Current Society and Fascism

This essay discusses the prevalent ideology of fascism in the current global scenario and what it means for the people in the future. It examines the tactics that are involved in creating a fascist society and the connection of advertisement and marketing while propagating a fascist agenda.

Running head: SOCIOLOGY
Current society and fascism
Name of the student
Name of the University
Author note

1CURRENT SOCIETY AND FASCISM
Different ideologies emerge at different times and it shapes the world around us. Fascism
was one such ideologies that emerged in the 19th century. The article selected for the following
discussion has been taken from The Irish Times that talk about the current global scenario and
what it means for the people in the future. The news report in discussion poses interesting
observation that is even quite worrying, about the political shift towards a more fascist
standpoint. Fascism is not new or a popular political opinion however, it is something that needs
to be examined closely1. The pattern that global political scenario implies there is rise in the
sinister fascist mentality and leniency. This essay discusses the prevalent ideology in the news
article.
Historically, the ideology in discussion is political ideology known as fascism. That
started in the late 18th century by George Valois who is credited for the formation of the first
non-Italian fascist party. The political ideology is a far right wing, authoritarian ultranationalist
approach characterized by dictatorship, forcible suppression of opposition and complete
regimentation of society and economy. The ideology gained a more mainstream popularity when
Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler implemented it during the World War I2. The news report is
particularly interesting as it observes the American society slowly gravitating towards a fascist
political society regimentation under the leadership of President Donald Trump3. The society
from the World war era and now has significant change and one of the main changes that it has
seen is the use of media and technology to propagate an ideology makes it seemingly faster than
1 O'Toole, Fintan. 2019. "Fintan O’Toole: Trial Runs For Fascism Are In Full Flow". The Irish Times.
https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/fintan-o-toole-trial-runs-for-fascism-are-in-full-flow-1.3543375.
2Finchelstein, Federico. From fascism to populism in history. University of California Press, 2019.
3Giroux, Henry A. "Donald Trump and neo-fascism in America." Arena magazine (fitzroy, Vic) 140 (2016): 31.

2CURRENT SOCIETY AND FASCISM
it was before. The Trump government has always been under public scrutiny since its election
and one of the basics is to rig the elections that Trump has successfully delivered. This
popularisation could very well be a clever strategy to introduce the public to a pre-fascist
political scenario, the writer speculates. A fascist society is not created in a day. A constant
strategized manipulation that is fed in slow doses to the masses to gauge their reaction of the idea
and change strategy accordingly. The article closely examines the tactics that is involved in
creating a fascist society. One of the very first tendency that often gives rise to fascism is when a
group of people who enjoyed a politically and economically stable life find themselves in a
marginalised society. The student loan debt explosion, rising cost of housing, high
unemployment rate that was previously not so common in America is on the increase. Another,
trigger that has garnered sufficient response is the popular Trump slogan “Make America great
again” is a significant fascist motivator. Looking back, all the dictators Adolf Hitler, Benito
Mussolini created a nostalgia of making their nations Germany and Italy respectively, gain its
former glory. It is important to notice the similarity in both these situations that preaches the
same ideology. It is not necessary for the validation or accuracy of the arguments of what makes
America great again, but what it effectively has achieved is the response from the people who
during a period of uncertainty feel that a strong bonding through national identity. This is exactly
the kind of pre fascist state that Trump has created so far4.
The report also speculates the connection of advertisement and marketing while
propagating a fascist agenda. This argument holds true for the current scenario. Political
propaganda begins by selling an idea, building it with stories that may not may not be true but
4 Kuklick, Bruce. "Fascism Comes to America." International Journal for History, Culture and Modernity 6, no. 1
(2018).

3CURRENT SOCIETY AND FASCISM
needs to be believed and embraced with absolute certainty. Which is exactly what the
government has managed to achieve. The news media has deviously portrayed the scapegoating
agenda of the minority group, who have been portrayed as the enemies of the state who steal
jobs, are causing crimes and unemployment. The last few years under the regime, statistics show
more hate crimes against the minority groups in America5. As the minority, groups are easy
targets for their lack of political representation and power it makes it easy to oppress such a
community. The Nazi Germany against Jews used case in point the same strategy through mass
manipulation and propaganda to segregate and torture them. Some of American media has
catalysed the process of creating racism and hate around minority group; it has been able to
divide the society into polarity. The argument that is being forced upon is that the immigrants are
responsible, for job, scarcity that is not true but the marketing strategy has skilfully led American
mass to believe otherwise. Creating an economic anxiety carefully ignoring from the real facts
that are complex globalisation, increase in corporate power, climate change and others that are
true agents for the economic tension within the nation. Creating false media propaganda is the
very ingredient for fascism that is a wonderful tool to create a threat from a despised minority
community6. This has led to parents and children being separated while children are locked up in
cages as little as few months old. This not difficult to show how closely it is related to the
concentration camps of the Nazi Germany.
Fascism owes a great deal to creating a superhuman image of the leader. It is interesting
to note that the Trump marketing team has portrayed him as the saviour of the American dream.
5 Giroux, Henry A. "White Supremacy and Racial Cleansing Under the Regime of Donald Trump." In The Public in
Peril, pp. 51-73. Routledge, 2017.
6Huff, Mickey, and Nolan Higdon. United States of Distraction: Media Manipulation in Post-Truth America (And
What We Can Do About It). City Lights Books, 2018.

