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1.
Powerful and Continuing Nationalism -
slogans and flags everywhere
2.
Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights -human rights can be ignored
in certain cases because of "need".
3.
Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause -dissenters labeled unpatriotic
4.
Supremacy of the Military - Even when there are widespread domestic
problems, the military is given a disproportionate amount of government
funding
5.
Rampant Sexism -Under fascist regimes, traditional gender roles are made
more rigid.
6.
Controlled Mass Media - 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.
9.
Corporate Power is protected
10.
Labor Power is suppressed - Because the organizing power of labor is the
only real threat to a fascist government
11.
Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts - Fascist nations tend to promote
and tolerate open hostility to higher education, and academia. 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.
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.
14.
Fraudulent Elections Fascist nations also typically use their
judiciaries to manipulate or control elections.
(Source: The Fourteen Defining Characteristics of Fascism, Dr. Lawrence
Britt, Spring 2003, Free Inquiry) |
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