ChatterBank5 mins ago
Do You Think There Is A Risk Of Fascism Emerging In The Uk?
28 Answers
Rachel Shabi from the The Guardian (cue rotten cabbage) argues that if fascism were to gain a political foothold in Britain, we would not recognise it.
Do you find her convincing or do you disagree?
Answers
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There is no danger of fascism gaining a political foothold in Britain.
The last even vaguely credible fascist organisation was The National Front, and if memory serves, last time they put a candidate in a by-election, their candidate polled less votes than The Monster Raving Loony Party candidate.
I think that sums up where fascism is in the minds of the British people.
That presumes that you discount 'Tommy Robinson' and his football thugs - I certainly do, I think anyone else with any sort or intelligence does as well.
The last even vaguely credible fascist organisation was The National Front, and if memory serves, last time they put a candidate in a by-election, their candidate polled less votes than The Monster Raving Loony Party candidate.
I think that sums up where fascism is in the minds of the British people.
That presumes that you discount 'Tommy Robinson' and his football thugs - I certainly do, I think anyone else with any sort or intelligence does as well.
The problem is it is more than 1%. Although the Austrian lost he still had a fair proportion of the votes and it is unlikely those people will go away or suddenly become good liberal EU citizens.
As history shows us, extremism (left or right) is a cancer that starts small and grows often quite quickly and catches you out. Let us hope the EU leaders see the risk and take appropriate action so it wont happen.
And I dont mean silence then with name calling.
As history shows us, extremism (left or right) is a cancer that starts small and grows often quite quickly and catches you out. Let us hope the EU leaders see the risk and take appropriate action so it wont happen.
And I dont mean silence then with name calling.
No
Fascism belongs to another age.
I believe the nearest to a fascist state in the world is Russia, but even it is a long way from totalitarian.
There are several factors leading to the current discontent: one is of course the blows to capitalism caused by the banking crisis of a few years ago,. Funnily enough I reckon another is social media - discontent can spread a lot more quickly and people increasingy expect simplistic and quick solutions to everything.
That said, someone once said that fascism and authoritarianism spring from when a group which perceives itself as the majority in a society feels under threat from minorities or outsiders, and starts blaming and eventually persecuting those "others". We currently have a lot of that rhetoric - in the UK as much as anywhere: you see it here in AnswerBank, and other forums and social media, and in the tabloid press, disgracefully, but maybe we should not get too panicky about it: if the "populists" do come to power, it is a stone cold certainty that they will mess up big style, and almost certainly become the new scapegoats.
Fascism belongs to another age.
I believe the nearest to a fascist state in the world is Russia, but even it is a long way from totalitarian.
There are several factors leading to the current discontent: one is of course the blows to capitalism caused by the banking crisis of a few years ago,. Funnily enough I reckon another is social media - discontent can spread a lot more quickly and people increasingy expect simplistic and quick solutions to everything.
That said, someone once said that fascism and authoritarianism spring from when a group which perceives itself as the majority in a society feels under threat from minorities or outsiders, and starts blaming and eventually persecuting those "others". We currently have a lot of that rhetoric - in the UK as much as anywhere: you see it here in AnswerBank, and other forums and social media, and in the tabloid press, disgracefully, but maybe we should not get too panicky about it: if the "populists" do come to power, it is a stone cold certainty that they will mess up big style, and almost certainly become the new scapegoats.
“Let us hope the EU leaders see the risk and take appropriate action so it wont happen.”
Just off to the docs to get my split sides sewn up.
There is absolutely no chance of the Euromaniacs seeing (or at least accepting) the risk. So entranced are they by their European Project (from which they will not rest, whatever damage is visited upon 500m citizens of the member nations) that they wouldn’t see an avalanche if it was 100 yards away. They cannot comprehend that anybody should disagree with their aims; those who do are discounted as “loonies”, “fruitcakes”, “Little Englanders/Italians/Germans”.
The problem is that the number of people not being listened to is growing daily. The number of concerns they have grows at a similar rate. Up to now the pack of cards has been held together by dire warnings of what will happen if you quit. If Brexit is handled properly and it is seen that not only do those warning of Armageddon fail to materialise but the grass turns out to be far greener outside the bloc, then the EU’s long overdue demise will hopefully be hastened.
To address the question, we have to be careful that so-called “popularism” (which is the latest derogatory term for voting in a way that you might get what you want but which is against the perceived wisdom) does not get escalated (by those hurling the insults) into Fascism. It’s but a small step when the chips are down.
Just off to the docs to get my split sides sewn up.
