They are most easily recognized by their deliberate perversion of truth and fact. Their newspapers and propaganda carefully cultivate every fissure of disunity, every crack in the common front against their ideology. They use every opportunity to impugn the government.
They claim to be super-patriots, but they would destroy every liberty guaranteed by the Constitution. They demand free enterprise, but are the spokesmen for monopoly and vested interest. Their final objective toward which all their deceit is directed is to capture political power so that, using the power of the state and the power of the market simultaneously, they may keep the common man in eternal subjection.
Still another danger is represented by those who, paying lip service to democracy and the common welfare, in their insatiable greed for money and the power which money gives, do not hesitate surreptitiously to evade the laws designed to safeguard the public from monopolistic extortion.
The symptoms of their thinking are colored by environment and adapted to immediate circumstances. But always and everywhere they can be identified by their appeal to prejudice and by the desire to play upon the fears and vanities of different groups in order to gain power. It is no coincidence that the growth of modern tyrants has in every case been heralded by the growth of prejudice.
It is clear that they would claim to be a part of, or supporters of, whichever political party either a left/ liberal or right/conservative that gave them the most successful chance to gain power.
In an attempt to try and come to some grasp of what constitutes this ideology I looked at what actions were common in all groups who identified themselves with the movements.
Hatred of Marxists of all stripes, from totalitarian communists to democratic socialists.
Did not attribute workers’ hardships to big business and big landowners and did not advocate measures such as progressive taxation, higher pay for industrial and farm workers, protection of unions, and the right to strike.
Banned all Marxist organizations and replaced their unions with government-controlled corporatist unions. declared that it was necessary “to restore absolute leadership to the natural leader of the factory, that is, the employer.”
State power joins to corporate power and talks of free markets but use power to control markets
Capitalists were allowed to keep their companies and their wealth, a distinction that was made in the their original program and never changed. workers were forced to toil for lower wages and longer hours and under worse conditions than had been the case.
Believed that owners of stores and workshops should exercise “parental” authority over their assistants, clerks, workers, servants, and tenants. Subordinates were not permitted to organize themselves into unions, and the small bosses assumed the leadership of town and village councils.
Generally supported capitalism and defended the interests of economic elites. In general it spared the wealth of the upper classes they attacked “statism” and advocated a more decentralized government that would favour local economic elites.
Adhered to a strict social darwinism through the entire society, where those that were suffering either because of poverty, health, etc. Were simply the natural results for those who were in some way inferior and thus deserved their fate and in fact it would be bad for the society to attempt to help these people who would only continue to drag down the whole.
The economic programs of the great majority of the movements were extremely conservative, favouring the wealthy far more than the middle class and the working class.
Movements criticized parliamentary democracy for allowing the Liberal/Socialist threat to exist in the first place.
Economic problems related to large disparities of wealth between rich and poor were treated as problems of social status and class prejudice.
Used such gatherings to create patriotic fervour and to encourage fanatic enthusiasm for the cause.
Accused liberal “fellow travelers” of wittingly or unwittingly abetting communism. Berated “moderates”—i.e., democratic conservatives—for indirectly aiding the communists through their taste for “compromise and hesitation.”
Educators emphasized character building over intellectual growth, devalued the transmission of information, inculcated obedience to authority, and discouraged critical and independent thinking.
Accused their political opponents of being less “patriotic” than they, sometimes even labeling them “traitors.” spoke of “internal foreigners” who were “anti nation.” immigrants—particularly left-wing immigrants—were special targets.
Movements portrayed themselves as defenders of Christianity and the traditional Christian family against atheists and amoral humanists.
Posed as protectors of the church, their ideologies contained many elements that conflicted with traditional Christian beliefs, and their policies were sometimes opposed by church leaders.
Accused liberals and socialists of materialism and thereby portrayed their own politics as more spiritual. prospered politically only when perceived economic threats increased their appeal to members of certain social groups.
opposed the liberal individualism of the Enlightenment,
Indulged in racist and xenophobic scapegoating, portrayed themselves as protectors of traditional national culture and religion,
contended that not only were communists gaining footholds in the press, in the schools, among intellectuals, and in the trade unions but they were behind the breakdown of law and order and terrorism.
severely curtailed the rights of workers while emphasizing and protecting the rights of employers.
attacked cultural liberalism, claiming that it encouraged moral relativism, godless materialism, and selfish individualism and thereby undermined traditional morality
a belief in the right of natural elites to upward social and political mobility, and accommodation with members of the upper classes.
It was forceful toward the weak, and it was “male.”
pandering to fearful traditionalists who associated cultural modernism with secular humanism, feminism, sexual license, and the destruction of the Christian family
women were urged to perform their traditional gender role as wives and mothers and to bear many children for the nation.
Opposed the feminine ‘proletariat’ to the masculine ‘capitalist,’ that feminism is leading us.” equated women with hedonism and hedonism with decadence.
Criticized the Christian ideals of meekness and guilt. Despite the many anti-Christian elements , the vast majority of considered themselves to be religious, and most supported Christianity.
Condemned the Enlightenment for having subverted the dominance of traditional religion and traditional elite.
hatred and violence were energizing remedies
Scolded humanitarians for attempting to protect the unfit, and rejected the idea of social equality
the institutionalization of sexual repression and strong antifemale, antihomosexual and profamily biases
a hankering after a supposedly glorious past; by paramilitary associations; and by the creation of a convenient scapegoat for all social, national and economic ills.
often romanticizes the past as inspiration for national rebirth.
believes neither in the possibility nor the utility of perpetual peace. It thus repudiates the doctrine of Pacifism -- born of a renunciation of the struggle and an act of cowardice in the face of sacrifice
It emphasizes a myth of national or racial rebirth after a period of decline or destruction. Calls for a "spiritual revolution" against signs of moral decay such as individualism and materialism, and seeks to purge "alien" forces and groups that threaten the organic community.
Often, but not always, it promotes racial superiority doctrines, ethnic persecution, imperialist expansion, and genocide.
Usually espouses open male supremacy
It was a movement for failed men: of the marginally employed professional, the idle school graduate, the deeply indebted farmer, the unrecognized war veteran, the perpetually unemployed worker with no chance of work.
In all cases where it was successful, its rise was preceded by a period of political polarization and parliamentary deadlock
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