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Fascism is the troublesome political ideology that just won’t go away. It usually begins with great enthusiasm, only to end with catastrophe and regret. Despite this record of misery and failure, fascism continues to attract true believers. It typically gains traction when levels of frustration, fear, anger, and resentment rise a little too high within a relatively free society. People love answers, true or false, that seem to explain their unease. They demand change, and some especially want the kind of change that hurts groups of people they don’t like. Enter stage right, the grinning pseudo-patriot problem solver who promises to make it all better with a mild dose of fascism.
Fascism lacks a concise universal definition, so it may be helpful to think of it as a kind of nebulous political religion. Or, more practically, consider it a cruel playbook for gaining power at the expense of others. At its core, fascism is an emotional, anti-democratic, and anti-intellectual slide into authoritarian rule. Citizens’ rights and the rule of law are trampled by fascism’s run to power. History, science, and ethical norms must compete with smoke-and-mirrors shows designed to deaden minds and win hearts. When some critical mass of people agree that backward is forward and evil is good, fascism can thrive.
Fascist movements do not require a brilliant leader to grow. Intelligence and competence are less important than a deficiency of integrity, empathy, and moral conscience. The fascist leader must be willing to create and continually stoke an atmosphere of grievance, angst, and malice where the “good citizens” are pitted against the “bad citizens.” Righteous retribution and the return to a glorious fantasy past are standard promises and slogans.
Scholars may not agree on a simple definition, but fascism is easy to recognize as a bundle of specific beliefs and behaviors. Typically, these include most or all of the following:
- Authoritarian style leadership
- Simplistic symbolism and mass rallies
- Extreme, pathological patriotism
- Anger over the loss of an idealized past that never existed
- Exploitation of racist fears and racial divisions
- Overt politicization of law enforcement
- Call for “traditional” hierarchical gender roles at the expense of women’s rights/opportunities
- Military aggression against other countries and territories
- Undermining of elections and democratic values
- Overt corruption
- Restrictions and attacks on the free press
- Heavy use of lying and propaganda
- Editing of history to promote accommodating myths and minimize the real histories of marginalized people
While some may wonder how anyone in their right mind would find anything on that list appealing, the reality is that these building blocks of fascism still work here in the 21st century. As a political philosophy, fascism is the stubborn zombie that just won’t die. It keeps showing up around the world, banging on doors and hoping enough people will be naïve and angry enough to open it. There has been a significant surge in the prominence and popularity of fascist-leaning governments and political parties over the last decade. Though all of these may not currently qualify as fascist, they are treading a well-worn path that leads to fascism. Why do so many people find this proven dead-end fraud compelling, irresistible even? And what can be done about it?
One relatively easy way to proactively reduce fascism’s appeal is to ensure that a few simple but crucial lessons from anthropology, history, and psychology are taught to every child and remembered by every adult. If not for this generation, think about the next. And the earlier the better, because prevention beats cure. Not the most exciting solution, perhaps, but certainly more promising than ineffective opposition parties and “punch-a-Nazi” memes on social media.
A lack of fundamental knowledge about our own species helps fascism take root. Anthropology shows us that we all have the same deep origin, belong to the same relatively young species, and all humans today are about 99.9 percent genetically identical. Awareness of these and other such facts won’t solve the problem alone, but it does push back against zealous belief in the false walls that fascist leaders always build between people. Even the most minimal anthropological education provides crucial friction against the divisions that fascism exploits. The external, evidence-based view of humanity that anthropology offers can place the concepts of race, nations, religions, economic class, and ancestry in a more realistic light, which makes them more difficult to weaponize against a population.
General knowledge of history is another obvious challenge. Most people have little or no understanding of what fascism is or how it played out in several countries during the previous century. This matters because a broader familiarity with fascism’s past could dampen much of the enthusiasm for it in the present.
Knowledge of some basic human psychology offers help, too. Given the right circumstances, standard subconscious biases can lead many of us to respond favorably to the flirtations of fascist leaders. Some of these include:
- Authority bias, the desire to follow people who have real or perceived power
- Deep attraction to myths, stories, and news that favor “us” over “them”
- Preference for simplicity over complexity that allows minimalist lies to outcompete complicated truths
- Status anxiety, fear, or shame related to loss of prestige or economic decline relative to “them”
- Ingroup bias, the reflexive belief that my group is better than your group
Gaps in key information, coupled with subconscious biases, set the table. After that, a recipe of fear, anger, and scapegoats renders the poisonous meal appetizing. The fascistic conman’s dishonest and hopeless solutions begin to feel sincere and hopeful. A civics self-defense course that emphasizes relevant facts can be a potent counter to this.
Once learned, simple lessons from anthropology, history, and psychology dim the initial appeal of this grand deception because the lies are made even more obvious. Knowing ourselves, knowing our past, and understanding the temptations that lurk in the darkness of every mind may be the greatest protective power of all against fascism.
