We've all sat through years of history, from our infant days of education to our high school or college educational careers. We've explored the dawn of humanity, the advancement of society, and the greatest accomplishments of all time. We have also, however, explored the dark hearts and deeds in history. Among the most infamous was the early to mid 20th century, the rise of fascism in Europe. Benito Mussolini, the Prime Minister of Italy, officially brought the political ideology to life in 1925 when he declared himself dictator. Adolf Hitler followed suit in 1934 by declaring himself fuhrer.
In modern day American politics, it is difficult to separate fact from fiction. There is an abundance of mudslinging and name calling from the right and the left. Not a day goes by that I don't hear, "Bernie Sanders is a communist" or "Donald Trump is Hitler" in public. Both of these comments are incorrect, but there is a relativity of wrong. Calling Donald Trump "Hitler" is an over-extension of fact but, based in political similarities between himself and mid 20th century fascism.
How is Fascism Defined?
According to Merriam-Webster, fascism is "a political philosophy, movement, or regime (as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition." In layman's terms, fascism is a political movement that focuses on nationalism, scapegoating, self-sufficiency (autarky), and the disregard for human rights. The supporters of fascist leaders are typically grossly misinformed and unable/unwilling to listen to counterpoints.
Donald Trump versus Fascism
1. He knows that his supporters are not pledging support based on his substantive ideas.
An indicative sign that a political leader is running on the premise of extreme nationalism and not a real agenda is when he acknowledges that he could commit homicide and still not lose a single supporter.
"I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn't lose voters."-Donald Trump on January 23, 2016 at the Sioux Center, Iowa
2. He creates rifts between different races and religions in a divide-and-conquer plot.
Historically, fascist political leaders have located a scapegoat to blame for the lack of economic prosperity and violence. In an attempt to win over the misinformed blue collar voters who may have recently been laid off or the average "Joe" who is concerned for their safety, the leader would blame an easily-targeted group of people and then quickly form a plan to "fix" the problem the group "created."
"They're going to build a plant and illegals are going drive those cars right over the border. And they'll probably end up stealing the cars." -Donald Trump on October 21, 2015 at an Iowa rally
"When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best. They're not sending you...They're sending people that have lots of problems with us. They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists." -Donald Trump on June 16th, 2015 in the Trump Tower Atrium
"I watched when the World Trade Center came tumbling down. And I watched in Jersey City, New Jersey, where thousands and thousands of (Muslim) people were cheering as that building was coming down. Thousands of people were cheering." - Donald Trump on November 21, 2015 at a Birmingham, Alabama rally.
"I will build a great wall — and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me —and I'll build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will make Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words."-Donald Trump on August 16, 2015 at a Texas rally.
3. He never discusses shrinking government, the Constitution, or just about anything true conservatism stands for.
Although fascism is often associated with an extreme-right ideology, it is far from the platform of the Republican Party. Fascism is an authoritarian stance which disregards liberty, freedom of speech, limited government, and the right to privacy. Although his lack of speaking on most of these issues doesn't inherently make him a fascist, it still is curious that he never discusses these matters of substance, but instead harps on "winning again" and "building a wall" in his speeches. He is shockingly silent on the issues that the Republican candidates since Ronald Reagan have focused on.
4. He has unwavering support for violating human rights.
Fascists notoriously have little regard for the preservation of human rights. From the early 1920s onward, fascists have advocated for muzzling free speech, reigning in social freedoms, and disregarding democratic due process. Most infamously, Benito Mussolini, and to a greater extent, Adolf Hitler, made no distinction between peaceful civilians and their criminal associates.
“The other thing with the terrorists is you have to take out their families, when you get these terrorists, you have to take out their families...They care about their lives, don’t kid yourself. When they say they don’t care about their lives, you have to take out their families.”-Donald Trump on December 18, 2015 during a Fox News interview
Not only does murdering an accused terrorist's family violate rules of engagement and the Geneva Conventions, but is also a grave immoral act, one heavily disassociated with liberal democratic thought.
5. He is a textbook narcissist.
Nothing is more overwhelming about a fascist than his or her ego. During the mid 20th century, fascist dictators demanded statues, murals, and portraits of themselves be displayed throughout their dominion. Their quest for power and control is just a side effect of their narcissistic personality disorder. As opposed to the ideal United States public servant elected to office to serve the good of the community, a fascist simply wants to justify their love of self. In their quest for superiority, they often speak about their physical characteristics, success, and rip their opponents in a frivolous manner.
“Ariana Huffington is unattractive, both inside and out. I fully understand why her former husband left her for a man – he made a good decision.”-Donald Trump via Twitter on August 28, 2012.
“If I were running ‘The View’, I’d fire Rosie O’Donnell. I mean, I’d look at her right in that fat, ugly face of hers, I’d say ‘Rosie, you’re fired.’ "-Donald Trump on December 20, 2006 during an interview on ET.
“The beauty of me is that I’m very rich.”-Donald Trump on March 17, 2011, during GMA interview
“My fingers are long and beautiful, as, it has been well documented, are various other parts of my body.”-Donald Trump on February 20th, 2016 during a Fox News interview.
I don't think it would take much time at all for a psychologist to diagnose Mr. Trump with Narcissistic Personality Disorder if he were to set foot in a clinic.
Conclusion
Is Donald Trump a fascist? That's difficult to say. What is very apparent is that he shares many characteristics that one would expect a 20th century fascist authoritarian dictator to exhibit. No candidate is perfect, but it is very likely that America can do better than a President Donald J. Trump.
