After weeks (years, really) of debate on the subject I realized I’d never really committed to writing my argument about why I think it’s appropriate to talk about fascism in regards to Trump and Trumpism.
I don't know Paxton's work but I know Eco's "Eternal Fascism: Fourteen Ways of Looking at a Blackshirt", also known as "Ur-Fascism". If you know Eco's take, can you tell me of any notable points of disagreement between the piece and Paxton's body of work? From what you have here and elsewhere they would seem to be in both broad and even specific agreement,notably with regard to Fascist ideology's being largely epiphenomenal to Fascist use of power.
I don't know Paxton's work but I know Eco's "Eternal Fascism: Fourteen Ways of Looking at a Blackshirt", also known as "Ur-Fascism". If you know Eco's take, can you tell me of any notable points of disagreement between the piece and Paxton's body of work? From what you have here and elsewhere they would seem to be in both broad and even specific agreement,notably with regard to Fascist ideology's being largely epiphenomenal to Fascist use of power.
I don't know Eco's book unfortunately
The original:
https://www.nybooks.com/articles/1995/06/22/ur-fascism/
A summary:
https://www.openculture.com/2016/11/umberto-eco-makes-a-list-of-the-14-common-features-of-fascism.html
The cult of tradition.
The rejection of modernism.
The cult of action for action’s sake.
Disagreement is treason.
Fear of difference.
Appeal to social frustration.
The obsession with a plot.
The enemy is both strong and weak.
Pacifism is trafficking with the enemy.
Contempt for the weak.
Everybody is educated to become a hero.
Machismo and weaponry.
Selective populism.
Ur-Fascism speaks Newspeak.