Fascism: mobilisation of passions

This introduction was presented to the Leeds Salon as part of its Tetley Talks series in December 2017

James starts out putting contemporary discussions about fascism into context by outlining how society is expressing great anxiety about itself and a general sense of things being somewhat out of control. Although some trends present signs of similarity with aspects of the 30’s, it is important not to rush into making crass and superficial comparisons, lest we miss the deeper trends at work. Being balanced will help us avoid getting our understanding wrong, meaning that the memory of the 6m who died under fascism will not be insulted by trivialising the past, but also that similarly serious outcomes will not ignored. The examples of maligning political opponents through sex scandal smear campaigns and new protectionist measures after the banking crisis, show similarities to the actions of the fascist state, but they need to be understood in today’s context before jumping to declare fascism being rife today. It’s too easy to get understanding fascism wrong.

Some of the main strands of getting fascism wrong were outlined, starting with German collective guilt after the 2nd World War. The glib and self-serving character of this approach is easier to appreciate with greater distance from the period of allied reconstruction of Germany, but at the time was popularly repeated. The Frankfurt school approach is looked at next, with its authoritarian personality / intrinsic desire of the masses explanation of the rise of fascism – quite psychological in substance, but having legacy echoes in the ‘hidden cruelty in child-rearing’ books on the roots of violence.

In order to understand the key components that led to the rise of fascism, 3 authors have been useful is illuminating the rounder picture and ‘totally of the dynamics’. These authors are Robert Paxton (better on Vichy France than today), Arthur Rosenberg and Hannah Arendt (The origins of totalitarianism). The mutinous class conflict and threat of a revolution in Germany after the meat grinder of the 1st World War is a crucial backdrop to the rise of fascism. The right of the right was very much in response to the rise of the rise, so comparisons of today don’t have that crucial component. The economic crisis and debasement of the currency is another crucial element, largely missing today.

The ideology of the time had widespread purchase for purifying society from degeneracy and elitist politics in general. The fascist movements though combined being pro-tech with celebrating aspects of the feudal with an emphasis on passions and emotion. There was an explicitly anti-democratic aspect to the growth of fascist movements, in opposition to liberal and communist organisation. Lastly, the promotion of exemplary activity, of taking on responsibility for disciplining society helped foster fascist organisation on behalf of the failing state. None of these components alone bring about fascism but together, and supported by big capital and a squeezed petit-bourgeois, there is a basis for mass movement for fascism. Finally, the left and workers organisations seriously underestimated the threat posed by fascism.

This backdrop introduction helped bring out a critical discussion on trends today and how they compare with developments in the 30’s.