Fascism as twisted Socialism

["George Windau" <gwindau@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Before we become guilty of weaving our own 'mythologies' about 'fascism' let
us understand the womb in which fascism gestates as well as the first
political cliches that it utters upon seeing the light of day.

Fascism must begin by posturing as a solution to a capitalist crisis. It
must produce rhetoric and propaganda that appears to be socialistic, or at
least social-minded while, at the same time, not really threatening the
established forms of property of the ruling class.

Did we forget that the word 'Nazi' is a foreshortening of the formal title
"National Socialist Party"?? Did we forget that the Italian Fascist movement
sprang from the failed Italian Proletarian Revolution of 1920?  Did we
forget that Peronism sprang from a resurgance of the organized labor
movement in Argentina?

The trappings, the 'bells and whistles' of any particular fascist movement
will change from time to time and place to place.  What may be an effective
'myth' to weave in Germany might appear as a ridiculous joke to an
Argentinian. If the 'exciting and galvanizing myth' of one particular
fascist movement holds no power in some other fascist movement then perhaps
it is unenlightening to focus on 'myth-making' as some inherent talent of
fascism itself.

If you seek a broader understanding of fascism, then let us start at the
begining. Let us point out that fascism picks up steam as the socialist myth
seems unable to produce any tangible political payoff for the working
classes. Fascism, no matter how absurd its basic ideology, gains momentum
when the socialist revolution fails or is slaughtered in the streets.
Fascism is not 'super-talented' at myth-making as much as it is
'super-permitted' to make myths by a ruling class that ultimately realizes
"Hey, we can use this fascism stuff to finish off the socialist movement,
once and for all."

If the myths of socialist states are 'boring' with respect to the
'stimulating' myths of fascist states, let us point out that fascist states
may not enjoy any extended life-span which would afford the opportunity for
fascist myths to become 'stale' and 'boring'.

To illustrate this point, let us look at the Greek Fascist Junta that took
power in 1967.  Did the fascist mythology of the 'Firebird' rising from the
ashes stimulate and captivate the imaginations of Greek people? . . . Or, as
history testifies, did the Greek workers and students rise up, in 1973, in
large formations to smash the 'Firebird' mythology to push that myth back
into the ash heap?  Comrades, where were the 'super-talented' myth-makers of
fascism in this example? Let's treat this as a math problem with an exact
solution. Let us ask: "What was the exact, proper and 'exciting' myth that
the fascists should have used in Greece to extend their lifespan in
history?" If you cannot answer this question as if it were a math problem,
then this whole thesis about fascist superiority in 'myth-making' holds no
water.

Adios
George
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