Defining Fascism

[DanaC]

Interestingly, the English dictionary has a very different definition to that of the American dictionary:

fascism
/fashiz’m/

• noun 1 an authoritarian and nationalistic right-wing system of government. 2 extreme right-wing, authoritarian, or intolerant views or practice.

— DERIVATIVES fascist noun & adjective fascistic adjective.

— ORIGIN Italian fascismo, from fascio ‘bundle, political group’, from Latin fascis ‘bundle’.

That was OED and Cambridge defines it :

Fascism

noun {U}

a political system based on a very powerful leader, state control and extreme pride in country and race, and in which political opposition is not allowed
fascist

adjective (ALSO fascistic)

- fascist groups

- a fascist dictator/regime

fascist

noun {C}

1 someone who supports fascism


2 a person of the far right in politics

[xoxoxoBruce]

What American dictionary are you referring to?

[Undertoad]

Originally Posted by Ibram

I've decided to create a series of artwork exploring each of the fourteen characteristics and displaying the ways America fits into each.

In this case, let's call it "defining fascism down".

Mussolini and Franco rigidly controlled all media, films, and arts for propaganda purposes. But Bush is a fascist!

Pinochet ordered a death squad called the "Caravan of Death" to execute 71 of his biggest enemies in the Army, even though they were already under arrest. But the PNAC, they're fascists!

Suharto killed up to a million members of the opposition political party. But Bush...!

(H*tl*r shall remain unmentioned due to Godwin's Law.)

[Spexxvet]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

In this case, let's call it "defining fascism down".

Mussolini and Franco rigidly controlled all media, films, and arts for propaganda purposes. But Bush is a fascist!

Pinochet ordered a death squad called the "Caravan of Death" to execute 71 of his biggest enemies in the Army, even though they were already under arrest. But the PNAC, they're fascists!

Suharto killed up to a million members of the opposition political party. But Bush...!

(H*tl*r shall remain unmentioned due to Godwin's Law.)

YET!

The Bushies have tried to control the media, and their secrecy doesn't allow us citizens to know much of what they're doing. Something tells me that Bush would love to send many Democrats on a quail hunting trip with BIG DICK.

[tw]

Originally Posted by Spexxvet

Something tells me that Bush would love to send many Democrats on a quail hunting trip with BIG DICK.

Do you mean the one that shoots from the shoulder; or shoots from the hip?