As in the 1930s, a bankrupt liberalism, grotesque social inequality and declining living standards are empowering fascist movements in Europe and the U.S.
Allow me to simplify the 10: “It’s all their fault.”
All those military officials that are festooned with medals and regalia and politicians flailing their arms -- itching for war in Ukraine, the Middle East, and elsewhere -- are truly infants and children crying “mommy! it’s all THEIR fault!
Allow the scuttling of peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in March by Britain and the US serve as ample reminder of that.
I, too, was disgusted by that incredible failure. I never hear or read the word “peace” in any reports or tv news, except Amy Goodman. Like they removed it from the dictionary, permanently.
Feral, I have been a peace activist all my life. Little changes. How do we impact this terrible list of lies and distortions? How do we really achieve a peaceful world? I am 73 now and I STILL don’t know. I am always ready to work on it, til my last breath. Thank you for this comment.
You have been a peace activist all your life. I suspect you have “leaned liberal.” But follow the money; the very ones you likely have depended on to “set things straight” have deceived you. Sure, “right-wingers” have their corruption as well. But the “lefties” were the ones that always pretended to be “above it all”, and wouldn’t dare be tainted by money.
And to that, I give you Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi - two of the wealthiest people on Planet Earth; never designed or created a damn thing in their lives, yet leeched off the public dole and left a wrecked San Francisco or New York in their wake, and aligned themselves with the “gangsters in government”, and the war-mongering bastards that scorch the earth as they fatten their wallets.
Suffice to say that - as yourself - I am sick of the ruse. It’s time for a Third Party. Someone needs to corral the Republi-Crats.
Agreed. We need a third party until it gets corrupted too. I'm not a fan of Pelosi and much less of Hillary especially after her intervention in Libya and Honduras but being an ignorant man, please tell me what is the worth of those two wealthiest women on planet earth?
The thing people - especially Liberals - must be wary of is the “post election closed-door meeting.” This is the moment when politicians - like Bernie, the Squad”, and others - are “read the riot act” and succumb to “the Deep State”, corporate, and Military industrial Complex.
It is as plain as the nose on your face. The only thing the left has now embraced a virulent, cultish, “orange man bad” mentality. The Left has assumed an infantile and childish persona that is swift to smear, DOXX, project hate - and ultimately kill - anyone that disagrees with them.
Rewind to the recent Biden speech for proof of this, when he literally called half the country “MAGA fascists.” The vastly unreported act of a leftist maniac killing a man with his car subsequent to the Biden speech is proof-positive of all this.
I too was once a Liberal. I remember the halcyon days of “make love, not war.” But through tactics like psychological projection, the Left “... got played”, and became the very thing they once loathed.
And Bernie. Especially, Bernie ... led an entire movement down the drain.
As I said before, I am no longer left leaning. But the most accurate description of all I attest to can be found by other leftists on these pages - and Jimmy Dore (jimmydorecomedy.com)
fascism, international fascism, definitions of fascism, Hungry, Orben, assault on science, assault on education, election reforms, court packing, Eastern Europe, Biden administration, neo-cons and neoliberals converging, takeover of Democratic party by neo-cons, Brazil, Steven K. Bannon, Ukraine, Ukrainian War, Russia, Putin, Poland, Intermarian, Polish vs American vs Russian perception of Intermarian, Stratford, defense spending, defense contractors, clerical fascism, ethnonationalism vs technocratic fascism, WWI
It seems, though, that the word "fascism," for a lot of Americans, just means "evil doo-doo heads I don't like." Scholarly accuracy is apparently irrelevant.
That's unfortunate, I think, because it renders a complex, historically important set of ideas essentially meaningless.
At the very heart and core of this term is the “unshakable” (I invoke this word intentionally) concept of intolerance for divergent views, AND a dismissal of core human principles.
So having said that, which “side of the aisle” is more fascistic? To me, it’s the left who, intentionally, attempt to usurp every core principle of (especially Western) culture and civilization AND in “Jihadist-style”, will refuse to negotiate with or even study the opposing side of the table.
Lying is what fascists do. Our modern understanding of fascist lies began with Nazi Germany’s dispatch of Molotov to Stalin with the “non-aggression” pact, only to turn around and launch Operation Barbarrossa into the Soviet Union.
I could go on, but let me close with the aforementioned word “unshakable” - Hitler’s favorite word used in his speeches. Yes, Hitler was a NSDAP socialist.
Unflinching, thorough chronology of what brought us to our treacherous present. Thank you, Chris. Your attention to detail, your many insights make your point so alarmingly powerful. Please continue your fine writing.
Our leaders are so conditioned to violate the sovereignty of others that it has robbed the term of any standing. The Russians are reportedly emigrating to avoid serving in the war, but Putin enjoys the support of 70% of his people, because they know their sovereignty is on the line.
Keep in mind that we in the West have inundated by a hysterical propaganda campaign, the likes of which have not been seen since Josef Goebbels was alive and foaming at the mouth.
So true ... yesterday I listened to a talk of a retired German politician (Lafontaine), one of his expressions was "are we now living in a loony bin?" (he was talking about the current German government which is a perfect example for the 'perfect storm'). We are in big trouble ...
Great work as always from Hedges. In the 5th paragraph I would have also added that the US supported fascists over democratic peoples movements in the East as well - from Chiang Kai-shek, Syngman Rhee, Suharto, Ngo Dinh Diem. Heck, we even supported Pol Pot for a stint. Wherever there is a dictator in need, the US will provide weapons and support. Also of course the Shah, and the various Persian Gulf monarchies. Mobutu. The only dictators we have a problem with are the dictators who try using their natural resources for their own people, or ones that try to run their own economy without multinational corporations getting a piece of the pie.
I love Chris Hedges, but honestly - I wish he'd stop with the "Fascism!!!" already. He's starting to sound like Rachel Maddow.
Yes, the proxy war is cruel, ugly and perverse. Yes, the press is useless, and yes, the people seem to be dead set on following their worthless leaders over a cliff. It's a horrible time in the West. That's obvious. But surely we can come up with more thought-provoking, less histrionic descriptions of this mess than "fascism!' and "Nazis!" and "more fascism!" and "bigger Nazis!"?
This kind of terminology is so stale and tired people don't even hear it any more.
You can't think of any model of authoritarianism other than fascism? Really? How about the iron-fisted neoliberalism of, say, Pinochet? Or Suharto? Isn't the authoritarianism of Barack Obama ideologically closer to those models than to Hitler's Germany?
Of course. What's more, this kind of observation is NEW, and therefor far more intriguing than lazy canards about the GOP/fascism/Trump/Christian Right/Patriarchy/blah, blah, blah. Nobody listens to that shit any more. They just don't.
Whatever you call it, it is just words ... as obviously nobody will stand up (and here I mean millions all over the so called civilized world) we will look up to the sky and wonder what happened (if we are in an area outside of major cities or away from civil war areas - Hitler was a stupid man and the weapons were still toys - now we can do it!!!) to our beautiful planet (I am talking about nuclear war, but it could also be - just around the corner - the tipping point of the climate crisis that does us in. And unbelievable but true nobody in power seems to care ...)
I understand what you're saying, Elisabeth, but I can't agree. Words DO matter - very much.
The reason I (usually) love Chris Hedges is because he's a beautiful writer as well as a canny observer, and can express the anguish of our time in language that resonates with real live people.
Falling back on predictable, not-very-accurate, not-very-interesting historical platitudes is what phony "journalists" do. I expect more from people like Hedges - and we, as a movement, NEED more.
No movement has ever succeeded without its own unique and original language in which to express itself. That's what our writers are for.
I never saw an "authoritarian Barack". All I saw was another puppet of the corporations. In your comments you make well educated and interesting observations about the general use of the fascist label, but for my part ( the simpleton) I prefer it for the " GOP/fascism/Trump/Christian Right/Patriarchy/blah, blah, blah" and I do listen to that "shit"
People like Obama - and Clinton and Biden and the majority of today's Democrats - are moving towards an internationalist, technocratic, corporate-driven authoritarianism that has little to do with fascism and its nationalist, nativist aims.
Understanding that is important; ignoring it is stupid. You can't combat something if you don't know what it is, or what its basic mechanisms are.
But it's never just "Empire" in some generic, video game sense.
Hitler would never have dreamed up trade policies like NAFTA/CAFTA. Obama would never put the interests of the nation above those of Pfizer.
In OUR version of authoritarianism, the "empire" is a multinational commercial conglomerate as much as it's a state. The power it serves is determined not by ethnicity or nationality, but by international capital investment. That makes it dangerous in a different way, and oppressive in a different way. Power is amassed and perpetuated in different ways, and - ultimately - this leaves it open to attack from completely different quarters.
Just calling everything "Fascism!!!" because that word has a nice, dramatic ring to it isn't helpful on any level. It just obscures concrete, functional differences, which makes it that much harder to formulate anti-imperial strategies that might actually work.
Hedges pulls no punches this week. The Ukraine proxy war--the rekindling of the so-profitable Cold War so long desired by the undead failsons populating our national security establishment--could not only prompt the use of nukes, but will make us all broke regardless.
There is a distinct vertigo that comes with learning NATO was staffed with Nazis the West rescued and protected. Soviet behavior during the Cold War takes on a startling new clarity with that single fact.
The aristocracy's greed and avarice Hedges has reported on his entire career is now directing its slavering maw toward the little bit that's left. It doesn't care about nuclear war or freezing/starving Europe, so long as it gets those pieces of silver.
Is "fascism" now defined as a belief in government serving its national interests above the interests of the Wall Street, political establishment WEF globalist cabal? Seem to be the case. And it also seems that Trump-haters and Democrats have accepted that new definition. So for patriots "fascism" is now a complement and contrasts nicely with the proven deadly collectivist authoritarianism that Democrats now prefer.
Oh are you a DeSantis acolyte? He’s a fascist who has emancipated teachers who he has proscribed from teaching the truth about America; he has championed the poor, oppressed Christians who want the right to exclude LGBTQ from their born again lives, and control the women who would terminate their pregnancies; he’s stood up for the aged who get bitten by bed bugs in overcrowded, underfunded nursing homes, and most of all he’s a cop’s best friend. He wanted a law to give police the right to use deadly force to break up non-violent protests. Yes sir, law and order, God and small government with half-assed oversight. Are these the “national interests” to which you refer?
No opposition shooting needed as the left keeps shooting itself in the foot mistaking radicalism for something appealing. And when the GOP takes back control, the Democrats will complete their circular firing squad.
I would like some peace and quiet too. It is generally that way where liberals don't dominate the community.
LOL. No no no. I don't want to dispatch anyone on the left unless they commit terrible crimes that result in the death of others. As for the left, why would I want the best campaign material for the GOP to go away? I pull their emotive strings all day every day to get them to freak so everyone else can recognize the crazy. That is way too valuable of a tactic to eliminate.
Okay. I risked coming in again. And yeah, Hedges is brilliant and far more educated and experienced than I am. I always come away from reading the report more informed and amazed at his breadth of knowledge. This comment is not to discredit the information but I also come away with a sense that something is missing. In his report and in the comments. One thing for sure - it is a good rant page but a rant page, even a brilliant one, without one suggestion of a solution, one glimmer of hope that there is goodness in most of us, along with our darkness, a goodness that might rise up - does not get me all stirred up to go and do anything. I just want to get lost in a video and write poetry about despair. Over and over again, when I am on social media and someone posts something divisive - no matter what tribe they are speaking to , the only thing I ever do is say "And how does this help?" I ask that here. How does this help? Humans are complicated, flawed, patterned in their behavior, acting out of their wounds, narcissistic, often failing to respond wisely to the societal situation they are in, but we , they, are also capable of accomplishing great things, expanding our vision, accepting responsibility, forgiving - evolving. For lack of a better word. How do I, you, have a conversation with our children or grandchildren about their future and their role in making things better, if I am stuck in despair which can lead to inaction for most people, or violence. For me, personally, I am learning to balance on that fine edge of hope and despair; despair keeping my hope realistic and not a cliche; and hope preventing my despair from pushing me into the abyss - and becoming part of the problem and a lousy role model for young people. Maybe managing to walk that edge is a quiet revolution that some of us can manage.
Appreciate your self-effacing reflecting. I find that there is a certain exhilaration in having a brilliant writer articulate, with no equivocation, no apologizing, the reasons for the malaise that afflicts our culture. Rather than ask what you are supposed to do, why not let yourself be inspired to share your perspective, or delve into related texts that connect some more of the infinite dots. If information is power, Chris’s writing is empowering, and this is as good as journalism gets, IMO.
I just say, "Thank the God that Be for Chris Hedges and his too-rare ilk." By that I mean actual Truth tellers - informed, experienced, committed, courageous. As one of the thoughtful commentators has asked, "And now what?" I will ask myself to be a part of the solution in any way available to me. The old fashioned, unheralded volunteer down the block. Make an effort to shed the cynicism born from Obama's drinking water in Flint/"we're going to see how it plays out" suave response to Standing Rock/ "we killed some folks" /give-the-money-to-the-banks wake. And, good on you if you can manage to follow that running sentence. By and large this is an uplevel rant page, but once the ping-pong, competitive comments kick in, a rant page nonetheless. Just watched episode one of Ken Burns U.S. and the Holocaust before reading this latest Hedges post, and it felt like I was reading the same-same story applied to the world at large. Except now we can add nuclear weapons and climate change. All we have is each other and getting our own inner shit together to keep on to the best of our ability.
It's all terrifying.. and as Chris writes, it happens suddenly. One years Nazis had little support, 2-3 years later they are running the show. Peter Zeihan has some incredible demograhic and geopolitical insights that make America appear to be continue on as a super power but with a more regional focus, however, he speaks nothing about the moral decay festering under the surface which will seemingly collapse society overnight once the right amount of weight is set upon it. Anything at this point could be that final straw that breaks the camels back... it could happen in 2023 and I would not be surprised. If the US still has any light of hope in it by 2024, I will be skeptical it survives as we know it by 2028. The question all of us should have already asked and begun executing a plan for is "where do we flee to and live now"... the US is about to fall into civil war.
I don’t think there is a place to flee to...especially with climate crisis limiting other options. Fascism is rising in all the places I would gave thought to move, but now...where to go? And even if one has the money to relocate, the barriers for immigration are high in many places. For me, I’m asking now, “What kind of person will I be when living under open fascist control? How courageous and compassionate can I remain while still protecting my young children from harm?” These are deeply troubling questions.
Yes, it is late to be preparing for these conditions. I think the only place to go if you stay is in Texas, it will resist Federal oppression longer. The rest you can probably deal with short of actual war.
I am really curious why you would suggest Texas, with the failing infrastructure and the very fascist politicians in place. This is a genuine curiosity I have-please say more.
Texas will retain its state level freedom from Federal level big brother longer than any other state. The culture there is fiercely independent.
There is a ton of new money flowing into the state and if any state renews its infrastructure, it's Texas.
It's near Mexico, and so much manufacturing and jobs will be created as deglobalization takes place over the coming years. The weather is warm, houses are cheaper than other metro areas, and you have the water and coast.
I'm in no way saying Texas would be a great place.. just the cleanest shirt in the hamper. I left the US many years ago, living near the equator now.. watching from a distance and concerned for the country that used to stand for freedom.
When president Cheney and the CIA were able to pull off and sell 911 to 93 percent of the Viewers, they only gained audacity to know the lies would fly without serious opposition. How much more feeble have we become since being vaxxed. Keep spilling the the beans, Chris. John
Fascism is made likely as it solves some intractable problems. Problems that would be solved through repentance by the oligarchy. Like drawing a line on a map from where we are to where we want to be and it goes through fascism. Unless reforming the oligarchy is possible. Reducing the influence of moneyed interests in government will be a safe route over fascism.
"She peddles the “Great Replacement” conspiracy theory that non-white immigrants are being permitted to enter Western nations as part of a plot to undermine or “replace” the political power and culture of white people."
It's a "conspiracy theory" except when they brag about it.
"Article 48 was the Weimar equivalent of the executive orders liberally used by Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Joe Biden, to bypass our own legislative impasses."
I love Hedges work and have read virtually everything he's written, but this sentence is grossly false and ridiculously misleading. Presidential Executive Orders have no legal power to compel private sector behavior. They only govern the Executive branch, who must comply with regulatory procedures to compel private behavior, based on legislatively enacted law, and subject to judicial review.
The US President does have sweeping emergency powers, but their source is not in the power of Executive Orders. Congress has delegated that emergency power to the President, and the Constitution provides some of it, again, subject to judicial review.
Take a look at the powers conferred under Article 48 and see for yourself:
Bill, you say the "Presidential Executive Orders have no legal power to compel private sector behavior". It appears the U.S. Supreme Court agrees with you on this with regard to the implementation of forced vaccination using experimental Covid vaccines issued under the pretense of Emergency Use Authorization. The Court basically held that it could not be legally imposed upon private sector individuals as was apparently inferred or attempted by the executive branch of the Federal Government.
However, I have to take issue with your statement with regard to executive orders issued on a statewide basis. It appears that at least one state Governor issued an (allegedly legal) executive order to ALL individuals, including the private sector, under the guise of a "public health emergency" declared by the State Health Commissioner and State of Emergency Order Authority of the Governor. I specifically refer here to an order by VA Governor Ralph Northam. His executive order #55 (amendment to Public Health Emergency One and Executive order #53) issued on March 30th, 2020 under authority of Article V, Section 7 of the Constitution of VA by sub section 44-146.17 stated, amongst other restrictions, the prohibition of "All public and private in-person gatherings of more than ten individuals are prohibited" . The only exceptions to that order were:
1. Businesses that were not required to close operation under executive order #53
2. Gathering of family members living in the same residence.
To me, at least this section of his executive order was issued in direct violation to the 1st amendment to the U.S. Constitution which provides for "the right of the people peaceably to assemble". It appears to me to be a clear abuse of a declared state of emergency by an elected government executive acting in an authority position equal to that of the President of the United States with regard to their individual state. I wrote a letter to the VA Governor protesting his order shortly after it was issued requesting that Executive Order #55 be immediately rescinded; based my opinion above. No response.
In my opinion, the ability of executives on a federal, state, and local level to declare a State of Emergency (SOE) with virtually no limits or repercussions whatsoever. It has turned our municipalities into mini-dictatorships rather than parts of a functioning republic. Currently my local county is still under a SOE due to Covid, as is the broader U.S. under a federal executive declaration with no metric(s) for resolutions or estimated costs approved under legislative budget. Over 2.5 years living under a SOE; how rational is that to allow? Its as if the declaration is treated as solution in itself, not the beginning of difficult problem to solve. NO budget has been set; no metrics for resolution have been set. In my opinion, Pandora's box is opened every time I hear of this type of declaration...and I shutter. Opening Pandora's box infers negative connotations. We, the people, apparently think these declarations beget manna from heaven. Guess what, folks? It doesn't. In the case of the continuing Covid SOE, it has only helped pile onto the national debt to the tune of about $7T during this time. In my opinion, it does not solve the problem, but rather, exacerbates it.
The good news is that there are simple solutions to this problem.
What specific actions did government take? Were they taken pursuant to the authority of the Ex Order (SOE) declaration? Be specific. Even "emergency" regulations must be promulgated eventually through notice and comment rulemaking procedures. The Ex. Order (SOE) can not manufacture authority that Congress has not already delegated.
The way you prevent Fascism isn't by force, but by rejecting the political and economic hierarchies which make them possible.
"That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government..." - Thomas Jefferson
#DirectDemocracy (no political hierarchy, the people rule, the wealthy few drool)
#GiftEconomy (no economic hierarchy, the wealthy few have no means to corrupt Democracy)
The Ten Commandments of War Propaganda:
1. We don’t want war, we are only defending ourselves.
2. Our adversary is solely responsible for this war.
3. Our adversary’s leader is inherently evil and resembles the devil.
4. We are defending a noble cause, not our particular interests.
5. The enemy is purposefully committing atrocities; if we are making mistakes this happens without intention.
6. The enemy makes use of illegal weapons.
7. We suffer few losses, the enemy’s losses are considerable.
8. Recognized intellectuals and artists support our cause.
9. Our cause is sacred.
10. Whoever casts doubt on our propaganda helps the enemy and is a traitor.
Allow me to simplify the 10: “It’s all their fault.”
All those military officials that are festooned with medals and regalia and politicians flailing their arms -- itching for war in Ukraine, the Middle East, and elsewhere -- are truly infants and children crying “mommy! it’s all THEIR fault!
Allow the scuttling of peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in March by Britain and the US serve as ample reminder of that.
.... damn bastards.
I, too, was disgusted by that incredible failure. I never hear or read the word “peace” in any reports or tv news, except Amy Goodman. Like they removed it from the dictionary, permanently.
Feral, I have been a peace activist all my life. Little changes. How do we impact this terrible list of lies and distortions? How do we really achieve a peaceful world? I am 73 now and I STILL don’t know. I am always ready to work on it, til my last breath. Thank you for this comment.
For the love of money is the root of all evil ...
You have been a peace activist all your life. I suspect you have “leaned liberal.” But follow the money; the very ones you likely have depended on to “set things straight” have deceived you. Sure, “right-wingers” have their corruption as well. But the “lefties” were the ones that always pretended to be “above it all”, and wouldn’t dare be tainted by money.
And to that, I give you Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi - two of the wealthiest people on Planet Earth; never designed or created a damn thing in their lives, yet leeched off the public dole and left a wrecked San Francisco or New York in their wake, and aligned themselves with the “gangsters in government”, and the war-mongering bastards that scorch the earth as they fatten their wallets.
Suffice to say that - as yourself - I am sick of the ruse. It’s time for a Third Party. Someone needs to corral the Republi-Crats.
Agreed. We need a third party until it gets corrupted too. I'm not a fan of Pelosi and much less of Hillary especially after her intervention in Libya and Honduras but being an ignorant man, please tell me what is the worth of those two wealthiest women on planet earth?
Many people hoped Bernie could change things....
We'd be lucky if all we got was Obama, a smiling murderous face speaking backstabbing bullshitting platitudes.
The thing people - especially Liberals - must be wary of is the “post election closed-door meeting.” This is the moment when politicians - like Bernie, the Squad”, and others - are “read the riot act” and succumb to “the Deep State”, corporate, and Military industrial Complex.
It is as plain as the nose on your face. The only thing the left has now embraced a virulent, cultish, “orange man bad” mentality. The Left has assumed an infantile and childish persona that is swift to smear, DOXX, project hate - and ultimately kill - anyone that disagrees with them.
Rewind to the recent Biden speech for proof of this, when he literally called half the country “MAGA fascists.” The vastly unreported act of a leftist maniac killing a man with his car subsequent to the Biden speech is proof-positive of all this.
I too was once a Liberal. I remember the halcyon days of “make love, not war.” But through tactics like psychological projection, the Left “... got played”, and became the very thing they once loathed.
And Bernie. Especially, Bernie ... led an entire movement down the drain.
As I said before, I am no longer left leaning. But the most accurate description of all I attest to can be found by other leftists on these pages - and Jimmy Dore (jimmydorecomedy.com)
As a cat, I avoid ideology in general, as it short-circuits critical thinking.
If only I had answers other than "don't put sociopaths in positions of authority" (which itself isn't much of an answer).
11. the Enemy're ALL
Vermin. Extermination is
actually doing them a Great Big Favor.
There is a growing international fascist movement worldwide.
This is the hundreth anniversary of fascism.
https://shows.acast.com/6244c5e4400f8f0012a550fc/episodes/international-fascism-vii-the-return-of-fascism-to-hungry-an
fascism, international fascism, definitions of fascism, Hungry, Orben, assault on science, assault on education, election reforms, court packing, Eastern Europe, Biden administration, neo-cons and neoliberals converging, takeover of Democratic party by neo-cons, Brazil, Steven K. Bannon, Ukraine, Ukrainian War, Russia, Putin, Poland, Intermarian, Polish vs American vs Russian perception of Intermarian, Stratford, defense spending, defense contractors, clerical fascism, ethnonationalism vs technocratic fascism, WWI
I believe Elizabeth Olbert's comments may prove relevant.
Thank you. :)
It seems, though, that the word "fascism," for a lot of Americans, just means "evil doo-doo heads I don't like." Scholarly accuracy is apparently irrelevant.
That's unfortunate, I think, because it renders a complex, historically important set of ideas essentially meaningless.
"First as tragedy, then as farce," right?
But what *IS* “fascism?”
At the very heart and core of this term is the “unshakable” (I invoke this word intentionally) concept of intolerance for divergent views, AND a dismissal of core human principles.
So having said that, which “side of the aisle” is more fascistic? To me, it’s the left who, intentionally, attempt to usurp every core principle of (especially Western) culture and civilization AND in “Jihadist-style”, will refuse to negotiate with or even study the opposing side of the table.
Lying is what fascists do. Our modern understanding of fascist lies began with Nazi Germany’s dispatch of Molotov to Stalin with the “non-aggression” pact, only to turn around and launch Operation Barbarrossa into the Soviet Union.
I could go on, but let me close with the aforementioned word “unshakable” - Hitler’s favorite word used in his speeches. Yes, Hitler was a NSDAP socialist.
Fascism is defined in show one
https://www.patreon.com/posts/secret-history-i-63060619
spot on
Unflinching, thorough chronology of what brought us to our treacherous present. Thank you, Chris. Your attention to detail, your many insights make your point so alarmingly powerful. Please continue your fine writing.
A Scary Enemy is always necessary, both to justify why we can't have nice things and to justify increasingly heavy-handed repression.
"We don't have time for that now, don't you know we gotta fight Saddam/Milosevic/ Bin Laden/Saddam again/Kim/Ghadaffi/Assad/Putin".
Just that in the case of Putin, we have picked a fight with a country actually capable of shooting back.
Our leaders are so conditioned to violate the sovereignty of others that it has robbed the term of any standing. The Russians are reportedly emigrating to avoid serving in the war, but Putin enjoys the support of 70% of his people, because they know their sovereignty is on the line.
Keep in mind that we in the West have inundated by a hysterical propaganda campaign, the likes of which have not been seen since Josef Goebbels was alive and foaming at the mouth.
So I take any reports with a grain of salt.
herr Goebbels?
say isn't he still
over at FOX?
So true ... yesterday I listened to a talk of a retired German politician (Lafontaine), one of his expressions was "are we now living in a loony bin?" (he was talking about the current German government which is a perfect example for the 'perfect storm'). We are in big trouble ...
Great work as always from Hedges. In the 5th paragraph I would have also added that the US supported fascists over democratic peoples movements in the East as well - from Chiang Kai-shek, Syngman Rhee, Suharto, Ngo Dinh Diem. Heck, we even supported Pol Pot for a stint. Wherever there is a dictator in need, the US will provide weapons and support. Also of course the Shah, and the various Persian Gulf monarchies. Mobutu. The only dictators we have a problem with are the dictators who try using their natural resources for their own people, or ones that try to run their own economy without multinational corporations getting a piece of the pie.
I love Chris Hedges, but honestly - I wish he'd stop with the "Fascism!!!" already. He's starting to sound like Rachel Maddow.
Yes, the proxy war is cruel, ugly and perverse. Yes, the press is useless, and yes, the people seem to be dead set on following their worthless leaders over a cliff. It's a horrible time in the West. That's obvious. But surely we can come up with more thought-provoking, less histrionic descriptions of this mess than "fascism!' and "Nazis!" and "more fascism!" and "bigger Nazis!"?
This kind of terminology is so stale and tired people don't even hear it any more.
Well what else would you propose to call it and motivate people to get off their lazy behinds and go on STRIKE and BOYCOTT?
You can't think of any model of authoritarianism other than fascism? Really? How about the iron-fisted neoliberalism of, say, Pinochet? Or Suharto? Isn't the authoritarianism of Barack Obama ideologically closer to those models than to Hitler's Germany?
Of course. What's more, this kind of observation is NEW, and therefor far more intriguing than lazy canards about the GOP/fascism/Trump/Christian Right/Patriarchy/blah, blah, blah. Nobody listens to that shit any more. They just don't.
Whatever you call it, it is just words ... as obviously nobody will stand up (and here I mean millions all over the so called civilized world) we will look up to the sky and wonder what happened (if we are in an area outside of major cities or away from civil war areas - Hitler was a stupid man and the weapons were still toys - now we can do it!!!) to our beautiful planet (I am talking about nuclear war, but it could also be - just around the corner - the tipping point of the climate crisis that does us in. And unbelievable but true nobody in power seems to care ...)
I understand what you're saying, Elisabeth, but I can't agree. Words DO matter - very much.
The reason I (usually) love Chris Hedges is because he's a beautiful writer as well as a canny observer, and can express the anguish of our time in language that resonates with real live people.
Falling back on predictable, not-very-accurate, not-very-interesting historical platitudes is what phony "journalists" do. I expect more from people like Hedges - and we, as a movement, NEED more.
No movement has ever succeeded without its own unique and original language in which to express itself. That's what our writers are for.
I never saw an "authoritarian Barack". All I saw was another puppet of the corporations. In your comments you make well educated and interesting observations about the general use of the fascist label, but for my part ( the simpleton) I prefer it for the " GOP/fascism/Trump/Christian Right/Patriarchy/blah, blah, blah" and I do listen to that "shit"
I dunno, I have no problem calling swastika-waving self-described Nazis (or sometimes "social nationalists" or the like) Nazis.
For that matter, much of the MSM also had no problem calling Ukraine's Nazis "Nazis" before they became politically useful.
Right.
~ Ukraine's Nazis are, in fact, Nazis.
~ Barack Obama, on the other hand, is an authoritarian, but not a Nazi.
So why conflate them? That's my point.
If they do the same things, does the label matter?
In the case of Obama, he was perfectly happy to support those Nazis, as long as doing so aligned with the interests of empire.
Yes, of course the label matters.
People like Obama - and Clinton and Biden and the majority of today's Democrats - are moving towards an internationalist, technocratic, corporate-driven authoritarianism that has little to do with fascism and its nationalist, nativist aims.
Understanding that is important; ignoring it is stupid. You can't combat something if you don't know what it is, or what its basic mechanisms are.
In the case of the Empire, or any other sociopathic system, the ideology is irrelevant, except to the extent it is useful in the service of power.
This is why glib technocrats can so easily team up with avowed Nazis or jihadis, and never so much as skip a beat.
But it's never just "Empire" in some generic, video game sense.
Hitler would never have dreamed up trade policies like NAFTA/CAFTA. Obama would never put the interests of the nation above those of Pfizer.
In OUR version of authoritarianism, the "empire" is a multinational commercial conglomerate as much as it's a state. The power it serves is determined not by ethnicity or nationality, but by international capital investment. That makes it dangerous in a different way, and oppressive in a different way. Power is amassed and perpetuated in different ways, and - ultimately - this leaves it open to attack from completely different quarters.
Just calling everything "Fascism!!!" because that word has a nice, dramatic ring to it isn't helpful on any level. It just obscures concrete, functional differences, which makes it that much harder to formulate anti-imperial strategies that might actually work.
Hedges pulls no punches this week. The Ukraine proxy war--the rekindling of the so-profitable Cold War so long desired by the undead failsons populating our national security establishment--could not only prompt the use of nukes, but will make us all broke regardless.
There is a distinct vertigo that comes with learning NATO was staffed with Nazis the West rescued and protected. Soviet behavior during the Cold War takes on a startling new clarity with that single fact.
The aristocracy's greed and avarice Hedges has reported on his entire career is now directing its slavering maw toward the little bit that's left. It doesn't care about nuclear war or freezing/starving Europe, so long as it gets those pieces of silver.
Is "fascism" now defined as a belief in government serving its national interests above the interests of the Wall Street, political establishment WEF globalist cabal? Seem to be the case. And it also seems that Trump-haters and Democrats have accepted that new definition. So for patriots "fascism" is now a complement and contrasts nicely with the proven deadly collectivist authoritarianism that Democrats now prefer.
Oh are you a DeSantis acolyte? He’s a fascist who has emancipated teachers who he has proscribed from teaching the truth about America; he has championed the poor, oppressed Christians who want the right to exclude LGBTQ from their born again lives, and control the women who would terminate their pregnancies; he’s stood up for the aged who get bitten by bed bugs in overcrowded, underfunded nursing homes, and most of all he’s a cop’s best friend. He wanted a law to give police the right to use deadly force to break up non-violent protests. Yes sir, law and order, God and small government with half-assed oversight. Are these the “national interests” to which you refer?
You seem a collectivist communist radical that needs to move to Venezuela where you can experience your freak utopia.
DeSantis rocks. He or Trump will be your new POTUS in 2024. Better start packing if you cannot take it.
When do people like you and the left start shooting?
I just want some goddamn peace a quiet.
No opposition shooting needed as the left keeps shooting itself in the foot mistaking radicalism for something appealing. And when the GOP takes back control, the Democrats will complete their circular firing squad.
I would like some peace and quiet too. It is generally that way where liberals don't dominate the community.
Fuck, that’s so much bullshit.
$20 you’d volunteer for the firing squad, if RDS set one up.
LOL. No no no. I don't want to dispatch anyone on the left unless they commit terrible crimes that result in the death of others. As for the left, why would I want the best campaign material for the GOP to go away? I pull their emotive strings all day every day to get them to freak so everyone else can recognize the crazy. That is way too valuable of a tactic to eliminate.
What is RDS? I looked it up and got Remote Desktop something.
Okay. I risked coming in again. And yeah, Hedges is brilliant and far more educated and experienced than I am. I always come away from reading the report more informed and amazed at his breadth of knowledge. This comment is not to discredit the information but I also come away with a sense that something is missing. In his report and in the comments. One thing for sure - it is a good rant page but a rant page, even a brilliant one, without one suggestion of a solution, one glimmer of hope that there is goodness in most of us, along with our darkness, a goodness that might rise up - does not get me all stirred up to go and do anything. I just want to get lost in a video and write poetry about despair. Over and over again, when I am on social media and someone posts something divisive - no matter what tribe they are speaking to , the only thing I ever do is say "And how does this help?" I ask that here. How does this help? Humans are complicated, flawed, patterned in their behavior, acting out of their wounds, narcissistic, often failing to respond wisely to the societal situation they are in, but we , they, are also capable of accomplishing great things, expanding our vision, accepting responsibility, forgiving - evolving. For lack of a better word. How do I, you, have a conversation with our children or grandchildren about their future and their role in making things better, if I am stuck in despair which can lead to inaction for most people, or violence. For me, personally, I am learning to balance on that fine edge of hope and despair; despair keeping my hope realistic and not a cliche; and hope preventing my despair from pushing me into the abyss - and becoming part of the problem and a lousy role model for young people. Maybe managing to walk that edge is a quiet revolution that some of us can manage.
Appreciate your self-effacing reflecting. I find that there is a certain exhilaration in having a brilliant writer articulate, with no equivocation, no apologizing, the reasons for the malaise that afflicts our culture. Rather than ask what you are supposed to do, why not let yourself be inspired to share your perspective, or delve into related texts that connect some more of the infinite dots. If information is power, Chris’s writing is empowering, and this is as good as journalism gets, IMO.
I just say, "Thank the God that Be for Chris Hedges and his too-rare ilk." By that I mean actual Truth tellers - informed, experienced, committed, courageous. As one of the thoughtful commentators has asked, "And now what?" I will ask myself to be a part of the solution in any way available to me. The old fashioned, unheralded volunteer down the block. Make an effort to shed the cynicism born from Obama's drinking water in Flint/"we're going to see how it plays out" suave response to Standing Rock/ "we killed some folks" /give-the-money-to-the-banks wake. And, good on you if you can manage to follow that running sentence. By and large this is an uplevel rant page, but once the ping-pong, competitive comments kick in, a rant page nonetheless. Just watched episode one of Ken Burns U.S. and the Holocaust before reading this latest Hedges post, and it felt like I was reading the same-same story applied to the world at large. Except now we can add nuclear weapons and climate change. All we have is each other and getting our own inner shit together to keep on to the best of our ability.
It's all terrifying.. and as Chris writes, it happens suddenly. One years Nazis had little support, 2-3 years later they are running the show. Peter Zeihan has some incredible demograhic and geopolitical insights that make America appear to be continue on as a super power but with a more regional focus, however, he speaks nothing about the moral decay festering under the surface which will seemingly collapse society overnight once the right amount of weight is set upon it. Anything at this point could be that final straw that breaks the camels back... it could happen in 2023 and I would not be surprised. If the US still has any light of hope in it by 2024, I will be skeptical it survives as we know it by 2028. The question all of us should have already asked and begun executing a plan for is "where do we flee to and live now"... the US is about to fall into civil war.
I don’t think there is a place to flee to...especially with climate crisis limiting other options. Fascism is rising in all the places I would gave thought to move, but now...where to go? And even if one has the money to relocate, the barriers for immigration are high in many places. For me, I’m asking now, “What kind of person will I be when living under open fascist control? How courageous and compassionate can I remain while still protecting my young children from harm?” These are deeply troubling questions.
Yes, it is late to be preparing for these conditions. I think the only place to go if you stay is in Texas, it will resist Federal oppression longer. The rest you can probably deal with short of actual war.
I am really curious why you would suggest Texas, with the failing infrastructure and the very fascist politicians in place. This is a genuine curiosity I have-please say more.
Texas will retain its state level freedom from Federal level big brother longer than any other state. The culture there is fiercely independent.
There is a ton of new money flowing into the state and if any state renews its infrastructure, it's Texas.
It's near Mexico, and so much manufacturing and jobs will be created as deglobalization takes place over the coming years. The weather is warm, houses are cheaper than other metro areas, and you have the water and coast.
I'm in no way saying Texas would be a great place.. just the cleanest shirt in the hamper. I left the US many years ago, living near the equator now.. watching from a distance and concerned for the country that used to stand for freedom.
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts on this.
When president Cheney and the CIA were able to pull off and sell 911 to 93 percent of the Viewers, they only gained audacity to know the lies would fly without serious opposition. How much more feeble have we become since being vaxxed. Keep spilling the the beans, Chris. John
Ah, that's like a breath of fresh air after an afternoon in a smoke filled room. Thank you.
Fascism is made likely as it solves some intractable problems. Problems that would be solved through repentance by the oligarchy. Like drawing a line on a map from where we are to where we want to be and it goes through fascism. Unless reforming the oligarchy is possible. Reducing the influence of moneyed interests in government will be a safe route over fascism.
"She peddles the “Great Replacement” conspiracy theory that non-white immigrants are being permitted to enter Western nations as part of a plot to undermine or “replace” the political power and culture of white people."
It's a "conspiracy theory" except when they brag about it.
https://www.businessinsider.com/america-non-white-majority-future-by-2045-2019-5
https://www.chicagoreporter.com/the-us-white-majority-will-soon-disappear-forever/
https://prospect.org/article/theyre-blue-tidal-wave-if-they-vote
Hedged writes:
"Article 48 was the Weimar equivalent of the executive orders liberally used by Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Joe Biden, to bypass our own legislative impasses."
I love Hedges work and have read virtually everything he's written, but this sentence is grossly false and ridiculously misleading. Presidential Executive Orders have no legal power to compel private sector behavior. They only govern the Executive branch, who must comply with regulatory procedures to compel private behavior, based on legislatively enacted law, and subject to judicial review.
The US President does have sweeping emergency powers, but their source is not in the power of Executive Orders. Congress has delegated that emergency power to the President, and the Constitution provides some of it, again, subject to judicial review.
Take a look at the powers conferred under Article 48 and see for yourself:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_48_(Weimar_Constitution)
Bill, you say the "Presidential Executive Orders have no legal power to compel private sector behavior". It appears the U.S. Supreme Court agrees with you on this with regard to the implementation of forced vaccination using experimental Covid vaccines issued under the pretense of Emergency Use Authorization. The Court basically held that it could not be legally imposed upon private sector individuals as was apparently inferred or attempted by the executive branch of the Federal Government.
However, I have to take issue with your statement with regard to executive orders issued on a statewide basis. It appears that at least one state Governor issued an (allegedly legal) executive order to ALL individuals, including the private sector, under the guise of a "public health emergency" declared by the State Health Commissioner and State of Emergency Order Authority of the Governor. I specifically refer here to an order by VA Governor Ralph Northam. His executive order #55 (amendment to Public Health Emergency One and Executive order #53) issued on March 30th, 2020 under authority of Article V, Section 7 of the Constitution of VA by sub section 44-146.17 stated, amongst other restrictions, the prohibition of "All public and private in-person gatherings of more than ten individuals are prohibited" . The only exceptions to that order were:
1. Businesses that were not required to close operation under executive order #53
2. Gathering of family members living in the same residence.
To me, at least this section of his executive order was issued in direct violation to the 1st amendment to the U.S. Constitution which provides for "the right of the people peaceably to assemble". It appears to me to be a clear abuse of a declared state of emergency by an elected government executive acting in an authority position equal to that of the President of the United States with regard to their individual state. I wrote a letter to the VA Governor protesting his order shortly after it was issued requesting that Executive Order #55 be immediately rescinded; based my opinion above. No response.
Go back and read the text of those Executive Orders you mention.
They will cite legal authority delegated by the Legislature via legislation. If you give me links, I will show you this.
Interesting point, Bill.
In my opinion, the ability of executives on a federal, state, and local level to declare a State of Emergency (SOE) with virtually no limits or repercussions whatsoever. It has turned our municipalities into mini-dictatorships rather than parts of a functioning republic. Currently my local county is still under a SOE due to Covid, as is the broader U.S. under a federal executive declaration with no metric(s) for resolutions or estimated costs approved under legislative budget. Over 2.5 years living under a SOE; how rational is that to allow? Its as if the declaration is treated as solution in itself, not the beginning of difficult problem to solve. NO budget has been set; no metrics for resolution have been set. In my opinion, Pandora's box is opened every time I hear of this type of declaration...and I shutter. Opening Pandora's box infers negative connotations. We, the people, apparently think these declarations beget manna from heaven. Guess what, folks? It doesn't. In the case of the continuing Covid SOE, it has only helped pile onto the national debt to the tune of about $7T during this time. In my opinion, it does not solve the problem, but rather, exacerbates it.
The good news is that there are simple solutions to this problem.
What specific actions did government take? Were they taken pursuant to the authority of the Ex Order (SOE) declaration? Be specific. Even "emergency" regulations must be promulgated eventually through notice and comment rulemaking procedures. The Ex. Order (SOE) can not manufacture authority that Congress has not already delegated.
The way you prevent Fascism isn't by force, but by rejecting the political and economic hierarchies which make them possible.
"That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government..." - Thomas Jefferson
#DirectDemocracy (no political hierarchy, the people rule, the wealthy few drool)
#GiftEconomy (no economic hierarchy, the wealthy few have no means to corrupt Democracy)
No permission necessary.