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Democracy Becomes Fascism When People Consent to Be Oppressed
Many in the US are increasingly willing to scapegoat others — while also giving up their own freedoms
If you’re interested in the theoretical origins of fascism, you’ll be interested in Elad Nehorai’s long essay: “21st Century Fascism is Democratic” (March 31).
He emailed it with a warning that sold me on reading it: “This piece is long. About 9,000 words…I believe it is also the most important piece I have ever written.”
Authoritarianism and democracy are on a spectrum
In Nehorai’s account, as the majority of people build collective power, they prove that no one can govern them without their consent. Society democratizes. But what is that “consent,” really? Leaders must “manufacture belief” — which leads us back to fascism.
As an explanation of fascism, that’s different than saying that humans are inherently angry, hateful, or violent.
Democracy collapsed in Weimar Germany because the left and center became useless, while Nazi propaganda sought to control “what people thought” and persuaded them to be “emotionally invested in their own oppression.” Hitler not only persuaded his followers to make choices that were…
