For the record it might be helpful to restate why many conservatives are referring to the behavior of the homosexualist political left as fascist in nature. A few years ago Jonah Goldberg, senior writer for National Review magazine and a syndicated columnist, wrote Liberal Fascism — a book that finally put to rest the silly notion that fascism belonged on the “right” side of the political spectrum.
Goldberg explained the intellectual heritage of the ideology of the modern political left, and on page 2 he clarified:
[W]hat we call liberalism — the refurbished edifice of American Progressivism — is in fact a descendant and manifestation of fascism. This doesn’t mean it’s the same thing as Nazism.
As a student of political science and political philosophy it was never made clear to me why “fascism” would be classified as a “far right” political ideology. Goldberg’s work put fascism back where it belongs — on the extreme “left” side of the ledger.
Goldberg writes that Fascism and Communism are not right/left opposites:
In reality, they are closely related, historical competitors for the same constituents, seeking to dominate and control the same social space.
Here is Goldberg’s “working definition of fascism” — put into bullet points:
- Fascism is a religion of the state.
- It assumes the organic unity of the body politic and longs for a national leader attuned to the will of the people.
- It is totalitarian in that it views everything as political and holds that any action by the state is justified to achieve the common good.
- It takes responsibility for all aspects of life, including our health and well-being, and seeks to impose uniformity of thought and action, whether by force or through regulation and social pressure.
- Everything, including the economy and religion, must be aligned with its objectives.
Here are a few lines from Goldberg’s section on “Mussolini: The Father of Fascism.”
In 1919 Benito Mussolini wrote:
Two religions are today contending…for sway over the world-the black and the red.
Mussolini was referring to the contest in Italy between Christianity and Fascism, which Benito said is also a religion. In one, the God of the Bible was the subject of worship. In the other, Fascism, which Goldberg writes is “a religion in which ‘the people’ in effect worshiped themselves.”
On page 14 Goldberg put words to what more people are figuring out these days:
[I]t is my argument that American liberalism is a totalitarian political religion…
The image to the right is that of the book’s cover — a red background with a nice big yellow smiley face. Goldberg explains:
[I]n America, where hostility to big government is central to the national character, the case for statism must be made in terms of ‘pragmatism’ and decency. In other words, our fascism must be nice and for your own good.
Let’s touch on this word “statism.” Here is the American Heritage Dictionary definition of statism:
The practice or doctrine of giving a centralized government control over economic planning and policy.
Here is Dictionary.com’s definition:
The principle or policy of concentrating extensive economic, political, and related controls in the state at the cost of individual liberty.
Another one of the terrific lines early on in the book is this:
America’s political system used to be about the pursuit of happiness. Now more and more of us want to stop chasing it and have it delivered.
Much of the political left sees all religion as man-made, and thus God doesn’t exist or doesn’t play a role at all. Instead, man is the author of “rights” and “morality” and government is formed to set the parameters of all of those man-made rights and the boundaries of man-made morality. For those on that side, there is no higher authority than government. Period.
In the book Jonah Goldberg details the importance of historic figures such as Adolph Hitler, Woodrow Wilson (in a chapter with the heading “the Birth of Liberal Fascism”), Franklin Roosevelt, Lyndon Johnson, and their modern heirs — the 1960s radicals and individuals like Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
Goldberg provided American conservatism a great service through this well-researched outline of what liberal fascism is — an anti-American ideology that motivates those who seek to “fundamentally transform” this country into something it wasn’t supposed to be.
Three post scripts:
First, Jonah Goldberg’s book received harsh criticism from the political left — which is to be expected. No one over there wanted to lose their ability to pummel conservatives with the accusation of fascism. Some on the political right also had problems with the book. I’d argue much of that came from political science professor types who have been teaching their students a mistake for decades. They’re invested in it. It’s easier to write 5,000 word essays explaining in intricate detail how Goldberg is wrong than to humbly weigh his analysis.
Second, I’m really bored with people who like to argue with each other about this George Orwell quote: “The word Fascism has now no meaning except in so far as it signifies ‘something not desirable.'” No one cares people. Move on. Orwell wasn’t infallible before or after he changed his mind. Fascism does have a definition. Look it up if you don’t believe me.
Lastly, Townhall.com’s John Hawkins posted some terrific excerpts from Liberal Fascism here: The Best Quotes From Jonah Goldberg’s Liberal Fascism. Enjoy.
