The 14 Defining Characteristics of Fascism

By Dr Lawrence Britt

 

Dr. Lawrence Britt has examined the fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini
(Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia) and several Latin American regimes.
Britt found 14 defining characteristics common to each:

1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism

Fascist regimes tend to make constant
use of patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs, and other paraphernalia. Flags
are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays.

2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights

Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in fascist
regimes are persuaded that human rights can be ignored in certain cases because
of “need.” The people tend to look the other way or even approve of torture,
summary executions, assassinations, long incarcerations of prisoners, etc.

3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause

The people are rallied into a unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to eliminate
a perceived common threat or foe: racial , ethnic or religious minorities; liberals;
communists; socialists, terrorists, etc.

4. Supremacy of the Military

Even when there are widespread domestic problems, the military is given a disproportionate
amount of government funding, and the domestic agenda is neglected. Soldiers
and military service are glamorized.

5. Rampant Sexism

The governments of fascist nations tend to be almost exclusively male-dominated.
Under fascist regimes, traditional gender roles are made more rigid. Divorce,
abortion and homosexuality are suppressed and the state is represented as the
ultimate guardian of the family institution.

6. Controlled Mass Media

Sometimes to media is directly controlled by the government, but in other
cases, the media is indirectly controlled by government regulation, or sympathetic
media spokespeople and executives. Censorship, especially in war time, is very
common.

7. Obsession with National Security

Fear is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses.

8. Religion and Government are Intertwined

Governments in fascist nations tend to use the most common religion in the
nation as a tool to manipulate public opinion. Religious rhetoric and terminology
is common from government leaders, even when the major tenets of the religion
are diametrically opposed to the government’s policies or actions.

9. Corporate Power is Protected

The industrial and business aristocracy of a fascist nation often are the ones
who put the government leaders into power, creating a mutually beneficial business/government
relationship and power elite.

10. Labor Power is Suppressed

Because the organizing power of labor is the only real threat to a fascist
government, labor unions are either eliminated entirely, or are severely suppressed.

11. Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts

Fascist nations tend to promote and tolerate open hostility to higher education,
and academia. It is not uncommon for professors and other academics to be censored
or even arrested. Free expression in the arts and letters is openly attacked.

12. Obsession with Crime and Punishment

Under fascist regimes, the police are given almost limitless power to enforce
laws. The people are often willing to overlook police abuses and even forego
civil liberties in the name of patriotism. There is often a national police
force with virtually unlimited power in fascist nations.

13. Rampant Cronyism and Corruption

Fascist regimes almost always are governed by groups of friends and associates
who appoint each other to government positions and use governmental power and
authority to protect their friends from accountability. It is not uncommon in
fascist regimes for national resources and even treasures to be appropriated
or even outright stolen by government leaders.

14. Fraudulent Elections

Sometimes elections in fascist nations are a complete sham. Other times elections
are manipulated by smear campaigns against or even assassination of opposition
candidates, use of legislation to control voting numbers or political district
boundaries, and manipulation of the media. Fascist nations also typically use
their judiciaries to manipulate or control elections.

 

From Project for the
Old American Century

Originally published in Free
Inquiry magazine, Volume 23, Number 2.

 

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