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[–] Joe_McCarthy [S] 1 point -1 points (+0|-1) ago  (edited ago)

As I've mentioned previously, Griffin's concept of a 'fascist minimum' - without which there is no fascism is interesting. I noted some months ago how it roughly applied to @alalzia - a Greek and self-described anarchist.

https://voat.co/v/OccidentalEnclave/3607543

The concept of national or civilizational rebirth rising out of a morass of decadence. That would seem to be the core of fascism as Griffin sees it.

The 'fascist minimum' could probably apply to most of Voat - including many here that don't identify as fascists.

Fascism relies on myth, but not utopian myth, in my opinion, though I know the book uses 'utopian' in the description in the OP. Myth in the sense of ideals that stir feelings and rouse one from complacency. Like most forms of nationalism fascism has an element of romanticism.

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[–] Helena73 0 points 1 point (+1|-0) ago 

Do you think Russia is fascist? Israel? I mean Israel certainly is founded on a utopian myth, imo.

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[–] Joe_McCarthy [S] 1 point -1 points (+0|-1) ago 

I would say no. But both are probably closer than the US. If we think of fascism as authoritarian nationalism - Israel has elements of ethnonationalism inasmuch as its leadership has openly said it seeks to maintain a 80% Jewish majority in an explicitly Jewish state, and Russia has elements of authoritarianism and to a lesser extent nationalism.

But fascism is something else. Even considering the fascist minimum, or bare basics, or what Umberto Eco called ur-fascism, or eternal fascism, or a set of ideas that transcend any specific system, I don't think a fascist regime exists today.

But maybe I'll change my mind after I finish Griffin's book.