on a teaching forum
here in Thailand along with full attribution?
It would be in the context of the cartoon.
Thanks in advance.

Spot on Mr. Fish! Kudos for your devastating accuracy!