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People may recognize the author, historian Robert Paxton, from his article "The Five Stages of Fascism" (http://theleder.com/docs/Misc/Paxton_Five%20Stages%20of

People may recognize the author, historian Robert Paxton, from his article "The Five Stages of Fascism" (http://theleder.com/docs/Misc/Paxton_Five%20Stages%20of%20Fascism.pdf http://theleder.com/docs/Misc/Paxton_Five%20Stages%20of%20Fa...). It was later extended into a book length treatment (https://libcom.org/library/anatomy-fascism https://libcom.org/library/anatomy-fascism) which is very worthwhile, and readable, if you are interested in what he calls (paraphrasing) the most significant political development of the 20th century. The discussion, in the OP, of the famous "That's when I reach for my revolver" quote, was really quite helpful in understanding the layered context of this enigmatic saying - which turns out to not really reflect the stance of German fascists towards culture.

pmoriarty 9y ago
David Neiwert[1], one of my favorite investigative journalists, often references Robert Paxton work on fascism when drawing parallels between the right-wing extremists in the US and fascists.[2] While the mainstream media is only now beginning to catch on to the phenomenon of American right-wing extremists, neo-nazis, and white supremacists (mostly due to the publicity they got as the "alt-right" in Trump's election and the chaos at Charlottesville), Neiwert has been on their trail for decades. Well worth reading, if you're interested in this sort of thing. [1] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_neiwert https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_neiwert [2] - https://encrypted.google.com/search?hl=en&q=site:dneiwert.blogspot.com https://encrypted.google.com/search?hl=en&q=site:dneiwert.bl... "paxton"
- alexanderstears 9y ago
  Does he ever explain why he focuses on right wing authoritarians? Left wing authoritarianism seems at least as powerful but no one seems to address it.
  - Apocryphon 9y ago
    What left wing authoritarian groups in the U.S. have been prominent, post-60s?
    - alexanderstears 9y ago
      I don't know what they call themselves but look at Mizzou, Berkley, and Evergreen.
      - Apocryphon 9y ago
        Student activism is nothing new. Do protesters even cause any effects off campus? Berkeley's protest culture has been long studied by many scholars.
        alexanderstears 9y ago
        Activism is nothing new, the amount of violence certainly is. That's what makes them uniquely scary - violent authoritarianism has a higher body count than any other ideology. They cause effects off campus - look at the reactionary right and all the BDS stuff they try to push.
        Apocryphon 9y ago
        Can any of the recent protest violence that's taken place be comparable to the events in 1968? Today's movements are vocal but still a pale shadow of those in the '60s. Whatever you can say about the U.S. branch of the Antifa, they're not nearly as violent as the Weathermen Underground, Symbionese Liberation Army, etc. Labelling the modern movements as uniquely scary requires a selective memory of history.
        alexanderstears 9y ago
        There's been a pattern of less and less violence in America - until recently that is. Anything that threatens to disrupt the pattern is cause for concern, and the authoritarian leftists seem locked in a mutual radicalization with the alt-right, it's not clear what could moderate the situation beyond more effective liberal governance.
        9y ago
  - pmoriarty 9y ago
    I can't remember his specifically talking about why he focuses on right-wing extremists. But as to left-wing extremists, he does also talk about that quite often, usually in rebuttal to accusations from the right. See, for instance, his extensive responses to Jonah Goldberg's book Liberal Fascism: Summary: http://prospect.org/article/jonah-goldbergs-bizarro-history-0 http://prospect.org/article/jonah-goldbergs-bizarro-history-... More recent posts: http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/historians-stand-liberal-fascism-and http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/historians-stand-lib... http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/jonah-goldbergs-liberal-fascism-frau http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/jonah-goldbergs-libe... Follow the links here for much, much more: http://dneiwert.blogspot.com/2008/01/liberal-fascism-response.html http://dneiwert.blogspot.com/2008/01/liberal-fascism-respons...
  - Sangermaine 9y ago
    > Left wing authoritarianism seems at least as powerful This is simply delusional. Whatever you think of student protesters, they have no actual power whatsoever. On the other hand, the current Presidential administration has worrying ties to white supremacist/nationalist movements and has made a number of alarmingly authoritarian statements. When "left wing authoritarians" hold the Presidency, or any position of power whatsoever anywhere, then you can have a discussion about which is worse.
    - alexanderstears 9y ago
      By all accounts, the Trump administration seems more constrained by the rule of law than the Obama administration. Exhibit A being the DOJ settlement money that the Obama administration steered towards liberal activist groups. Left wing authoritarians hold significant power in colleges and businesses. Look at how they handled Bret Weinstein or James Damore.

