You know that the nazis were socialists right? Your definition is an oversimplification at best, and confirmation bias at worst.
Yes i know so whats your point?
You guys confuse definitions, saying fascist is not what it is. There are fascist elements now in big corporations becuase they work together with government, that is what fascism means.
On the other hand here is another group of equality: feminist, social justice, all sorts of equality bullcrap, and they are very leftists, hardcore socialists.
So basically in current society we see a battle between big corporations (fascists) and leftist equality agitators (socialists), whom battle for their own agendas.
This one is correct. The Nazis were fascists in practice and "national socialists" in name Only. This is basic shit folks, learn your terms if you're going to include yourselves in the conversation. Fascism is the collusion of governments with businessmen. It is a form of tyranny because the government is not operating in the interests of the people it is supposed to serve, but instead operating in the private interests of the political elite. Capitalism compels selfish men toward this end.
Any earnest student of history should by now see clearly that democracy and capitalism are fundamentally incompatible with one another.
Since you are so sure of yourself on this point, and you questioned the definition of the word fascism, lets explore that definition.
1 often capitalized : a political philosophy, movement, or regime (as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition
(this sounds a whole lot like socialism in the past to me)
2 : a tendency toward or actual exercise of strong autocratic or dictatorial control <early instances of army fascism and brutality — J. W. Aldridge>
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fascismWe can get into even more detail and examine the well known "14 points of fascism"
1. Powerful and continuing expressions of nationalism Found in socialist nations of the past?:
CHECKFrom the prominent displays of flags and bunting to the ubiquitous lapel pins, the fervor to show patriotic nationalism, both on the part of the regime itself and of citizens caught up in its frenzy, was always obvious. 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.
2. Disdain for the importance of human rights Found in socialist nations of the past?:
CHECKThe regimes themselves viewed human rights as of little value and a hindrance to realizing the objectives of the ruling elite. 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.
3. Identification of enemies/scapegoats as a unifying cause Found in socialist nations of the past?:
CHECKThe 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. The methods of choice—relentless propaganda and disinformation—were usually effective. Often the regimes would incite “spontaneous” acts against the target scapegoats, usually communists, socialists, liberals, Jews, ethnic and racial minorities, traditional national enemies, members of other religions, secularists, homosexuals, and “terrorists.” Active opponents of these regimes were inevitably labeled as terrorists and dealt with accordingly.
4. The supremacy of the military/avid militarism Found in socialist nations of the past?:
CHECKRuling 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. The military was seen as an expression of nationalism, and was used whenever possible to assert national goals, intimidate other nations, and increase the power and prestige of the ruling elite.
5. Rampant sexism Found in socialist nations of the past?:
indeterminateBeyond 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. These attitudes were usually codified in Draconian laws that enjoyed strong support by the orthodox religion of the country, thus lending the regime cover for its abuses.
6. A controlled mass media Found in socialist nations of the past?:
CHECKUnder some of the regimes, the mass media were under strict direct control and could be relied upon never to stray from the party line. Other regimes exercised more subtle power to ensure media orthodoxy. 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. The result was usually success in keeping the general public unaware of the regimes’ excesses.
7. Obsession with national security Found in socialist nations of the past?:
CHECKInevitably, a national security apparatus was under direct control of the ruling elite. 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.
8. Religion and ruling elite tied together Found in socialist nations of the past?:
Socialism is usually hostile to religion of all kindsUnlike communist regimes, the fascist and protofascist regimes were never proclaimed as godless by their opponents. In fact, most of the regimes attached themselves to the predominant religion of the country and chose to portray themselves as militant defenders of that religion. The fact that the ruling elite’s behavior was incompatible with the precepts of the religion was generally swept under the rug. 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.
9. Power of corporations protected Found in socialist nations of the past?:
CHECK Since corporations are run by the state they are protected.
Although the personal life of ordinary citizens was under strict control, the ability of large corporations to operate in relative freedom was not compromised. The ruling elite saw the corporate structure as a way to not only ensure military production (in developed states), but also as an additional means of social control. 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.
10. Power of labor suppressed or eliminated Found in socialist nations of the past?:
CHECKSince 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. The poor formed an underclass, viewed with suspicion or outright contempt. Under some regimes, being poor was considered akin to a vice.
11. Disdain and suppression of intellectuals and the arts Found in socialist nations of the past?:
CHECKIntellectuals and the inherent freedom of ideas and expression associated with them were anathema to these regimes. Intellectual and academic freedom were considered subversive to national security and the patriotic ideal. 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.
12. Obsession with crime and punishment Found in socialist nations of the past?:
indeterminateMost 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. “Normal” and political crime were often merged into trumped-up criminal charges and sometimes used against political opponents of the regime. Fear, and hatred, of criminals or “traitors” was often promoted among the population as an excuse for more police power.
13. Rampant cronyism and corruption Found in socialist nations of the past?:
CHECKThose 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. Members of the power elite were in a position to obtain vast wealth from other sources as well: for example, by stealing national resources. With the national security apparatus under control and the media muzzled, this corruption was largely unconstrained and not well understood by the general population.
14. Fraudulent elections Found in socialist nations of the past?:
CHECKElections in the form of plebiscites or public opinion polls were usually bogus. 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.
http://www.ellensplace.net/fascism.htmlAs you can see Socialism and Fascism have many overlapping features and the two ideologies are quite compatible with each other, especially when you consider Socialism is the degradation of Democracy into the path to Fascism. As far as your site "crimethinc.com", I have seen these people recruiting at youth events such as music festivals and even purchased a couple of their books to look at them closer. They push complete propaganda garbage, and have very little if any substance.
