There is growing concern, in America, about the MAGA, Make America Great Again, movement. Even one of the most highly respected newspapers in the country, expressed fear that the country was threatened with the ‘’end of democracy’’. These fears are well grounded.
MAGA was the slogan, which was coined by the handlers of Trump, on his first successful run for the presidency. It has a certain appeal, at least to the less advanced, more patriotic Americans, as it implies that America was great, at one time, but has since fallen into decline. It also implies that Trump is able to restore that ‘’greatness’’.
As the vast majority of working people are struggling to ‘’make ends meet’’, this promise, by a man with great personal charm, has a certain appeal. In the past, in other countries, under similar circumstances, similar appeals, by similar leaders, also of great personal charm, led to fascist dictatorships. The concern is that America is also heading towards a fascist dictatorship.
The journalists are documenting the opinion of historians, that ‘’Trump’s rise to power, was almost immediately accompanied by debates over whether his ascendency, and the ascendency of other leaders around the world, with similar political views, signalled a revival of fascism. Fascism is generally understood as an authoritarian, far right system of government in which hyper nationalism is a central component. It also often features a cult of personality around a strongman leader, the justification of violence or retribution against opponents, and the repeated denigration of the rule of law’’.
It is no secret that, as soon as Trump is once again President, he plans to immediately declare martial law, and to scrap the Constitution. In fact, he is determined to do this, on his first day back in the White House. This scrapping of the Constitution is more politely referred to as the ‘’denigration of the rule of law’’.
It is safe to say that this ‘’cult of personality’’, is also an accurate description of the followers of Trump. We can further say that, just as ‘’past fascist leaders have appealed to a sense of victimhood, to justify their actions’’, so too Trump is ‘’following in the footsteps of previous fascists’’. Trump thinks that no one has any right to charge him with any crime! He thinks he is above the law! He fully intends to ‘’get even’’ with those who are pressing charges against him! That includes the prosecutors and judges!
The historical experts are agreed that fascism contains certain elements, that make it ‘’far more dangerous than authoritarianism’’. One of those elements is ‘’rejection of democracy, in favour of a strongman’’.
Of course, that ‘’strongman’’ is Donald Trump, whom the billionaires plan to send to the White House, in order to ‘’maintain stability’’, or ‘’law and order’’, as they phrase it. In the process, the Constitution is to be scrapped, Trump is to be empowered as an absolute dictator, with unlimited powers, while ‘’social order’’ is to be maintained, through the use of force.
The journalists are correct, when they state that, ‘’for the fascist, war and violence are a means of strengthening society, by culling the weak and glorifying heroic warriors’’.
Perhaps one of the strangest features of fascism, is that of fostering resentment and anger against the ‘’cultural elites’’, for causing so much pain and suffering, among the common people. This is encouraged, by those same ‘’cultural elites’’! Trump is one of those people, a member of the same class of ‘’cultural elites’’, a billionaires, that he is raging against!
A strict hierarchy is also characteristic of fascism, based around male dominance, with women relegated to subservient roles. The men are ‘’protectors, providers and controllers of the family’’. Any ‘’deviants’’, such as homosexuals, are to be ‘’culled’’. A ‘’superior race or ethnicity’’, is glorified. In the case of America, under Trump, that ethnicity has fallen to ‘’White Christian Nationalists’’.
In order for a fascist dictatorship to thrive, it is first necessary to normalize violence, denigrate all opponents, portray them as less than human, or ‘’vermin’’, as Trump referred to anyone who opposes him. Then it is a simple matter of obliterating all opposition, through violence, as this is ‘’justified’’, on the grounds that they are ‘’vermin’’.
This turn to fascism, on the part of the ruling class of billionaires, the bourgeoisie, is in response to the fact that they can no longer rule, in the old way. So fascism is the alternative method or rule, which they have chosen. Trump is merely a figure head, a ‘’puppet’’, with the billionaires ‘’pulling the strings’’.
Yet a number of people, and organizations, have come out in opposition to this. The most vocal are also the most ‘’Right Wing’’, or ‘’Conservative’’, as they describe themselves. Yet as they have taken a most progressive position, it is up to ‘’Leftist’’ people, to support them, in their opposition to this fascist trend.
No doubt, there will be a great howl from some of those on the ‘’Left’’, to the effect that we cannot possibly work with such people. This stand is incorrect. As Lenin stated, ‘’Only those who have no self reliance can fear to enter into temporary alliances even with unreliable people; not a single political party could exist without entering into such alliances.’’
Equally without doubt, such self described ‘’conservatives’’ certainly qualify as ‘’unreliable people’’. Yet these same conservatives are fighting against fascism, for our democratic rights. But, as Lenin also stated, ‘’an essential condition for such an alliance must be complete freedom for Socialists to reveal to the working class that its interests are diametrically opposed to the interests of the bourgeoisie’’.
