How Fascism and Socialism are linked

On April 11th, The Socialist Equality Party of Michigan hosted an event at Wayne State University as a part of tour by a member of the German Socialist Party, Christoff Venderier.

The theme of the event I attended was based on his views on “the threat of fascism.”

The speaker began by discussing the fight in his country for what he referred to as “democratic rights”, while criticizing what he also referred to as the nationalism of the “far right” or “extreme right wing.” He went on to describe some problems topical in his country such as “social and income inequality”, the “brutal attacks on immigrants” while connecting what her referred to as the abuse of capitalism leading to the rise in fascism.

All of the speakers from the event are self-described students of Leon Trotsky, a communist theorist and Soviet politician. Each spoke in terms of absolutes that the only answer to fascism is the rise of the “workers” and the “youth” to form a socialist movement.

First, let’s define our terms.

Webster’s defines Fascsim this way—

“1. a political philosophy, movement, or regime (such as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition

2 : a tendency toward or actual exercise of strong autocratic or dictatorial control.

A softer form of fascism is also represented in a merger of the private sector and the state.

The English words fascism and fascist are borrowings from Italian fascismo and fascista, derivatives of fascio (plural fasci), “bundle, fasces, group.” It goes on to describe the origins as people being committed solely to the group and obedient to a single authority.

On the surface, a group of people choosing to be committed to themselves and to a single authority is relatively benign, until of course that single “authority” abuses its power…true for any form of government.

Now let’s look at socialism—

1 : any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods

2a : a system of society or group living in which there is no private property

b : a system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state

3 : a stage of society in Marxist theory transitional between capitalism and communism and distinguished by unequal distribution of goods and pay according to work done.

What should stand out is the link between the two ideas. Under a fascist and socialist regime;

· Both systems play of the fears of people, and profess morality

· Both systems demand a loyalty to the system through government force, supported by law complete with penalty provisions enforced in the legal system.

· Both systems seek to control human behavior, and endeavor.

· Both systems seek to control productively and the labor to support it.

· Both systems seek to control the flow of wealth as a result of productivity and labor

One could conclude that Fascism and socialism = force and control.

Furthermore, one could argue that all forms of control over human behavior and prosperity could be placed on the same political plane—Fascism, socialism, communism, progressivism, corporatism, and cronyism all lead to dictatorship and an absolute authority. This should be an idea hated by all freedom loving individuals.

Proponents of so-called democratic socialism demanding “income equality” by handing over control of a company to the workers is a deeply flawed and authoritarian in nature. Laborers sacrificed the potential of profit in favor of income security. They did not put up capital (savings) in order to take on the risk, therefore they do not reap the reward. Likewise, as a company may face a down year, they still receive their salaries in spite of a company losing money.

Brutality in any system should be rejected no matter its origin, on that we agree. But equally brutal is government force which all forms of control mechanisms seek to impose on the people whether it is to concentrate wealth or to disperse it artificially.

Socialists point to cherry picked policies of some nations while ignoring the economic ramifications of crushing debt and social unrest as a result of their unintended consequences when you attempt to control people and behavior. Interestingly, both sides oppose laissez- faire capitalism which our nation has still not experienced since both our economy and monetary system are artificially managed by government.

Socialists also fail to connect the monetary system of a nation to its economy. In America, socialists point their success of the “social safety net”—Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, but fail to recognize that those policies only became necessary as a result of an earlier socialist idea of money printing 20 years earlier. Distorting the value of money by artificially controlling its volume distorts the value of labor, and savings and represents inflation.

Once again we look to our Constitution, rooted in faith and the principle of a republic for answers. This form of governance protects the voices of the minority from the tyranny of the majority. We reject the idea of a democracy which is nothing short of mob rule and which history demonstrates will invariably result in a dictatorial form of governance over people rather than “of, by, and for the people.”

Americans who cherish their liberty and pursuit of happiness in their own way, as best as their pursuits do not adversely affect the pursuits of others, should reject both fascism and socialism.

Americans should reject cronyism in our economy disguised as capitalism, they should reject dishonest money printed out of nothing and artificially injected into the market which distorts value while robbing from laborers and punishing those who try to save with it. They should reject direct taxation on income (The IRS), they should reject excessive interest, and unpayable compounding interest on debt. They should reject government defined morality just as government behaves immorally. They should reject all wars of aggression, or imposing our nations view onto other sovereign nations.

RIGHTS or a right is something inherently a part of you as an individual, and not something granted by government which requires the labor or property of another individual.

The highest minority in the world is the individual, and their rights (including the unborn) are being trampled in favor of government granted favor or privilege of a group which they pander to for votes. The liberty of the sovereign individual should be protected in law, including property rights, privacy and contract law. Government should only act a referee in a game with our Constitution acting as the rules, and not to pick winners and losers.

See the attached video which employs a humorous approach to breaking down the fallacies of Socialism.

Please consider joining our ongoing efforts to replace public servants who promote forms of government which result in control over you, while we continue to promote the blessings of individual liberty and seek public servants whom will defend the natural rights of the individual. Sign-up to volunteer and make a donation to the cause of liberty.

-Chairman Dude