XIII: Indeed, it is fascism and social-democracy which are related in that before a country may become politically fascist, it must be economically social-democratic. They are the obverse of each other: a fascist political state cannot maintain itself without an at least mild form of social-democracy, and likewise, when social-democracy is in danger of political collapse, it relies on fascism to uphold or restore order.
2: It can be argued that Mussolini was not the founder of fascism, but more of its practitioner, a Lenin as opposed to a Marx of fascism. There were fascist currents and proto-fascist theories adrift even though they were not termed fascism at the moment.
6m: Parenti here begins confusing finance and industrial capital. In Italy and Spain, it was finance capital which supported fascism, whereas in Germany, Croatia, and Hungary it was predominantly industrial capital. Industrial fascism, it should be noted, is more socially reactionary, stringent in ideology, and stronger in cohesion than its counter-part.
5tm: Parenti makes clear here that the petite-bourgeoisie supports fascism. The 'middle class' supported Reagan, Trump, Clinton, and Biden. They will always vacillate until fascism finally becomes socially acceptable enough to openly endorse.
8b: This is actually untrue. The KPD was the third largest party and growing in 1933, and von Hindenburg was a coalition candidate for many parties. Had some things happened differently the KPD could well have taken power.
10m: Liberals ought to learn that Ford was not some pro-labour 'Progressive', but a reactionary Nazi.
16m: Funnily enough, the reason why so many Jews were bankers and merchants was exactly due to previous anti-Semitic legislation which prohibited them from joining guilds, and thus from holding most occupations. Proof that there is no such thing as appeasing anti-Semites.
16m: One other reason why fascists are successful is that they defend and develop high culture: they erect statues and standards, they print leather-bound works, and produce quality music. They prove ornate, they offer glory. The left must apply these tactics if we are to have any more victories of our own.
18t: During the Munich crisis, the USSR was ready to join Czechoslovakia in war against the Reich. All Soviet officers were recalled to their posts and the Red Army was put on stand-by (as Anna Louise Strong details in The Soviets Expected it and The Stalin Era) until Britain's betrayal was announced.
28m: On point 4. George Washington was an unpatriotic terrorist under French and Spanish order, the majority of colonials did not support secession, and HM George the III was known to be a humble king.
35m: And just as Comrade Stalin and Comrade Mao said, when confronted about what they'd do differently in a difficult situations, these arm-chair cynics either become quiet or flee into fantastical delusion.
To end: 'Stop shaking the tyrant's bloody robe in my face, or I will believe that you wish to put Rome in chains' -Maximilien Robespierre
'What would happen if capital succeeded in smashing the Republic of Soviets? There would permeate the blackest reaction in all countries, the working class and oppressed peoples would be seized by the throat, and communism would be lost'. -J V Stalin.
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