fascism

"What... are the principles... that gave rise to fascism..?"

"[I]n Nazi Germany... General Erich von Ludendorff9 exclaimed "I reject Christianity because it is international, and because, in cowardly fashion, it preaches Peace on Earth." Oswald Spengler... speaks of "Catholic Bolshevism more dangerous than the anti-Christian" and argues that "all communist systems in the West are in fact derived from Christian theological thought."10 Alfred Rosenberg felt that "both the Catholic Church and the Evangelical Confessional Church, as they exist at present, must vanish from the life of our people."11"

"[M]ake certain that the existing government operates honestly and efficiently."

"In the following pages, when fascism means the movement in general or as a whole, it is spelled with a small "f"; when applied to Italy, it is spelled with a capital "F"."

"In a speech... February 12, 1947, Senator Robert A. Taft summarized the democratic viewpoint...Liberty... means first, liberty of the Individual to choose his own occupation in life and to live and conduct his business as he sees fit so long as he does not thus interfere with the liberty of others; and second, the liberty of communities to govern themselves, to decide what the scope of their government activities shall be and how their children shall live and be educated. Equality means equal opportunity to get started in life, and equal justice under law before impartial s."

"[[Religion|[R]eligion]] does not escape regimentation. Because it causes the citizen to feel reverence for a Higher Power or Supreme Being above the state and... fuehrers; because it teaches faith, hope, charity, peace, humility before God but... defiance of earthly authorities when in conflict with Divine precepts; and because it preaches dignity of the individual... [it] becomes the object of attack."

"[O]ur educational system offers an excellent weapon, provided that we offer its advantages to all... regardless of... economic status or... location."

"[O]ne of the early acts of every fascist regime is the abolition of all labor organization outside government control."

"While communism is... atheistic and intolerant of religion as an "opiate for the people," fascism does not... set itself against religion... but... attacks specific religious groups and practices..."

"In a narrow sense fascism is... the operation of the political, economic, and social institutions of the fascist state... [which] mobilizes all physical, social, and spiritual resources and activities... into a regimented whole. Primary emphasis is placed on power."

"[F]ascism is a fighting philosophy... a power state seeking at all times to achieve the greatest possible physical might. ... Neither Mussolini nor Hitler was... inhibited in telling the world about the powerful military machines they were building. Even in peacetime they spoke of storm troopers, the battle of grain, and the labor front."

"Compare... the democratic concepts... All men are created equal... endowed by their Creator with... Inalienable rights... life, liberty... pursuit of happiness. To secure these rights governments are instituted... deriving... just powers from the consent of the governed. ...[A] Nation "conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men ore created equal." The state is not the master but the servant of the individual."

"Human life takes on great value only when it serves a state purpose. ...[T]he fascist citizen ...has a role to fill ...prescribed ...by the state. He is regimented... He must obey the injunctions of the state and its leaders... The state decides his living standards... He must submit to regulations, restrictions, and substitute diets... [of] the fascist controlled economy. Life consists of a multitude of duties and s... Failure to do one's part is... punishable by penalties designed to achieve obedience and conformity. ...[W]oe to him who criticizes or opposes the government or its representatives."

"At my request, the Legislative Reference Service of the has prepared a study of Fascism in Action as an aid to the American citizen in protecting himself and his children against this most dangerous movement of modern times."

"[T]he best means of fighting fascism is to recognize it, no matter under what title it masquerades. Not all "hate" organizations are necessarily fascist, but they have... trends toward such..."

"Many... feel that all agreements between American firms and foreign firms should be made public. This would... expose attempts of foreign fascists to work through American sympathizers."

"A prime necessity in the defeat of fascism is... ."

"The working class has more to fear from fascism than any other group."

"[T]here are dangerous tendencies toward fascism in the United States today, the present study can perform an important function in instructing the reader in the recognition of these tendencies. To be forewarned is to be forearmed."

