Combatting Fascism

As we've seen over and over again, Fascist movements often gain momentum at times when capitalism is in crisis. It happened in pre-WWII Germany, it's happening now in Greece, and it will likely happen again in the future. The question is, how do we fight it?

Certainly, a revolutionary socialist alternative is essential to countering fascism, and I'm sure no one here would disagree, but how would such a movement go about this?

All suggestions are welcome. Well, most anyway.

Conditions are slightly different today, though the potential for fascism to materialize certainly does exist. However, the bourgeoisie will not support fascist movements unless the threat of socialism is especially acute or liberal democracy has simply proven incapable of sustaining their class privilege to a sufficient extent. Frankly, I believe that unless socialism is achieved sometime in the near future, authoritarian capitalism of the Chinese model will typify economic and political relations in the global north.

The most effective means for combating fascism are emphasizing to the working class that the economic crisis is systemic in nature and can only be solved by fundamentally changing modes of production. We also mustn't let the fascists capitalize on issues such as illegal immigration either—which much of the Left long ago abandoned, due to their irrational cosmopolitan extremism. And finally, if the population is displaying nationalistic sentiments to an usual degree, we must harness them in a progressive direction by way of left-wing nationalism.

Different groups take different approaches. I don't know which one is best, but in my country there have been three different:

1) Dialogue
2) Ridicule
3) Counter-demoes (more or less violent)

Now with the wave of far-right terrorism going on, surveillance and police-involvement might become a number 4. (Many people claim that the police have ignored the far-right, even though the far-right them selves claim to be suppressed by the police)

As a former fascist my self, I must say that all those normal people have been quite patient with me. Nobody stopped me from spamming my university with posters for my project of creating a fascist party, even though some got a bit angry. (I think I was saved by my gentle politeness, and my somewhat successful attempt at distancing my self from racism)

Confusion wrote:I don't know which one is best, but in my country there have been three different:

I see you mentioned your country in the immigration thread as well, but where is it you live?

Norway, land of the midnight-sun, as well as the most rapidly disintegrating far-right community the world has ever seen (except from maybe Germany after WWII)

When Breivik blew up that bomb, all those folks thought it was islamic fundamentalist who had done it, so they went outside to beat the muslims. When it was discovered that it was another contra-jihadist...

Im kind of glad I stayed clear of the contra-jihad thing when I was a fascist. I disliked muslims strongly for a while, but I think I was alienated by the general plot - the thing about defending democracy and other western values. (what they say, is that the muslims are the fascists, and that they are anti-fascists) There is also this thing about endless repetition, and the negative tendency within the counter-jihad club of victimizing them selves.

In the time following, academics and laymen alike have been reading Breiviks manifesto (I did some word-searching in it, he seems like a hybrid of a pinochetist and a counter-jihadist) and there have been endless debates, as well as some ridicule.

Ahhh Norwegian, nice.

Confusion wrote:the thing about defending democracy and other western values. (what they say, is that the muslims are the fascists, and that they are anti-fascists) There is also this thing about endless repetition, and the negative tendency within the counter-jihad club of victimizing them selves.

I don't think I've ever heard a fascist reject the term, but that's quite interesting. It seems as though calling the Muslims fascists is their way of spreading the fear to keep Islam out while somewhat cleaning up their own reputation.

In times of economic hardship and austerity people become frustrated and look for someone to blame. The fascists present them with easy targets such as ethnic minorities or left wing union leaders. Our argument has to be to present the people with the real culprits, i.e those promoting an exploitive capitalist system, and explain the reasons behind this.