Half of America breathed a sigh of relief when power was finally transferred from, the would be autocrat Donald J. Trump, to the less colorful but entirely predictable Joe Biden. The Biden half believe his ascension represents a return to rationality, to social justice, to the standards of comportment expected of a liberal democracy, indeed, to civility itself. This half of America hopes we can end this chapter of American history and return to normal. But, what of the other half, the half for whom normal is not working, the millions who voted for Trump? Where will they go, what will they do, how will their anger be manifest? Will “Trumpism” turn into a proto-fascist movement as many fear? Are the conditions ripe for such a movement? It would seem so. Trumpism seems to share some important features with historical fascism:
- The adoration of a strong leader (Mussolini, Hitler, Franco, Peron etc.)
- The fear and hostility towards an outsider group (Jews, immigrants, Muslims)
- Nostalgia for and identity with a mythical past (MAGA, Pax Romana, Aryan civilization, the old South, etc.)
- An obsession with guns and the second amendment (Black Shirts, Proud Boys, militarization of civil society, militias)
- A belief in conspiracies (The Elders of Zion, Q-anon, communist subversion etc.)
Read More →