Solid, concise, well-done. Please share.
Summary of the ten tactics
- The mythic past. “In the past, we were great. The dominant racial group ruled over others. And that’s been taken from you by (insert demonized group here).”
- Propaganda. Fascist propaganda is based on a “friend vs enemy” distinction.
- Anti-intellectualism. Since fascism is a cult of the leader, the leader decides what is true and what is false. Science pointing out facts, and institutions that teach there could be multiple perspectives, are a threat to the fascist leader.
- Unreality. The core of democracy is the truth. “You’re not free if you’ve been lied to.” To rip the heart out of democracy, you get people used to lies.
- Hierarchy. Once you have a hierarchy set up, you can then make people scared of losing their position in that hierarchy.
- Victimhood. Once you convince people they should be higher on the hierarchy, you can then convince them they are victims of equality.
- Law and order. The members of the dominant group are, by definition, law-abiding. The members of the minority group who accept their subservient role are law-abiding. And by definition, the leader can’t violate law and order. Law and order structures who is legitimate, and who is not.
- Sexual anxiety. Fascist leaders always go to “your women and children are under threat. You need a strong man to protect your family.” Thus, gays and trans and others are a threat. You might not like my rhetoric, or my womanizing. But you need someone like me to deal with this.
- Rural-urban divide. “Cities are full of crime, decadence, immigrants. The REAL Americans, who know what REAL work is, live in the rural parts of our country.”
- “Work shall make you free.” The minority group is lazy, and need to be made to work. Labor unions are trying to make it even easier for these lazy people.
