The following - from the Glossary of Terms at the MIA - can serve as a
point of departure for discussing the characteristics of fascism:
<http://www.marxists.org/glossary/terms/f/a.htm#fascism
>
Following WWII, there were reactionary, pro-imperialist forces (like
J. Edgar Hoover who referred to "Red Fascism") who sought to subvert
the historical meaning of fascism and turn it on its head. They had
reason to at least attempt this subversion and inversion: the atrocities
of fascism had been revealed to the working class globally and almost
everywhere it had a negative association, yet it was also associated
with the ultra-right wing, the struggles against revolution and 'communism'
(or Bolshevism), and was pro-war, pro-imperialist, and pro-capitalist.
Ironically, there were a handful of those on the Left who accepted this
reactionary Cold War re-definition and historical falsification.
.......................
Now that the UN Security Council, with heavy arm-twisting by the US,
has passed a resolution authorizing military force against Libya,
let us look again at the different narratives of what is happening
in Libya:
- In one narrative, a coalition of forces has authorized the use of force
to defend 'pro-democracy' forces from "a ruthless tyrant, a fascist,
and a monster".
- In another narrative, international imperialism, led by the US,
has authorized the use of military force to bring about 'regime
change' in Libya and change the balance of forces in the region more
in its favor.
According to the first narrative (Paula's) almost every nation in the
world is imperialist (including Libya, Venezuela, Cuba, et al) and
Libya (and Cuba, and China, along with many other nations) has a
fascist government. So, why oppose UN military intervention in Libya???
Indeed, the US should be applauded for helping the Security Council
resolve to take action against the "fascist" Gadaffi. THe US, it seems,
must be squarely on the side of spreading "democracy" to Libya BAMN.
According to another narrative (which I will endorse) international
imperialism (especially the US) has had a hand in orchestrating the
unrest and civil war in Libya. In this narrative - which does not seek
to identify with Gadaffi and recognizes him to be an authoritarian
leader who has repressed his own people and betrayed his own principles -
it is not clear whether the forces opposing Gadaffi are genuinely
committed to promoting (bourgeois) democracy but what *IS* clear is
that *IMPERIALIST INTERVENTION SHOULD BE OPPOSED!*
These two narratives thus sharply depart on what should be done because of
their differing understandings of what is happening in Libya and the
world. This discussion, imo, shows the *real danger* of thinking that
almost all nations are imperialist and whereever there is a 'dictatorship'
that has popular support there is fascism: ultimately, it leads to one
failing to oppose international imperialism, imperialist wars, and it
obscures the genuine struggles against fascism. Unwittingly, Paula has
found herself in the camp of the imperialists - and some genuine fascists
who support foreign military intervention against Libya.
In solidarity, Jerry
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Received on Fri Mar 18 09:24:19 2011
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