"This study is appropriate because of the many similarities between fascism and communism, some of which Representative , of Illinois, has recently listed as follows: 1. [W]iping out of all independent trade-unionism... [T]hose... permitted, exist only under the tolerance of the totalitarian state... as its servile adjuncts. 2. [[wikt:elimination#Noun|[E]limination]] of political parties except the ruling... Party. 3. [[wikt:subordination#Noun|[S]ubordination]] of all economic and social life to the strict control of the ruling, single-party bureaucracy. 4. [[Suppression|[S]uppression]] of individual initiative... liquidation of... free enterprise, and a tendency toward government control of supers. 5. [[wikt:abolition#Noun|[A]bolition]] of the right to freedom of speech, press, assembly, and religious worship. 6. [[wikt:diminution#Noun|[R]eduction]] of wages and... living standards. 7. [[Slavery|[S]lave labor]]... and... concentration camps. 8. [[wikt:abolition#Noun|[A]bolition]] of the right to trial by jury, , the right to independent defense counsel, and the innocence of the defendant until proven guilty. 9. [[wikt:glorify#English:_baseless_magnification|[G]lorification]] of a single Leader or or ... all-powerful and subject neither to criticism nor removal through the ballot. 10. [U]tilization of... social demagogy—...[e.g.,] of race against race and class against class—the elimination of all opposition, and the concentration of power... dictatorship. 11. [[wikt:subordination#Noun|[S]ubordination]] of... life and... needs... to the... expanding military machine seeking world conquest. 12. ...Nation-wide espionage to which the entire population is subject. 13. [[wikt:sever#English:_legal_termination|[S]ever]]ance of social, cultural, and economic contact between the people of the totalitarian state and those of other countries, through... censorship, travel restrictions, etc. 14. [[wikt:disregard#Noun|[D]isregard]] for the rights of other nations and... treaties. 15. [M]aintenance and encouragement of s abroad. 16. [[wikt:diminution#Noun|[R]eduction]] of parliamentary bodies to... automatically approving all decisions of the one-party dictatorship and... omnipotent Leader."

"[T]here is no fascist equivalent for the Communist program of (formerly the Third International), though the Axis alinement in the Second World War potentially had international aspects."

"The roots of modern fascism, especially the German, and to a less degree the Italian, may be traced to nineteenth century thought. However, it is economically a contemporary manifestation of mercantilism; politically an for world conquest; and spiritually a quasi-religious cult with special symbols and ritual."

"In theory... the and state are conceived as... inseparable... The state is a function of the people... It is the form in which the people attains to historical reality..."

"[F]ascist philosophy regards the state as... in a conflict to achieve its ends. ...Hitler ...spoke to the workers of the Rheinmetall-Borsig plant ...December 10, 1940...We are involved in a conflict in which more than the victory of any one country or the other is at stake; it is rather a war of two opposing worlds."

"[F]ascist leaders... use every instrument which will coerce people into obeying... propaganda and thought control... are... means of rationalizing acts of government... [and] devices for maximizing power."

"[T]he individual, his rights, privileges, freedom, and even existence itself are of secondary importance."

"The world today is faced with a dangerous manifestation of... fascism. ...[T]here is marked agreement as to its objective characteristics."

"[F]ascism... means... [e]very person must think and act at the command of a higher authority. Every school, church, home, and business is carefully controlled by the dominant party. The concentration camp or death await the citizen who offers opposition..."

"[F]ascism means the seizure and control of the economic, social, political, and cultural life of the state by a small group. Free speech, free press, free worship, and public meetings are ruthlessly suppressed. Blind obedience to the leader is demanded... and the slightest wavering means death or imprisonment... Restrictive policies may be carried on against... [one's] entire family. A fascist regime is... militaristic and nationalistic."

"[T]here are many strong symptoms of fascism in our own democratic society. ...[T]his movement in the United States masquerades under other names ...but ...its peculiar characteristics are alarmingly evident."

