I've noticed a steady increase in the number of people who are comparing the Bush administration with fasict administrations. They are mostly arguing that the Bush administration is a facist administration. This list of 15 common themes in facist administrations is makes for interesting reading (thank you KR for pointing me to it :)
I was particularly interested in this point though:
8. Religion and Power Intertwined:
I'd suggest that it isn't religion as such, anything with a strong connection to the cultural myths of the nation or race would work as well. From my memory of 1st year politics, the nazis were not keen on the church at all, and tended to use sagic language to couch their message in terms which would evoke a sense of rightness and bypass people's critical sensibilities.
Interestingly, based on this source, it would appear Hilter was inspired by Wagner rather than God. Also, by casting the Jews as a race, rather than a religion, he could place them as opposite to the Aryan race. Conveniently, this meant none of the Jews could convert, and also enabled him to avoid any of the more difficult bits of Christianity (such as "though shalt not kill"). It was almost as if he was claiming to have been sent by the Fatherland, rather than by God.
Bush seems to be using a similar approach adapted for the religious and freedom loving americans. In the speaches I have heard, he is conflating democracy, freedom and God into one justifying principle. By making his justification not based on God but still associated with Godliness he can borrow the strength of myth and religious language, but avoid any nasty theological challenges.
The other similarity they have is a very high level of conviction in the rightness of what they are doing. If Bush doesn't spend at least some of his time sure that he is sent by God, I'd be very surprised.
Ick.
Posted by carla at November 8, 2004 05:09 PM