Hi Kaylin - this is a very insightful piece and I think you have nailed it on how the road to fascism is not just the fascists but those that fail to confront them. I sense you have some "Marxism" in you (I am), and that you believe that the root of the problem here is capitalism. There is no "magic" in eliminating bigotry of any type if we were to eliminate capitalism, but it gets us on the long road to a better world. The system is very entrenched globally and depends on bigotry (against women, against people of color, against trans people, against immigrants) and subjugation of people around the world. But "liberals", also known in other eras and countries as "social democrats" have a terrible record in fending off fascism, and have mostly been complicit in their rise because they have been too "nice" but as you point out they are fundamentally for the system (capitalism) that grow fascists in the first place, and believe that (bourgeois) "democracy" is an end state, as opposed to one that capitalists are ok with when times are good (for them), and the working class is basically in cheque, but otherwise.....
This isn't the problem of any one country. Trump has a particularly loud microphone being the president of the still the center (but declining) of capitalism, but the "formula" is pretty much global.
And that is probably where we might disagree, to an extent, of what is happening now. Times are GREAT for the 1% (which is actually the .001%), but yet we have the Trumps and his ilk in other countries on the rise. They are doing just fine, and the system as a whole is completely fucked up but also very resilient. But they deliberately enable and embolden their supporters (most of who are suffering from the ravages of capitalism) through divide and conquer language and practices. Where this will lead is unclear but extremely serious. I could go on and on, but will stop now and just let you know that I appreciate your work and your perspective. --Denis
Thanks for your comment Denis, I wholeheartedly agree with everything you said! This definitely isn’t just a US or a UK problem, it’s happening everywhere, everywhere that capitalism has influence (which is to say, almost everywhere). I definitely also agree that bigotry wouldn’t just disappear if we got rid of capitalism, but it would almost certainly help since all the different forms or marginalisation we have today are so entwined with capitalism.
Thank you so much for your kind words. As someone with ADHD and a very rambling brain, it honestly means so much to me for someone do describe what I’ve said as succinct!
Really appreciate you breaking this down! It seems like so many are incapable of acknowledging this. Would love to see more connections to fascism on a global scale – they want us to forget how we got here, and write off our communities to save ourselves. These archives are important!
Our education in the US does not work us with the vocabulary and tools to fight properly.
Thank you for this clarifying article
*correction*
Our education in the US, does not supply us with the vocabulary and told to fight properly.
At this point, the"Mump" administration will "fix"that.
Yeah, same here in the UK. And it’s probably not an accident! Thanks so much for reading Jacqui.
Hi Kaylin - this is a very insightful piece and I think you have nailed it on how the road to fascism is not just the fascists but those that fail to confront them. I sense you have some "Marxism" in you (I am), and that you believe that the root of the problem here is capitalism. There is no "magic" in eliminating bigotry of any type if we were to eliminate capitalism, but it gets us on the long road to a better world. The system is very entrenched globally and depends on bigotry (against women, against people of color, against trans people, against immigrants) and subjugation of people around the world. But "liberals", also known in other eras and countries as "social democrats" have a terrible record in fending off fascism, and have mostly been complicit in their rise because they have been too "nice" but as you point out they are fundamentally for the system (capitalism) that grow fascists in the first place, and believe that (bourgeois) "democracy" is an end state, as opposed to one that capitalists are ok with when times are good (for them), and the working class is basically in cheque, but otherwise.....
This isn't the problem of any one country. Trump has a particularly loud microphone being the president of the still the center (but declining) of capitalism, but the "formula" is pretty much global.
And that is probably where we might disagree, to an extent, of what is happening now. Times are GREAT for the 1% (which is actually the .001%), but yet we have the Trumps and his ilk in other countries on the rise. They are doing just fine, and the system as a whole is completely fucked up but also very resilient. But they deliberately enable and embolden their supporters (most of who are suffering from the ravages of capitalism) through divide and conquer language and practices. Where this will lead is unclear but extremely serious. I could go on and on, but will stop now and just let you know that I appreciate your work and your perspective. --Denis
Thanks for your comment Denis, I wholeheartedly agree with everything you said! This definitely isn’t just a US or a UK problem, it’s happening everywhere, everywhere that capitalism has influence (which is to say, almost everywhere). I definitely also agree that bigotry wouldn’t just disappear if we got rid of capitalism, but it would almost certainly help since all the different forms or marginalisation we have today are so entwined with capitalism.
I appreciate you and your work very much I wish I could articulate these issues as well as you and as succinctly with a very grounded honesty.
Thank you so much for your kind words. As someone with ADHD and a very rambling brain, it honestly means so much to me for someone do describe what I’ve said as succinct!
100%. Gabriel Rockhill also has some good points about fascism: https://youtu.be/Vnn_bWDmizw
Really appreciate you breaking this down! It seems like so many are incapable of acknowledging this. Would love to see more connections to fascism on a global scale – they want us to forget how we got here, and write off our communities to save ourselves. These archives are important!