[MD] Value and the Individual

[Arlo Bensinger]

[Craig]
Fascism-->Nazism-->National Socialism-->Socialism-->Marxism

[Platt]
Beautifully expressed -- simple and direct.

[Arlo]
"One of the many controversies regarding the nature of fascism is its 
relationship to traditional authority and conservative ideology. 
Fascists often claimed to defend the social order, traditional 
values, national culture and civilization itself, against the forces 
of modernity (particularly liberalism and socialism)." (Wikipedia)

"However, many scholars of fascism, including Griffin, Eatwell, 
Laqueuer, and Weber, are reluctant to call fascism simply a 
right-wing ideology. Yet in their lengthy discussions they observe 
that generally fascism and neo-fascism ally themselves with 
right-wing or conservative forces on the basis of racial nationalism, 
hatred of the political left, or simple expediency." (Wikipedia)

One can make sets on any number of defining criteria. Fascism and 
conservatism have much in common. Indeed, if you ask a true Anarchist 
(and I will bow to the exception of Anarchism on this list), 
neo/conservative ideology is as fascist as "liberalism".

"Fascists themselves usually claimed to reject traditional forms of 
both capitalism and socialism. They argued that the implementation of 
fascist ideas into the economic sphere would represent a "third way", 
and they favoured corporatism and class collaboration. They believed 
that the existence of inequality and separate social classes was 
beneficial (contrary to the views of socialists), but they also 
argued that the state had a role in mediating relations between these 
classes (contrary to the views of liberal capitalists). In essence, 
fascists supported state-enforced inequality, which is opposed by 
liberal capitalists because it is state-enforced and opposed by 
socialists because it is inequality." (Wikipedia)

I could paraphrase Hitler here. "Whoever is prepared to make the 
national cause his own to such an extent that he knows no higher 
ideal than the welfare of his nation, whoever in addition has 
understood our great national anthem, America, The Star Spangled 
Banner, to mean that nothing in the world surpasses in his eyes this 
American people and land, land and people - that man is a socialist." 
We all know the burgeoning call for Absolute Patriotism demanded by 
the fascist neoconservatives.

"According to these scholars, as well as Payne (1995), Fritzsche 
(1990), Laclau (1977), and Reich (1970), there are both left and 
right influences on fascism as a social movement, and right-wing 
ideology should not be considered part of the "fascist minimum", but, 
nonetheless, fascism, especially once in power, has historically 
attracted support primarily from the political right." (Wikipedia)

Henry Ford, after all, a Giant of Capitalism, was a staunch supporter 
of National Socialism and the Nazi Party. While Marxists may naively 
believe that all men are equal, the fascists embraced the 
conservative notion that economic and status-based inequality was 
natural and good. "Hitler frequently made calls for unity among all 
Germans regardless of class, while arguing that inequality was 
natural." (Wikipedia).

So the only true simplism here is that Anarchism stands alone outside 
all systems of government which exercise power over the people. If 
you are making the case that the political spectrum disappears to the 
right in Anarchism, and you support that (as would Michah I believe), 
then you may be on safe grounds.

Otherwise its empty propaganda.

And I would argue, as would anyone who has actually read and 
understood Marx, that the political spectrum to the left disappears 
in Anarchism as well. And, I'd suggest, True Anarchism, since the 
anarchism of the right would still need a police state to enforce its 
"property rights".