crr6 on April 15, 2009 at 5:45 PM

Let’s see how Obama, the Democratic Party, and Obamaism registers in Stanley Payne’s Typological Description of Fascism as he gives a pretty good typology of a Fascist regime(Table I.1, page 7: A History of Fascism: 1914-1945, Stanley G. Payne, University of Wisconsin Press, 1995)

A. Ideology and Goals:
1. Espousal of an idealist, vitalist, voluntaristic philosophy, normally involving a new modern, self-determined, and secular culture. I’d say that’s a check

2. Creation of a new nationalist authoritarian state not based on traditional principles or models. While not nationalist, he does seem to possess leanings towards the authoritarian state not based on traditional principles. Let’s give that a half-check–here he’s more in the totalitarian communist vein a la Lenin or Fidel or Hugo.

3. Organization of a new highly regulated, multiclass, integrated national economic structure whether called national corporatist, national socialist, or national syndicalist. Check. See GM and the Banking and financial sectors.

4. Positive evaluation and use of, or willingness to use, violence and war. Bambi and the Democrats are currently slick enough to not openly espouse the use of violence–although they don’t disavow acts of violence committed against political enemies, and they do encourage cyberviolence in the forms of DNS attacks and bullying trolling. So…a partial check here.

5. Goal of empire, expansion, or a radical change in the nation’s relationship with other powers. Again, a partial check. We’re seeing him embracing traditional enemies while alienating recent and traditional allies. While Obama doesn’t seek a physical empire, I do think he seeks an ideological one. So…a dubious check here–we’ll need to see more first.

B. The Fascist Negation

1. Antiliberalism: Anti-liberal in the form of opposition to free expression, free markets, and a free press–yes. Here, he’s also careful to cover himself, but we’ve seen how he and his followers react to dissent; and he has made his views on a free market known. Also, while he does not physically control the press, it pretty much does he wishes. A qualified check–I think while he’d like to show his colors more, he’s not in the position to do so yet.

2. Anticommunism: No. If anything, he leans towards Marxist-Leninism, probably a combination of Maoist with Fidelist and Chavist caudilloism tossed in.

3. Anticonservatism: Most definitely. He seeks the destruction of traditional institutions.

c. Style and Organization

1. Attempted mass mobilization and militarization of political relationships and style with the goal of a mass party militia. I think we’ve seen the beginning phases of that with mandatory “voluntary” service.

2. Emphasis on aesthetic structure of meetings, symbols, and political liturgy, stressing emotional and mystical aspects. Yes!

3. Extreme stress on the masculine principle and male dominance while espousing a strongly organic view of society. While I have seen some misogynistic elements in Obamaism, at this time, I’d say this is a no.

4. Exaltation of youth above other phases of life, emphasizing the conflict of generations, at least in effecting the initial political transformation. Yes

5. Specific tendency towards an authoritarian, charismatic, personal style of command, whether or not the command is to some degree initially elective. Yes

Taking this set of criteria as our measuring standard, I’d say that Obama and the modern Democratic Party do show fascistic tendencies. Hopefully, the Tea Party movement and growing grassroots involvement and opposition will curb those tendencies.

Matt Helm on April 15, 2009 at 6:09 PM