This is the fourth part of my letter dealing with the ideology of past fascist and semi-fascist regimes such as Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, Imperial Japan, Nationalist China, Francoist Spain, Peronist Argentina and Vichy France, along with various fringe elements of the American Right of our nation's political spectrum. The first, second and third parts of my letter were printed in the Feb. 28, March 28 and May 11 editions of the Times-Union. This part of my letter will further summarize the common characteristics of pure fascism.
Common Characteristics of Pure Fascism Continued:
III. Racial and Social Darwinism Enshrined as an Ideal and Implemented as Public Policy.
1. Strong belief in the race war theory of world history.
2. Violently anti-Jewish.
3. Segregation and discrimination against minorities or a disenfranchised majority as official government policy.
4. Government favoritism toward the wealthy and corporations.
5. Eugenics or population quality control as official government policy.
6. Survival of the fittest, elimination of the weakest mentality.
7. Elitism - a strong belief that only the best, brightest, wealthiest and most ruthless should have unchecked political power over the commoners.
8. Other nationalities, races, ethnic groups and socioeconomic classes are viewed as subhuman or even as separate species.
9. Women are viewed and treated as second- and third-class citizens.
10. Denial of the following points of basic human equality; our biological commonness, the capacity for thinking, the right to life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness, and our equality before God and the laws of humanity.
My next letter to the editor will finally summarize the remaining characteristics of pure fascism.
