Guest column: Fascism threatens America
An ominous event occurred in the 1930s, of which most Americans are unaware.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt had become president in 1933 and immediately began implementing his policies designed to lift America out of the Great Depression. By the next year, the U.S. economy was growing at 11 percent, and many of the banks were reopening. However, seeing that FDR planned on redistributing wealth to the middle and lower classes, prominent American business tycoons, including Francis Irénée du Pont and J.P. Morgan, plotted a military coup with the hope of establishing a fascist government.
Their treason was thwarted, however, when Marine Gen. Smedley Butler reported the conspiracy to Congress.
The setback of corporatocracy was short-lived, however, for it had a successful resurgence in the form of the Reagan Revolution (1980s). Although good-hearted, Ronald Reagan’s anti-government, anti-regulation, trickle-down, “economic elites know best” philosophy contained numerous tenets of neofascism.
Many of our major problems today, such as plutocracy and enormous debt, are parts of Reagan’s legacy.
Fascism is a term rarely used in America, but it has an alarmingly high number of unknowing adherents. Contemporary fascists are not necessarily the anti-Semitic, goose-stepping followers of yesteryear’s Mussolini and Hitler. As with other ideologies, fascism has evolved through time. Hence, on most political spectrums today, neofacism (post WWII) is defined as right-wing extremism in which a society’s business and governmental leadership are merged under one authoritarian governing body that is militaristic, ultra-nationalistic, and anti-democratic.
Additionally, fascists tend to be disdainful of liberalism, frequently anti-immigrant, controlling of the media, and they ardently believe in elite-dominated social hierarchy.
The anti-democracy segment of American society, which includes neofacists and theocrats, is actively engaged in, or sympathetic to, attempts to suppress voting among people who differ from themselves — or in some other manner rig the electoral process (e.g., gerrymandering). Many of these authoritarian types are the most inclined to shun civility and intellectual integrity. Compromise and cooperation (hallmarks of democracy) are frequently considered a betrayal of their cause.
Conventional Republicans are, to their chagrin, reaping what they have sown. It is not surprising to find that so many people are being impressed by the malicious, fact-dismissing rhetoric of Donald Trump and Ted Cruz, for that is the mentality that far-right politics and media have cultivated for years.
If today’s conservatives further took over the country, they would cut more taxes, deregulate businesses and likely appoint more judges who believe corporations are people. Immense damage would likely be done through the imposition of their ideology. We would be rendered weak as our allies seek better friends, race relations would degrade and unrealistic policies would harm our economy. Our beloved Tri-Cities, which is rather dependent on tax transfers, environmental concerns, science, and regulations, would logically be a major casualty.
Democrats and Republicans are complicit in this unfolding assault on democracy. But the main thrust has come from business-friendly conservatives who have welcomed corporations into governing institutions, resumed the practice of suppressing votes and turned our federal government into a shambles.
Well-functioning democratic government (e.g., the successful, constitutional, collective-action of citizens) is one of fascism’s main targets. Large numbers of ultraconservative politicians and their associates are actively trying to incapacitate government and hence destroy the peoples’ trust in their own governing institutions. This undermines the Constitution.
My concern is that, with the recent rise of plutocracy, we are only steps away from neofascism. Compare the ideology of many of the GOP presidential candidates with the characteristics of neofascism outlined above. The overlap is remarkable.
Fascists rise to power by exploiting nationalism, anger, fear, hard times and religion. A quote commonly attributed to the great American writer Sinclair Lewis states, “When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.”
Mark Mansperger is an associate professor of Anthropology and World Civilizations at WSU-TC. Growing up in an Air Force family provided opportunities to see much of the world, although Richland is now his home.
This story was originally published January 30, 2016 at 11:24 PM with the headline "Guest column: Fascism threatens America."