What does a real fascist danger look like?

Fascism is a belligerent, actively asserted, aggrieved hyper-nationalism.

Yes, we saw the kernel of it yesterday in D.C., but it doesn’t really constitute a potent fascist danger in our country at this time.

Re: ‘aggrieved’ . . .

People in modern society are justifiably dissatisfied for many, many reasons. This blog has discussed dissatisfaction consequent of inequality, injustice, anomie, loss of meaning, lack of community, spiritual malaise, etc.

The dissatisfaction manifests in myriad ways . . . Bernie Sanders as well as Donald Trump.

Again: It’s justifiable. Modern life sucks for all but a layer of the elites (“the 1%”) and the privileged. The latter might be something like 20% in this relatively privileged country, maybe 5% worldwide. A small minority thrives; beyond that, an impressive percentage of people do manage to cope within the Leviathan; among the rest, many are cast off and/or beaten down and/or dysfunctional and/or destitute . . . etc.

Many harbor an underlying anger. It takes all kinds of forms. Some forms can be constructive, motivating social change that improves society. Most of the anger is internalized in a way that produces depression and other psychopathologies. Some is externalized — in a sociopathological, destructive way.

The latter, if organized under some banner, can be the kernel of fascism.

Trumpism is mostly millions expressing their dissatisfaction via right-wing aggrievance against the supposedly liberal elites. Under that banner a small number escalates their unhappiness into a belligerent, actively asserted, hyper-nationalism.

It would be a real fascist danger if that element started to get broad social support. That’s what happened in Italy during the 1920s and Germany during the 1930s. The belligerents got enough support to start dominating governments at all levels of society and institutions like universities, the school systems, and the media. The fascists formed their own militias and marched through the streets all over the country with impunity.

That extent of things is terribly dangerous, but we’re not seeing that extent here and now.