pmoriarty 9y ago

David Neiwert[1], one of my favorite investigative journalists, often references Robert Paxton work on fascism when drawing parallels between the right-wing extremists in the US and fascists.[2] While the mainstream media is only now beginning to catch on to the phenomenon of American right-wing extremists, neo-nazis, and white supremacists (mostly due to the publicity they got as the "alt-right" in Trump's election and the chaos at Charlottesville), Neiwert has been on their trail for decades. Well worth reading, if you're interested in this sort of thing. [1] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_neiwert https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_neiwert [2] - https://encrypted.google.com/search?hl=en&q=site:dneiwert.blogspot.com https://encrypted.google.com/search?hl=en&q=site:dneiwert.bl... "paxton"

alexanderstears 9y ago
Does he ever explain why he focuses on right wing authoritarians? Left wing authoritarianism seems at least as powerful but no one seems to address it.
- Apocryphon 9y ago
  What left wing authoritarian groups in the U.S. have been prominent, post-60s?
  - alexanderstears 9y ago
    I don't know what they call themselves but look at Mizzou, Berkley, and Evergreen.
    - Apocryphon 9y ago
      Student activism is nothing new. Do protesters even cause any effects off campus? Berkeley's protest culture has been long studied by many scholars.
      - alexanderstears 9y ago
        Activism is nothing new, the amount of violence certainly is. That's what makes them uniquely scary - violent authoritarianism has a higher body count than any other ideology. They cause effects off campus - look at the reactionary right and all the BDS stuff they try to push.
        Apocryphon 9y ago
        Can any of the recent protest violence that's taken place be comparable to the events in 1968? Today's movements are vocal but still a pale shadow of those in the '60s. Whatever you can say about the U.S. branch of the Antifa, they're not nearly as violent as the Weathermen Underground, Symbionese Liberation Army, etc. Labelling the modern movements as uniquely scary requires a selective memory of history.
        alexanderstears 9y ago
        There's been a pattern of less and less violence in America - until recently that is. Anything that threatens to disrupt the pattern is cause for concern, and the authoritarian leftists seem locked in a mutual radicalization with the alt-right, it's not clear what could moderate the situation beyond more effective liberal governance.
        9y ago
- pmoriarty 9y ago
  I can't remember his specifically talking about why he focuses on right-wing extremists. But as to left-wing extremists, he does also talk about that quite often, usually in rebuttal to accusations from the right. See, for instance, his extensive responses to Jonah Goldberg's book Liberal Fascism: Summary: http://prospect.org/article/jonah-goldbergs-bizarro-history-0 http://prospect.org/article/jonah-goldbergs-bizarro-history-... More recent posts: http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/historians-stand-liberal-fascism-and http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/historians-stand-lib... http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/jonah-goldbergs-liberal-fascism-frau http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/jonah-goldbergs-libe... Follow the links here for much, much more: http://dneiwert.blogspot.com/2008/01/liberal-fascism-response.html http://dneiwert.blogspot.com/2008/01/liberal-fascism-respons...
- Sangermaine 9y ago
  > Left wing authoritarianism seems at least as powerful This is simply delusional. Whatever you think of student protesters, they have no actual power whatsoever. On the other hand, the current Presidential administration has worrying ties to white supremacist/nationalist movements and has made a number of alarmingly authoritarian statements. When "left wing authoritarians" hold the Presidency, or any position of power whatsoever anywhere, then you can have a discussion about which is worse.
  - alexanderstears 9y ago
    By all accounts, the Trump administration seems more constrained by the rule of law than the Obama administration. Exhibit A being the DOJ settlement money that the Obama administration steered towards liberal activist groups. Left wing authoritarians hold significant power in colleges and businesses. Look at how they handled Bret Weinstein or James Damore.