What is the central dogma of fascism?

Question

If there is any one thing that would desribe the central dogma of fascism, can we all agree that "you have nothing to fear if you have nothing to hide" would represent it the best?

Answer 1

That is not much of the problem or philosophy.

There are many folk who have written about the central points.

# 1 A unitary all powerful Executive, often a cult of personality

#2 All sources of power Corporate, Religious, and Media are brought to the service of the State as all become creatures of each other.

#3 Aggressive disdain for empathy and positive emotions, anything feminine is brought to be considered weak and attacked with extreme hatred, leading to rampant sexism and homophobia. Crimes by the cronies are ignored while dissent is vigorously attacked as normal crime is largely ignored, except as it can be used politically.

#4 Power is the only goal. Whatever policy, ideal,fact, story or any other cultural aspect is projected to the service of power. If a heavily propagated aspect needs to change to enhance power, it will change instantly, partly to disorient, but mainly to enhance power. Powerful extreme Nationalism and fundamentalist Religion are usually set in service to this goal.

There are many tipping points called a Fascist Shift as formerly deeply held aspects are discarded by claiming a suddenly emerging threat that extraordinary means are needed to oppose.

Many Democratic aspects will be carried on meaninglessly to help to deny the reality that they no longer have any effect.

Answer 2

That has nothing to do with fascism. Every individual under a fascist system is expected to at all times work for the state, and advance the state. Usually this is accompanied by massive control and a dictator-style government. Some ideology is crafted uniting the people under religion, race or some other demographic.

Fascism has nothing to do with an invasion of privacy, although that is often a tool of social control used within fascist governments. The reason why this concept is not central to fascism is because it can exist outside of fascism; it is a control mechanism.

Answer 3

<> What is complete scientific nonsense to many is in fact 'a legitimate argument' to some. Why else would so many of these lunatics quote Lord Monckton as if he were the Albert Einstein of modern day climate science? Edit @ Moe: <> Up to here you rant is factually right. But after that it makes a 180 degree turn and you start arguing things which climate scientists have never said in the first place: <<...when you have to ignore half a dozen other factors to even start to dream up the fantasy you believe in besides the fact that it called HURRICANE SEASON FOR A REASON and adding BUT NOW IT"S CAUSED BY MAN DOESN"T CHANGE THAT FACT! And that is just one event, but they're all like this and they are never ending.>> There is no climate scientist on earth, at least not one you'd likely title as 'warmist', who claims hurricanes are caused by humans. What they do claim is that hurricanes (and extreme weather in general) will increase in intensity. "Hurricanes have grown significantly more powerful and destructive over the last three decades due in part to global warming, says an MIT professor who warns that this trend could continue." MIT News (1) 'Legitimate Arguments': -1

Answer 4

That's one aspect of it, but I think "Might=Right" sums it up better. Fascism is about hegemony and dominance, power is political capital.

Answer 5

Dr. Lawrence Britt has examined the fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia) and several Latin American regimes. Britt found 14 defining characteristics common to each:
1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism - Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs, and other paraphernalia. Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays.
2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights - Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in fascist regimes are persuaded that human rights can be ignored in certain cases because of "need." The people tend to look the other way or even approve of torture, summary executions, assassinations, long incarcerations of prisoners, etc.
3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause - The people are rallied into a unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to eliminate a perceived common threat or foe: racial , ethnic or religious minorities; liberals; communists; socialists, terrorists, etc.
4. Supremacy of the Military - Even when there are widespread domestic problems, the military is given a disproportionate amount of government funding, and the domestic agenda is neglected. Soldiers and military service are glamorized.
5. Rampant Sexism - The governments of fascist nations tend to be almost exclusively male-dominated. Under fascist regimes, traditional gender roles are made more rigid. Divorce, abortion and homosexuality are suppressed and the state is represented as the ultimate guardian of the family institution.
6. Controlled Mass Media - Sometimes to media is directly controlled by the government, but in other cases, the media is indirectly controlled by government regulation, or sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Censorship, especially in war time, is very common.
7. Obsession with National Security - Fear is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses.
8. Religion and Government are Intertwined - Governments in fascist nations tend to use the most common religion in the nation as a tool to manipulate public opinion. Religious rhetoric and terminology is common from government leaders, even when the major tenets of the religion are diametrically opposed
to the government's policies or actions.
9. Corporate Power is Protected - The industrial and business aristocracy of a fascist nation often are the ones who put the government leaders into power, creating a mutually beneficial business/government relationship and power elite.
10. Labor Power is Suppressed - Because the organizing power of labor is the only real threat to a fascist government, labor unions are either eliminated entirely, or are severely suppressed.
11. Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts - Fascist nations tend to promote and tolerate open hostility to higher education, and academia. It is not uncommon for professors and other academics to be censored or even arrested. Free expression in the arts and letters is openly attacked.
12. Obsession with Crime and Punishment - Under fascist regimes, the police are given almost limitless power to enforce laws. The people are often willing to overlook police abuses and even forego civil liberties in the name of patriotism. There is often a national police force with virtually unlimited power in fascist nations.
13. Rampant Cronyism and Corruption - Fascist regimes almost always are governed by groups of friends and associates who appoint each other to government positions and use governmental power and authority to protect their friends from accountability. It is not uncommon in fascist regimes for national resources and even treasures to be appropriated or even outright stolen by government leaders.
14. Fraudulent Elections - Sometimes elections in fascist nations are a complete sham. Other times elections are manipulated by smear campaigns against or even assassination of opposition candidates, use of legislation to control voting numbers or political district boundaries, and manipulation of the media. Fascist nations also typically use their judiciaries to manipulate or control elections.

Answer 6

I always thought it was, "the Leader is always right, so shut up and follow orders. Do not question your superiors."

Answer 7

I'd say government control...and silencing detractors.