"Fascist Germany and Japan used the boasted efficiency of fascism to build mighty war machines to crush the "inefficient" democracies, but... Democracy and efficiency, even military efficiency, are not incompatible, and the democracies decisively defeated the fascist powers..."

"[F]ascism is today an everpresent danger to our democracy. We must consider... how to recognize its manifestations but also... combat it."

"[P]ersistent and fearless exposure will kill pro-fascist organizations and discredit the individuals who have formed them. However... exposure may attract new adherents."

"$100,000,000 per year is donated to propaganda organizations, some of which show very definite fascist tendencies."

"Education... must utilize home influences... newspapers... radio, and other... public communication."

"must be given increased emphasis."

"The Nation must continue to offer livelihood and hope to its citizens or they may become the prey of any demagog who offers them the promise of something better which is in reality a fascist regime."

"There must be a positive policy and a definite program for raising the national income and distributing it equitably so that people can buy the products of our economy. Some... consider this one of the most essential means for the destruction of incipient fascism."

"Democracy and efficiency are compatible, but insinuations that we must choose between democratic participation ...and efficient government often emanate from fascist sources."

"Dr. Douglas M. Kelley has recently written 22 Cells in Nuremberg, a study in psychiatric terms of the Nazi defendants in the . ...[H]e describes his discovery, upon returning to America... that the same prejudices expressed in the same terms... were current in this country. He said:We can find the same ideas thinly veiled in our public press today. Even worse, we find some of our top political men, members of our highest governing bodies, making statements which would do credit to Rosenberg, Hitler, or Goebbels. ...I am convinced that there is little in America today which could prevent the establishment of a Nazi-like state."

"It lies within our power to defend our chosen democratic way of life against the attack of fascism, and the study Fascism in Action is offered as a weapon in that defense."

"This study of Fascism in Action... its scope and method were to conform in general to the earlier study, Communism in Action (H. Doc. No. 754, 79th Cong., 2d sess.), prepared at the instance of Representative Everett Dirksen, of Illinois."

"Communism frowns on private property, and nationalizes industries, banks, agricultural land, and all... property which may represent wealth. ...[F]ascism ...reprivatizes previously nationalized businesses, encourages s, and develops large private property holdings, especially in industry ...to simplify ...fascist control of the economy... [L]arge property holders... become members of the ruling elite."

"Communist agriculture tends to be state owned, operated, and directed, principally... collective farms, while fascist agriculture generally is built around an agriculture class, owning or leasing its land and producing according to a state program."

"Nowhere is the similarity of fascism and communism more clearly revealed than in their very close cooperation for aggression upon other states."

"Fascism... is... a philosophy and a way of life which requires... followers serve the state with an unwavering faith and... unquestioning obedience. It makes fanaticism a virtue and weaves ideological concepts about the doctrines of race supremacy, the leadership principle, rule by an elite class, government under a single political party, the acquisition of living space, a totalitarian state, and the use of force as an instrument of national policy."

"To many, fascism, particularly as it operated in Germany, seemed a model of order and efficiency. ...But the cost to the individual was heavy. The price was abolition of representative government, of individual liberty, of the rights of free speech, free assembly, free religion, a free press, and the principle of equality before the law."

"All fascist thought starts from... [an] idea... that "a people" form a "natural community" which "becomes conscious of its solidarity and strives to form itself, to develop itself, to defend itself, to realize itself." The nation and state... become the vehicles by which a people reaches its goals."

"[T]he state is the most important power in all fascist thought and action. Everything must be subordinated to the state and... assist in promoting state ends... the... fascist program and world outlook (Weltanschauung)... [T]his reduces... to government by party leaders and small influential groups... as Junkers military officials, industrialists, and revolutionary juntas."

"[T]here are degrees of religious regimentation and sometimes a workable arrangement may be reached between... Church and state as... in Italy, Japan, and Spain. But... primary consideration is the state and... [permitted] religious freedom... is determined by the state and its leaders."