Fascism Explained

The two words "anti-fascist" and "progressive" are emotion-charged words. That does not mean that they are devoid of factual meaning however. They are both generic terms and thus their factual meaning is ill-defined. This article will show how wide but useful is their use.

First, "progressive circles" are those which contain people who see society in a constant state of change, usually with the faith that it is progressing from a worse form of social organization to a better. For half a dozen centuries this social and economic organization has been that of a steadily rising capitalism, i.e., "The means of production of distribution are in the possession of private owners who run them at their discretion, driven by the urge for profit and in accordance with the possibilities of making profit at a given time." This form of society has given rise to many anomalies which help to produce its overhtrow. In order to keep their power the capitalists must organize their state into an economic, social and political system which will minimize the effects of "class struggle" and slow down or stop (they hope!) the crumbling of their position (i.e., they act in a "reactionary" way).

The system which it is hoped will accomplish this end is that now known generally as fascism. Let us quote from the Penguin Political Dictionary: "The social system aimed at by fascism is the corporate State. Fascism claims to be neither capitalistic nor socialistic. It maintains private property but places its use under state control. Class struggle is rejected and industrial disputes are forbidden." Socialists, Social Democrats and Communists all oppose "fascism" as "reactionary." True progress is seen as a change over to a differences of belief and opinion are help in these "progressive circles" as to the pattern of change and the Socialist form of society. Whatever means to be used in achieving it, they are all agreed that they are antifascist.

F. M. in his jibes at Salient policy is confounding the two words "fascist" and "totalitarian." Many antifascists are not necessarily antitotalitarian. A state which fully represents the people may be totalitarian without being oppressive. We would like to see F. M. prove at Friday night's debate that the present Czech Government is totalitarian without being representative of the Czech people, we think that if he can judge the recent activity in Czechoslovakia by the reports appearing in our daily papers he is doing a telepathic job.