The following is a partial list of organizations which are opposing Trump, and his fascist policies, according to the internet, as they describe themselves, on their websites:
‘’Our Principle Pac was a super pac established in January 2016 as part of the Never Trump Movement’’
The Club For Growth is a self described ‘’leading conservative organization, focused on American economic issues, limited government and conservative public policies’’.
‘’Americans Against Trump -We are the first people in the country doing the most to keep Donald Trump away from the presidency or kick him out of the White House. Join the resistance against the worst president in American history.’’
‘’Never Trump Movement is an ongoing conservative moderate movement that opposes Trump, started by Never Trump Republicans, and offer prominent Republican conservatives as GOP nomination for president’’
The organization with the most detailed website is referred to as ‘’The Lincoln Project’’, those who are clearly in opposition to Trump, and his fascist policies. I have chosen to copy the whole website:
‘’WE HAVE SEEN THE BEST AND WORST OF AMERICAN POLITICS
‘’The Lincoln Project is dedicated to the preservation, protection and defence of democracy. Since our launch in December, 2019, The Lincoln Project has played a unique role in American politics. We entered the political arena with two stated objectives: first, to defeat Donald Trump at the ballot box in 2020 (Done) The second was to ensure Trumpism failed alongside him. We understand that the real fight against Trumpism is just beginning and we’re committed to seeing it through. Our democracy depends on it.
‘’Founded by former Republican strategists who understood the grave threat of Trumpism to our nation, the Lincoln Project team has expanded to include individuals from across the political spectrum. We are first and foremost: pro-democracy.
‘’Why We Fight
‘’Our mission is to protect the American Republic from Donald Trump and those who identify (publicly or privately) as MAGA supporters. While we are optimistic about the future, we are not complacent. In 2020, it took an as hoc coalition to ensure Trump’s defeat. In 2022, we built a coalition across the political spectrum and again brought democracy some breathing room. We agree with Trump on only one thing: 2024 is a battle for America’s future.
‘’President Abraham Lincoln led the United States through the bloodiest, most divisive and most decisive period of our nation’s history. He fought, not because he wanted to, but because he knew the dual goals of preserving the Union and the end of slavery would be achieved only through armed conflict. At Gettysburg, he implored us not to forget those who had ‘their last full measure of devotion’ to preserving the American experiment.
‘’Today, we find our nation divided again -faced with a growing authoritarian movement populated by millions of radicalized voters, for whom this fight is existential as well as hyper -partisanship and Ultra -MAGA movements within the government itself. Donald Trump and those who ascribe to Trumpism are a clear and present danger to the Constitution and our Republic.
‘’This is why we fight.’’
This website is clearly passionate, devoted to the ‘’defence of democracy’’. They also see ‘’Trumpism’’ as an ‘’authoritarian movement’’, one which is ‘’a clear and present danger to the Constitution and our Republic’’. In fact, that which they refer to as ‘’Trumpism’’ is not authoritarian, but far more dangerous. It is fascism.
As they are ‘’dedicated to the preservation, protection and defence of democracy’’, those of us who are on the ‘’Left’’, can unite with them, on that particular goal. After all, they have ‘’expanded to include individuals from across the political spectrum’’. That includes those who consider themselves to be socialists, democrats, social democrats and even Scientific Socialists, which is to say Marxists, Communists. Yet in order for us to work with them, we must be able to put forward our own beliefs. If that is not possible, then there is no basis for working together.
The ‘’common people’’, as the members of the working class refer to themselves, have to be made aware that this is indeed fascism, and not ‘’Trumpism’’, or ‘’MAGA’’, or even ’’authoritarianism’’. It is the same Nazi belief that our parents and grandparents fought against, in WW2! Trump is not the problem! MAGA is not the problem! The problem is the ruling class of billionaires, the bourgeoisie, those who ‘’cannot rule in the old way’’! They have decided to ‘’change their method of rule’’! The ‘’new method of rule’’ is that of fascism! Trump is merely their figurehead!
As documented in a previous article, the billionaires have hired hundreds of loyal servants, in order to ‘’screen’’ thousands of people, with the goal of placing those people in key positions, within the- soon to be created- Trump administration. Fascists one and all!
The threat is both grave and urgent. Feel free to take Trump ‘’at his word’’, when he stated his intention to scrap the Constitution, ‘’at or before’’ the next federal election! He means it! Join both mainstream political parties! Both serve the same class! Do not make a gift of the Republican Party, to the billionaires! Work with all the organizations which oppose fascism! Regardless of how Right Wing they may be!
For those of us who are Scientific Socialists, we can add another slogan, to our banners and posters:
Death To All Fascists!
Gerald McIsaac Science Project 