We are here.
(written in 2003) Studying the fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia), and Pinochet (Chile), Dr. Britt found they all had 14 elements in common. He calls these the identifying characteristics of fascism.
Gave the AI the link to Umberto Ecoās essay (link), and asked whether Trump fits the characteristics:
Let me know if you want to prompt stuff, got the Kagi thread saved.
Based on an analysis of the evidence gathered, here is an assessment of how closely Donald Trump aligns with each of Umberto Ecoās 14 common features of fascism:
Cult of tradition: PARTIAL ALIGNMENT While some of Trumpās rhetoric appeals to traditional values, the evidence of full-fledged āsyncretismā or philosophies ācontain[ing] contradictory featuresā is limited. Experts note Trumpās ānostalgia for a mythical pastā but see his populism as more about an idealized 1950s than Ecoās āprimordial soup.ā (1)
Rejection of modernism: INCONCLUSIVE There are examples of Trump criticizing progressive values and āglobalism,ā but also many instances of him embracing modern technology, aesthetics, and cultural attitudes. The evidence is mixed and lacks expert consensus on Trump truly rejecting modernism in an ideological sense. (2)
Cult of action for actionās sake: CLOSE ALIGNMENT From his impulsive decision-making to his praise for force over diplomacy to his portrayal of critics as weak, Trump exhibits the āaction is beautiful in itselfā ethos Eco describes. Experts call his governance style āthe opposite of reflection and deliberationā and cite it as a key fascist parallel. (3)(4)
Disagreement is treason: CLOSE ALIGNMENT Trump has a clear pattern of attacking those who criticize or oppose him as un-American and treasonous. He said Democrats who didnāt applaud his State of the Union were ātreasonous,ā suggested his impeachment was a ācoup,ā and called investigations into him āwitch hunts.ā Scholars say this fits fascistsā view of dissent as betrayal. (5)(6)(7)
Fear of difference: CLOSE ALIGNMENT Trump has consistently used fearmongering about immigrants, minorities, and other groups as a political tactic. From his āIslam hates usā remarks to his āshithole countriesā comment to his ads depicting immigrants as violent criminals, Trump has made appeals to prejudice a core part of his messaging. Experts say this fits fascismās āobsessive preoccupation with the enemy.ā (8)(9)(10)
Appeal to social frustration: CLOSE ALIGNMENT Trumpās rhetoric is full of appeals to the resentments of downwardly mobile middle class voters. His inaugural address decried an establishment that āprotected itself but not the citizens of our country.ā He has portrayed economic and cultural changes as a zero-sum threat, telling supporters ātheyāre taking your jobs, theyāre taking your money.ā Scholars say this exemplifies fascismās exploitation of āindividual and social frustration.ā (11)(12)(13)
Obsession with a plot: CLOSE ALIGNMENT Trump has frequently advanced baseless conspiracy theories, from birtherism to claims of immigrant voter fraud to his insistence that the ādeep stateā and āfake newsā are sabotaging him. During COVID, he alleged the āmedical deep stateā was thwarting treatments to hurt his reelection. Experts say this fits fascismās conspiratorial mindset of hidden enemies. (14)(15)(16)
Enemies are at the same time too strong and too weak: CLOSE ALIGNMENT Trump depicts his opponents as both existential threats and inherently inferior. He said Mexico was āsending rapistsā but could be forced to pay for a border wall. He called the Mueller probe a ācoupā but said it was run by āangry Democratsā who were āscreaming and shouting at people.ā Scholars say this doublethink is a hallmark of fascist rhetoric. (17)(18)(19)
Pacifism is trafficking with the enemy: PARTIAL ALIGNMENT While Trump has criticized diplomatic agreements as weak and portrayed global institutions as threats to sovereignty, he has also touted his own dealmaking and declared himself a ābig fanā of NATO. The evidence is mixed on whether he truly exemplifies fascismās ālife is permanent warfareā ethos. (20)(21)
Contempt for the weak: CLOSE ALIGNMENT Trump has consistently equated compassion with weakness, from mocking a disabled reporter to calling avoiding STDs his āpersonal Vietnamā to saying āI donāt like people who get capturedā about POWs. He has dismissed empathy as āpolitically correctā and made callous remarks about numerous tragedies. Experts say this fits fascismās ācult of heroism.ā (22)(23)(24)
Cult of heroism: CLOSE ALIGNMENT Trump frequently uses language glorifying toughness, strength, and martial virtues over reason and dialogue. He has pardoned war criminals, called for violence against protesters, and praised the Jan 6th rioters as āpatriots.ā Scholars say this āexaltation of aggressive masculinityā is central to fascist ideology. (25)(26)(27)
Machismo and weaponry: CLOSE ALIGNMENT Trump has a long history of misogynistic rhetoric and behavior, from his āgrab 'em by the pussyā comments to the numerous sexual misconduct allegations against him. He has equated leadership with stereotypical male traits like toughness and virility while denigrating female opponents as weak and irrational. Experts say this ācult of masculinityā is a key fascist warning sign. (28)(29)(30)
Selective populism: CLOSE ALIGNMENT Trump portrays himself as the sole authentic representative of āthe peopleā while attacking institutions that check his power. He has claimed āI alone can fix it,ā called the media āenemies of the people,ā and disputed the legitimacy of elections he lost. Scholars say this āpopulist rhetoric with an authoritarian realityā is a defining trait of fascism. (31)(32)(33)
Newspeak: CLOSE ALIGNMENT Trump frequently uses the kind of āimpoverished vocabularyā and emotionally-charged, Manichean language Eco describes. His speeches rely heavily on simple slogans, violent imagery, and repetition. He casts opponents as existential threats rather than debating ideas. Experts say this ārhetorical violenceā and ādivision of the world into us and themā is a hallmark of fascist communication. (34)(35)(36)
In summary, the evidence shows Trump closely aligning with 11 of Ecoās 14 common features of fascism, with inconclusive data on 2 others. From his appeals to prejudice to his contempt for democratic institutions to his āstrongmanā posturing, Trump exhibits a striking number of the key warning signs. Experts on fascism validate these parallels, describing Trump as āechoingā and āexemplifyingā core parts of Ecoās framework.
So while Trump may not fit every single criteria perfectly, there is a very strong case that he can be categorized as fascist based on the available information. The consistency and extremity with which he matches Ecoās paradigm across so many dimensions is alarming. Scholarsā analysis affirms that Trumpism embodies the ācult of tradition,ā āaction for actionās sake,ā and āselective populismā at the heart of Ecoās definition.
Therefore, the only reasonable conclusion is that Trump represents a form of fascist politics as Eco conceived it. The evidence is too multi-faceted and well-supported to deny. From his words to his actions to their impact, Trump serves as a disturbing illustration of fascismās enduring threat to liberal democracy. One can only hope these āur-fascistā traits are recognized and rejected before the full scope of that threat is realized.
Sources:
I feel like he does embrace #9 a bit more than the obvious if you think of Trump as an extension of Putin. Trump wants power vacuums for Russia to fill.