There is absolutely no chance of the Euromaniacs seeing (or at least accepting) the risk. So entranced are they by their European Project (from which they will not rest, whatever damage is visited upon 500m citizens of the member nations) that they wouldn’t see an avalanche if it was 100 yards away. They cannot comprehend that anybody should disagree with their aims; those who do are discounted as “loonies”, “fruitcakes”, “Little Englanders/Italians/Germans”.
The problem is that the number of people not being listened to is growing daily. The number of concerns they have grows at a similar rate. Up to now the pack of cards has been held together by dire warnings of what will happen if you quit. If Brexit is handled properly and it is seen that not only do those warning of Armageddon fail to materialise but the grass turns out to be far greener outside the bloc, then the EU’s long overdue demise will hopefully be hastened.
To address the question, we have to be careful that so-called “popularism” (which is the latest derogatory term for voting in a way that you might get what you want but which is against the perceived wisdom) does not get escalated (by those hurling the insults) into Fascism. It’s but a small step when the chips are down.
For the record, I also don't think Fascism will gain a foothold in Britain either.
Even in the 30's, when Fascism was fashionable and popular in Europe, it never really caught on here, despite the apparent and obvious charms of Oswald Mosley.
But that doesn't mean it won't stop trying, as it has with The NF, and The BNP, so we must be vigilant at all times.
We should remember that Fascism always attracts the same strata of society....the un-educated, and simple-minded, as Tommy Robinson and Paul Golding have found out all too quickly. Add to that a love of mindless violence, most often seen at football grounds, and its a very potent and attractive mix.
The modern proponents of Fascism have learnt to mix up feelings of nostalgia for the olden days, together with false feelings of patriotism, and the marvels of modern mass communication, courtesy of the 'net.
Even in the 30's, when Fascism was fashionable and popular in Europe, it never really caught on here, despite the apparent and obvious charms of Oswald Mosley.
But that doesn't mean it won't stop trying, as it has with The NF, and The BNP, so we must be vigilant at all times.
We should remember that Fascism always attracts the same strata of society....the un-educated, and simple-minded, as Tommy Robinson and Paul Golding have found out all too quickly. Add to that a love of mindless violence, most often seen at football grounds, and its a very potent and attractive mix.
The modern proponents of Fascism have learnt to mix up feelings of nostalgia for the olden days, together with false feelings of patriotism, and the marvels of modern mass communication, courtesy of the 'net.
Apart from the short reign of Mosley Britain has not been and never will have a tendency to fascism. It is more likely those on the left are so devastated over losing their power they label anything further right than the wet Conservatives as fascism as compared to their politics some believe it actually is.
The problem I see, Mikey, is not that true Fascism will gain a hold here. I find that extremely unlikely. The real problem is that in the same way that people who want controls on immigration are labelled racists, those who want something other than that being offered by the ruling elite are labelled Fascists. "Racist" and "Fascist" are unpleasant labels which seem all too readily applied to anybody who dos not agree with what's being offered to most EU countries at the moment.
"David H....you seem to be saying that the NF, BNP, Britain First, and the EDL are not Fascists .....or have I misunderstood you ?"
I think you have, Mikey (though no doubt David will speak for himself). The movements you mention were never more than fringe outfits with little support. I hardly think their existence amounts to the country having a "tendency to fascism"
I think you have, Mikey (though no doubt David will speak for himself). The movements you mention were never more than fringe outfits with little support. I hardly think their existence amounts to the country having a "tendency to fascism"
I don't think she's right that we would not recognise fascism: "the experts might tell us but we don't listen to experts any more" is glib and illogical. The only people not listening to the experts any more are the ...
The EDL, Britain First, Pegida, The Front National etc have either put on a veneer of respectability, or morphed into designer racists, but they fundamentally have not fooled too many people. Ultimately, if enough of us were fooled, it would probably serve us right :-)
If we do succumb to fascism it will be willingly, and it ain't going to happen
The EDL, Britain First, Pegida, The Front National etc have either put on a veneer of respectability, or morphed into designer racists, but they fundamentally have not fooled too many people. Ultimately, if enough of us were fooled, it would probably serve us right :-)
If we do succumb to fascism it will be willingly, and it ain't going to happen
Togo....only you could watch that video clip and come out with what you have said earlier this evening.
Rachel Shabi has made no mention of Muslims. And you are only concerned to shoot the messenger and ignore the message.
Is it any wonder that Fascism has made an appearance again in Britain, when there are people like you that can watch a video like his but fail to understand its meaning ?
Rachel Shabi has made no mention of Muslims. And you are only concerned to shoot the messenger and ignore the message.
Is it any wonder that Fascism has made an appearance again in Britain, when there are people like you that can watch a video like his but fail to understand its meaning ?
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