Thread by @docrussjackson

#THREAD

Some people have asked me why I describe the UK Government as #neofascist, rather than just straightforwardly #fascist.

While of course there are many similarities, there are some crucial differences.

https://twitter.com/coldwarsteve/status/1535716563587846145?s=20&t=G8R2CGuimMGLLjunGjuy6Q

Like their fascist predecessors, #neofascists embrace populist nationalism & authoritarian values, attack Marxist & other left-wing ideologies, indulge in racist & xenophobic scapegoating, & portray themselves as protectors of traditional national culture & religion.

Whereas fascists assigned much of the blame for their countries’ economic problems to the machinations of bolsheviks, liberals, & Jews, British neofascists tend to focus on non-European immigrants, arriving in increasing numbers from the 1990s.

Across Europe, with increasing post-war urbanization also came a shift in the electoral bases of fascist-oriented movements & Parties, & a consequent decline in the importance of rural romanticism (“blood and soil”) in neofascist political rhetoric.

The acceptance of democratic norms by the vast majority of western Europeans reduced the appeal of authoritarian ideologies a& required that neofascist-oriented parties to make a concerted effort to portray themselves as democratic & “mainstream.”

Most neofascists abandoned the outward trappings of earlier fascist parties, such as paramilitary uniforms & Roman salutes, & many explicitly denounced fascist policies or denied that their parties were remotely fascistic.

“Beware of men & women wearing smart Italian suits: the colour is now gray, the material is cut to fit the times, but the aim is still power... Fascism is on the move once more, even if its most sophisticated forms have learned to dress to suit the times.” - Roger Eatwell, 1996.

As with interwar fascist movements, #neofascist movements differed from one another in various respects. The rhetoric of neofascists in Russia & the Balkans, for example, tended to be more openly brutal & militaristic than that of the majority of their Western counterparts.

Most neofascist movements in Europe pandered to anti-Semitism, though neofascists in Italy & Spain generally did not. Spanish neofascists also differed from most other neofascists in Europe in that they did not make a major issue of immigration.

Portuguese, British, & (for a time) Italian neofascists advocated 'corporatism', in contrast to French and many other Western neofascists, who - like the current UK Government - promoted free-market capitalism & lower taxes.

https://twitter.com/docrussjackson/status/1530506368439951365?s=20&t=jqcjt7MFB4BAB8D-0HsRZw

In the 1990s in Russia & eastern Europe, neofascist movements were generally more leftist than their counterparts in western Europe, emphasizing the interests of workers & peasants over those of the urban middle class & calling for “mixed” socialist & capitalist economies.

Following the 2008 crash, the 2010s saw right-wing populist & neofascist parties & movements in western Europe enjoy a surge of popularity, fuelled in part by an influx of Muslim immigrants, & in some countries, like the UK & especially England, by continued resentment of the EU.

Although Muslims in Europe nowhere became a majority of voters, they increased their numbers substantially. In France the FN, now led by Le Pen’s daughter Marine Le Pen, advanced for only the second time to the second round of that country’s presidential elections in 2017.

In Germany in 2017, the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD), which had adopted an overtly anti-Islamic platform, won nearly 13% of the presidential vote in national elections, & by 2018 it was the second most popular political party in Germany.

here in Britain,

The UK Independence Party (UKIP) a Eurosceptic, right-wing populist political party, reached its greatest level of success in the mid-2010s, when it gained two MPs & was the largest party representing the UK in the European Parliament.

In 2006, Nigel Farage became leader & the party adopted a wider policy platform & capitalised on concerns about rising immigration, in particular among the White British working class, resulting in breakthroughs at the 2013 local, 2014 European & 2015 general elections.

Farage then stepped down as UKIP leader, later joining the Brexit Party. UKIP subsequently saw its vote share & membership heavily decline, losing almost all of its elected representatives amid much internal instability & a drift toward a far-right, explicitly anti-Islam message.

UKIP is characterised as a nationalist populist party. UKIP's primary emphasis has been on Euroscepticism, & it promotes a British unionist & British nationalist agenda, encouraging a unitary British identity in opposition to growing Welsh and Scottish nationalisms.

Its neofascist tendencies are most clearly signalled in placing emphasis on lowering immigration, rejecting multiculturalism, & opposing what it calls the "Islamification" of Britain, describing itself as 'economically libertarian' & culturally 'traditional'.

Like Mosley's British Union of Fascists, having an ideological heritage from the right-wing of the Conservative Party, it distinguishes itself from the mainstream political establishment through heavy use of populist rhetoric: Farage's described supporters as the "People's Army".

At the same time, a wave of right-wing populism in the US led, in 2016, to the unexpected electoral victory of Donald Trump. During his campaign Trump had encouraged hostility toward Muslim & Mexican immigrants & promised to suspend immigration from Muslim-majority countries.

Proudly displaying his neofascist tendencies, Trump promised to build a wall along the country’s southern border to prevent illegal immigration from Mexico; & to deport all 11 million undocumented immigrants in the country, the great majority of whom had come from Latin America.

The Trump administration later became notorious around the world for its policy of separating immigrant children from their parents in cases of families illegally crossing the southern border together.

Among Trump’s supporters were members of a reinvigorated militia movement, including border vigilante groups; white supremacists, including members of the Ku Klux Klan; & explicitly fascistic neo-Nazis — none of whom he disavowed.

Indeed, Trump’s far-right & racist supporters became more outspoken as his campaign gained momentum & especially after his electoral victory in November, believing with some justification their neofascist ideas had finally gained a place within mainstream political discourse.

In the immediate aftermath of Trump’s election & during the four years of his presidency, reported hate crimes directed at minorities—including Hispanics, Muslims, & Jews—increased significantly.

Following the end of World War II, scholars of fascism had adopted various terms to describe certain contemporary political parties and leaders who were not clearly fascist or neofascist but who displayed some characteristics of historical fascist movements and regimes.

Among the labels that were applied were “quasi-fascist,” “proto-fascist,” “semi-fascist,” & “borderline fascist.” Such scholars generally agreed that Trump himself was not a fascist or neofascist. Yet he was arguably a borderline fascist - hence my preference for #neofascist.

The behaviours & attitudes of several contemporary current & recent western leaders - including Donald Trump, Boris Johnson, Viktor Orban & Jair Bolsonaro - resemble in some respects those of historical fascist leaders.

Such similarities included contempt for democratic values - manifested in Britain by the UK Government's recent announcement that it will remove independence from the Electoral Commission, charged with overseeing free & fair elections in the UK.

Another similarity to historical fascist leaders includes contempt for the rule of law - in Britain, perhaps most visible in Boris Johnson's callous disregard for rules & laws imposed on the British public during COVID lockdowns & in repeated promises to break international law.

Other similarities include demagoguery - political activity or practices that seek support by appealing to the desires & prejudices of ordinary people rather than by using rational argument - & appeals to #racism, which Boris Johnson & other UK Govt Ministers repeatedly use.

Another obviously fascist behaviour visible in Britain are the repeated Government attacks on the legitimacy of certain press & broadcast news media & on established institutions of government, & the exploitation of scapegoats - currently focused on asylum seekers & Unions.

In addition to Trump & Johnson, other 21st century national leaders whose authoritarian & nationalistic approach has at least some features in common with #fascism included Belarus's Alexander Lukashenko; Hungary's Viktor Orbán; Russia's Vladimir Putin; & Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro.