----- Original Message ----- From: "tommythetraveler" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > It is this weakeness of the labor movement that gives rise to fascism. > > I would like to hear others viws on this topic. > > > best regards > > Tom Siblo
I agree with you absolutely, and as much as (obviously) I am worried about the fascists' moves to get inside our movement and recruit there, I think the bigger fascist threat emanates from inside the current American regime (and even more starkly in Canada, where the "anti-terror" laws have completely removed haebus corpus entirely, while no one seems to notice...) with their laws on civil liberties and their casual, relaxed discussions around who/what/when/where to bomb! I mean, really... I can't believe I'm the only one (I know I'm not, in fact) who feels downright ill everytime these conversations just go on, all casual, as though nothing had happened. Ashcroft and Bush are modern, smiley fascists. Back, however, to the "definition". I am loathe to engage in the debate for a simple reason: By "definition" calling the current American administration "Fascist" is wrong, and a simple use of hyperbole. So, how I usually deal with that is that we can call it whatever we want, the times are at least if not more dangerous than the 30's. That's the end game of the debate to me. However, again on the technical, Tom Siblo's definition is one I like, but is the opposite of the classical terminology of "fascist". A strong Fascist movement- armed thugs from the lumpenproletariat, roving in violent gangs and as a street movement-- a mobilised force of unconscious workers and petty bourgeois elements-- typically does not happen because of the weakness of class conscious workers, but in proportion to it's strength. Fascism, as "defined" by what we learned of in the 20's and 30's all too well, is a mass movement *in response* to the threat of workers to reform or transform society in a manner totally not conducive to the interests of either finance or industrial capital. In other words, fascism is capitalism in decline using any means neccessary to defend itself. The reason the overtly fascistic tones of the current American administration frighten me more than they would otherwise is totally due to how unchallenged they are. The old defintion of "Fascism" must be discarded to a large degree, as it obscures rather than illuminates what is actually going on-- and therefore also obscures how we fight it and how we turn history back on the right path. We face a struggle at least as acute and as immediate and deadly as any people ever have, and nothing else can change that with "definitions". Macdonald _______________________________________________ Leninist-International mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] To change your options or unsubscribe go to: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/leninist-international
