>
> What is it then? The whole point of fascism is not that it's
> oppressive, but that it's characterized by the radical subordination
> of the individual to the state. In the economic sphere it's
> corporatist and anti-market. If "fascism" is just used as a synonym
> for "icky" then the word loses all meaning.
>
> Doug
I agree with your definition of fascism, and I agree that the term gets thrown around all too freely. All I'm saying is American fascism would be justified in the name of individual rights and freedom. The fascist government would certainly "subordinate" the individual, but these necessary constraints on the individual would be justified using the language of American individualism. (If this seems implausible, recall Bush's attempt to justify violating the FISA law by talking about "protecting our liberties".)
Miles