RE: [lbo-talk] Neocons Inspired By Italian Fascists?
I think the article is an amazing example of using a myriad of accurate historic and theoretical references to mask the simple fact that the whole argument is based on the classic fallacy of logic that falsely claims that things that can be shown to have some identical characterists must therefore be identical in all characteristices and thus congruent.
Example of invalid logic:
Milk is white Chalk is white Therefore chalk is milk.
This is an asinine assertion, and one that the average middle school graduate should be able to debunk. This is the core flaw in "Flirting with Fascism: Neocon theorist Michael Ledeen draws more from Italian fascism than from the American Right," by John Laughland, June 30, 2003 issue, The American Conservative.
The same fallacy of logic was used in the equally invalid essay that has plagued the Internet: "The 14 Characteristics of Fascism" by Lawrence Britt, Spring 2003, Free Inquiry magazine.
Arguments that fail basic tests of logic should not be debated since they are invalid on their face, whether they claim to come from the left, center, or right.
There is also the problem of some weird form of intentional fallacy in which the fact that Ledeen is an expert on fascism somehow is used to imply that his politics are influenced by fascism, which requires a proof not offered because the other arguments are fallacious.
The arguments about fascism as a mass movement having real popular appeal and unleashing creative cultural energy for the heroic rebirth of the society (populist palingenesis) are more fairly attributed to British academic Roger Griffin.
Wrapping crap in gold foil does not make it delicious.
It is unwise to dine with those who think otherwise.
Chip Berlet Senior Analyst Political Research Associates http://www.publiceye.org
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Doug Henwood [mailto:dhenwood at panix.com]
> Sent: Monday, June 30, 2003 3:56 PM
> To: lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org
> Subject: Re: [lbo-talk] Neocons Inspired By Italian Fascists?
>
>
> mike larkin wrote:
>
> >http://amconmag.com/06_30_03/feature.html
> >
>
> Interesting piece. I wonder what people like Carrol & Chip who police
> the use of the word "fascism" think of it.
>
> Doug
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