4CURRENT SOCIETY AND FASCISM
Trump’s several interview often points towards the idea that he knows what is best for the
country and he is the sole protector of the country. It is not a coincidence that it closely
resembles what Hitler had said once about himself. Every fascist dictator has suspending civil
liberties, crushing oppositions; cutting free press, avoiding legislature while making laws. These
are all the things that Trump has suggested multiple times in his speech. He has openly created
fake news to support his false claims, also expressed his dislike for press that criticizes his
policies and has advocated imprisonment of Democratic leaders. These are in direct conflict with
the democracy of America yet Trump continues to serve office. This proves that the innate
mentality of the political regime is pro fascist.
A society is built on morality, without a code of ethics we are no less than barbarians, this
is exactly a crucial step that a pre fascist regime hopes to achieve. Statistic show 58% of
Republic Americans believe Hispanic community is responsible for crime and growing rate of
unemployment and were in support of caging babies. In fact, Fox News, which is a Trump
mouthpiece, described distressed children who were clearly in anguish of being separated from
their families as actors. It is clear justification that when a society lacks complete empathy for
children, the moral fibre is already torn.
When examining the fascist tendencies, rallies are an important part of the show that the
nation believes in their leader and they are united as one in the fight that follows. Hitler
orchestrated rallies that glorified him as a leader of a powerful nation and increased loyalty
within his organisation. It reaffirms their ideology through thousands of people, it is a carefully
structured mechanism to ensure mass popularity and display the strength behind the political
agenda. The Trump government certainly takes notes when it comes to arranging such a rally.
The public love a show, the dramatic display of power encourages hundred more to join. Trump

5CURRENT SOCIETY AND FASCISM
understands and uses these ritualistic manoeuvrers and arranges for his famous “Make America
Great Again” rallies to have complete media attention and submerge the population in the
madness and encourages them to express their sense of siege7. This is invokes a powerful
catharsis that bonds people for a same cause no matter how ambiguous it is, or how devious it is.
This bond is psychologically comforting, creates a sense of belonging and a primary factor to
create fanaticism, another important factor for the popularity of fascism and Trump government.
Even though Trump faces endless criticism for these unmanaged actions, he still has the
undivided attention and support of 40% of the population. This is another factor in support of the
argument that America has a fascist leniency. This 40% of the population is important factor to
intimidate the rest of the 60% and gain the power, which is exactly what Trump has been able to
achieve. The fanaticism is a powerful tool that will do anything for their leader, a start of
anarchy8.
Ideologies have actions, consequence, and the pre fascist society that is slowly emerging
in America is evident in the number of school shootings; hate crimes, racist attacks that has
already started to gain momentum. A shift from democracy to fascism takes time and involves
careful manipulation the American government has begun the process. In conclusion, the
following article by Fintan O’Toole holds up strong arguments in support of the notion that
America is entering a pre fascist environment the above arguments prove the same.
7Polletta, Francesca, and Jessica Callahan. "Deep stories, nostalgia narratives, and fake news: Storytelling in the
Trump era." In Politics of meaning/meaning of politics, pp. 55-73. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, 2019.
8 Hell, Julia, and George Steinmetz. "A period of “wild and fierce fanaticism”: Populism, theo-political militarism,
and the crisis of US hegemony." American Journal of Cultural Sociology 5, no. 3 (2017): 373-391.

6CURRENT SOCIETY AND FASCISM
Reference
Finchelstein, Federico. From fascism to populism in history. University of California Press,
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+From+fascism+to+populism+in+history.+University+of+California+Press,
+2019.&ots=DmAyk66_G6&sig=-
RmFZSqQozNZeaCOm8FVy4fBjdU#v=onepage&q=Finchelstein%2C%20Federico.%20From
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Vic) 140
(2016):31.https://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=885759684651123;res=IELAP
A
Giroux, Henry A. "White Supremacy and Racial Cleansing Under the Regime of Donald
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no. 3 (2017): 373-391. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1057/s41290-017-0041-y retrieve the
date 19/9/2019
Huff, Mickey, and Nolan Higdon. United States of Distraction: Media Manipulation in Post-
Truth America (And What We Can Do About It). City Lights Books, 2018.
https://books.google.co.in/books?
hl=en&lr=&id=fKakDwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PT12&dq=Huff,+Mickey,+and+Nolan+Higdon.
+United+States+of+Distraction:+Media+Manipulation+in+Post-Truth+America+
(And+What+We+Can+Do+About+It).+City+Lights+Books,
+2018.&ots=lFVLUlnmIZ&sig=QRFqUkUfRaKn_4jGBuyNy7MA8sY#v=onepage&q=Huff
%2C%20Mickey%2C%20and%20Nolan%20Higdon.%20United%20States%20of
%20Distraction%3A%20Media%20Manipulation%20in%20Post-Truth%20America%20(And
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%202018.&f=false retrieved the date 19/9/2019
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Modernity 6, no. 1 (2018).
https://www.history-culture-modernity.org/articles/10.18352/hcm.547/print/ retrieved the date
19/9/2019
O'Toole, Fintan. 2019. "Fintan O’Toole: Trial Runs For Fascism Are In Full Flow". The Irish
Times. https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/fintan-o-toole-trial-runs-for-fascism-are-in-full-flow-
1.3543375. Retrieved the date 19/9/2019
Polletta, Francesca, and Jessica Callahan. "Deep stories, nostalgia narratives, and fake news:
Storytelling in the Trump era." In Politics of meaning/meaning of politics, pp. 55-73. Palgrave
Macmillan, Cham, 2019. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-95945-0_4
retrieved the date 19/9/2019