For me personally, the presence of elections (flawed but arguably functional) and some level of judicial oversight (e.g. US judiciary is no where close to say russia, where they rule as per request from the regime) makes US a proto-fascist state, not fully fascist state.
Republicans have ruled for half of the current century, but only legitimately won the election after 9/11. I don’t think it’s fair to describe US elections as functional, even arguably.
This is what fascist states look like at this stage of their life cycle. I think the most generous description of the US is an early fascist state. If we really want to argue about whether a spade is a shovel.
“Proto” usually implies that it’s a stage that may develop into the thing, not yet the thing. Whereas “early” implies it’s recently become the thing. Or at least that’s how I usually hear them used, and what I meant.
Do people have to start wearing shiny Hugo Boss outfits before we stop calling it proto-fascist? Seems pretty fascistic to me
Cause it is
For me personally, the presence of elections (flawed but arguably functional) and some level of judicial oversight (e.g. US judiciary is no where close to say russia, where they rule as per request from the regime) makes US a proto-fascist state, not fully fascist state.
Republicans have ruled for half of the current century, but only legitimately won the election after 9/11. I don’t think it’s fair to describe US elections as functional, even arguably.
This is what fascist states look like at this stage of their life cycle. I think the most generous description of the US is an early fascist state. If we really want to argue about whether a spade is a shovel.
Yeah, “early fascist” and “proto-fascist” mean the same thing.
“Proto” usually implies that it’s a stage that may develop into the thing, not yet the thing. Whereas “early” implies it’s recently become the thing. Or at least that’s how I usually hear them used, and what I meant.