: When exactly did Fascism become a right-wing movement? As soon as it became tyrannical? Fascism is a right wing movement because it is predicated on hierarchy, inequality, authority, opposition to reason, militarism, and a belief in innate human characteristics. During and after the Enlightenment, these ideas were associated with the forces of reaction, the conservatives. FAscism picked them up, tehrefore it is a reactionary movement. Further evidence of connections is borne out by the fact that both conservative capitalists and fascists engaged in eugenics, promoted imperialism, and had contempt for the poor.
Did you know that the foremost Nazi organization today is called the World Anti-Communist League?
:As soon as it fell out of favor? It seems like it was able to succeed in the first place due to policies enacted by the extremely left-wing Weimar Republic.
I would hardly call them left wing, after all, they crushed teh Communist uprisings. Also, since when was it fair to blame person A for criems that person B committed?
: I've always believed fascism to be a far left movement and have associated it with things like socialism, communism and re-visionist history, all the things lefties embrace.
Why? What are the similarities between the fascism of Hitler, or even that of Salazar, and the democratic Communist governments in places like Chile or Nicaragua?
Please don't bring up the old line about the 'National Socialism'. The Nazis called themeslves that (national socialism is, of course, an oxymoron; socialism rules on the basis of people, not of nations) because anyone who wanted respect in that context needed to profess socialism. Much as the rightwing regimes in places like Kenya professed 'African socialism' in spite of thefact that they were very capitalist.
: I understand that the more extreme one moves to the left, the closer one gets to the extreme right and vice-versa but let's be serious for a minute.
I doubt it. While I oppose Stalinists as well as fascists, let's not forget the qualitative difference between them.
:Moderate conservatives don't call Pat Buchanen a Liberal when they find his policies too reactionary.
The extreme right in places like El Salvador found it very easy to terrorize moderate conservatives for being 'Communists'. Many places, including Colombia, South Africa, etc. have seen bloody battles between the moderate right and the far right.
:McCarthy was not called a bleeding heart for his views.
Leftists would seldom call each otehr that; the idea is to be as bleeding heart as possible.
:Just as I would not call Paul Wellstone a right-wing conspirator when he goes overboard. When you mention things like..."Fascism and other right-wing philosophies..." it would be helpful if you would explain what you consider to be the other 'right-wing'philosophies (murder, death and hatred) and what you consider 'Left-wing' philosophies(peace, love and happy thoughts).
Well, maybe weshould forgetabout wings. I oppose capitalism, and fascism, because they in my opinion both degrade humanity. Capitalism is based on two things, scarcity and inequality.(If there was no [relative] scarcity there would be no price system, and if there was no inequality there wouldn't be workers and bosses.) Capitalism runs on fear, the fear of workers that they will starve unless they work for the boss. As such, I have no choice but to favor socialist democracy over capitalism and fascism.
: I am new to this site and I believe in laissez-faire capitalism. You seem like a very bright fellow NK, I would like to know where I stand with you.
If, as you said below,you think taht the problems with capitalism are due to government interference, then how do you explain all the slaughters carried out by private companeis in places like the Congo Free State, Brazil, Nigeria, Paraguay, or New Guinea. These were all COMPNIES doing the killing, not governments.
