Emergence of Democratic Fascism
The term ‘Fascist’, once reserved for the likes of Benito Mussolini, Adolf Hitler, Juan Peron, and Francisco Franco, is in vogue these days. Heads of governments, political leaders, social activists, prominent intellectuals, and even performing artistes are now called fascists with ease.
President Vladimir Putin calls the Ukrainians fascists. President Putin himself is labeled a fascist by several commentators and politicians. A well-known Indian poet and lyricist calls his Prime Minister a fascist. Paul Krugman insists President Donald Trump is a fascist. Meanwhile, President Trump refers to the protesters and activists as a form of ‘new far-left fascism’. These are only a handful of examples.
Such claims cannot be ignored as random ramblings, given compelling arguments about the personalities, their proclamations, actions, and considered inaction. Is fascism returning in a new avatar?
Fascism is ‘a political philosophy, movement, or regime 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’(Merriam-Webster). This definition today resonates with many democratically elected governments around the world.
Philippines President Duterte imposed martial law and publicly threatened anyone who dared to challenge his decision, “… you ask me to lift it? I will arrest you and put you behind bars”. He told his security apparatus, ‘You can arrest any person, search any house…If you happen to have raped three women, I will own up to it.’ President Trump relentlessly rubbished the fourth estate known as a pillar of democracy. Turkish President Erdogan arrested over 50,000 citizens and sacked or suspended 150,000 people from jobs post a failed coup attempt. In an increasingly intolerant India, people may get cornered on suspicion of eating a specific kind of food, jailed for caricaturing politicians, beaten up for criticizing religion, and threatened for trivial acts in stand-up comedy shows while the top leadership maintains an eerie silence. Rather than inspiring democratic joie de vivre, such events remind us of the first half of the twentieth century.
Demagoguery, centralization of power, disregard for traditional institutions, push for a monolithic society, majoritarian mindset, ultra-nationalist propaganda, and branding of contradicting opinions as anti-national seems to be a new normal even in matured democracies. Their leaders enjoy a cult-like following. The electorate returns them to power despite telltale signs of dictatorial traits. Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s recent triumph in Hungary is the latest example of this phenomenon. Why do leaders with proven disregard for democratic principles get democratically reelected, often with a bigger majority?
Frustrated with the elected representatives’ chronic failure to deliver, the voters are losing faith in classic democracy. They want sustainable peace, security, and prosperity and are willing to look the other way when charismatic leaders trample on egalitarian fundamentals. The stage is set for a new order. We have disillusioned electorates happy to compromise their freedom for a better existence. And we have a new crop of rightist leaders with magnetic personalities, hypnotic oratory skills, arrogance, well-disguised mercilessness, disdain for democratic practices, and belief in societal homogeneity. A new form of governance emerges. These leaders lead establishments that exhibit fascist traits – ‘far-right ultra-nationalism, strong regulation of the society, supremacist beliefs, a relentless exaltation of past national glory, the myth of decadence, majoritarianism et. el. But they are not fascist because they rise to power, remain in control, and execute their policies using democratic platforms. They abuse institutions to harass the opposition but do not openly intimidate or eliminate them. The civic institutions are not shut but controlled within the available legal framework. These leaders look like democrats; behave like fascists. The majority who elected them to power applaud by the ringside. The rest do not matter. Their votes aren’t required for the leaders to return to power.
It is Democratic Fascism. Love it or hate it, this is another form of governance gaining strength across the world, from Brazil to The Philippines and in other beacons of democracies in between.
This trend is likely to continue till we unwittingly find ourselves in the grips of benevolently authoritarian rules shaved off the garb of democracy. But the leaders will degenerate, slowly but surely, into oppressive dictators. The people will then realize the costly trade-off. A déjà vu – a renewed struggle for freedom, democracy, socialism, and justice – shall follow.
For now, stand by to witness more democratic fascists emerge around the globe!
