No disagreement that mass fascism is the product of economic crisis, but you're wrong in suggesting it would have to to be given a "go ahead" by the US and EU or other governments. It's preeminently a mass movement from below, which isn't to say that it doesn't attract support from influential and opportunistic right-wingers at the top when it nears power. ------------------------------------ Wojtek wrote:
> --- Marvin Gandall <marvgandall at videotron.ca> wrote:
>
> movement be
>> reacting to? I don't think
>> you're accounting for the depth of "white anxiety"
>> in the US - and Europe,
>> for that matter - where the far right has been
>> fueled primarily by
>> immigration from developing countires.
>
> I do not see much evidence of it - there are pockets
> of bigotry, to be sure, but they are in the minority,
> most likely less than 10% of the population.
>
> Fascism is not a response to immigration or more
> generally - a "foreign threat." Historically, fascist
> reaction was almost always directed at LOCAL
> minorities, Jews in Eastern Europe and Germany, Serbs,
> Croats, Muslims in x-Yugoslavia, Tootsies in Rwanda -
> etc. In most cases, there were two elements of such a
> reaction: (1) economic competition from a minority
> group that fueled resentment, and (2) a "go-ahead"
> from above (cf. "kill the cockroaches" broadcast in
> Rwanda, and similar government-sanctioned propaganda
> in x-Yugoslavia, Eastern Europe or Germany) to to act
> on those resesntments out, and 'settle the score' once
> and for all.
>
> Both elements are necessary for an outbreak of fascist
> reaction: without econommic threat, the "go ahead"
> from above will fall od deaf ears; without the "go
> ahead" the resentment will not transform into a
> coordinated action.
>
> I do not think that many US-sers, or for that matter
> Europeans feel economically threatened by immigrants.
> In fact, the opposite seems to be true, they benefit
> from cheap immigrant labor. So there is not much
> economic resentment, except perhaps in narrow pockets
> of society. Furthermore, I simply do not see the US
> or EU government giving the "go ahead." Even after
> 9/11 and even Bush strongly condemned mob violence
> against Muslims. They may use racial profiling and
> other "quiet" methods of discrimination - but I am
> pretty sure that no government or respectable
> political party in the US, Canada, or EU will openly
> encourage let alone abet fascist reaction. In fact,
> it is safe to bet on that.
>
> Unfortunately, people who feel frustrated and
> powerless often use strong language and hyperboles to
> vent their frustrations. Hence we hear tirades from
> both the left and the right, which are built around
> the same theme - emotive speeches against a hatred
> scapegoat (fascists, racists, capitalists, or yuppies
> for the left, and immigrants, liberals,or minorities
> for the right.) In both cases, this amounts basically
> to spitting on asphalt - an expression of emotions
> that is rather inconsequential, and certainly not a
> forecast of things to come.
>
> Wojtek
>
>
>
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
> http://mail.yahoo.com
> ___________________________________
> http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk
>