Countries all throughout the West are going through a transitional period, where the ruling political class is being replaced ("populists are taking over"). The desire for meaningful change is high, and elections are close, so all the major sides (and even wild cards like Trump) believe they have a shot at winning.
Undoubtedly if Trump wins the next election we'll see the same type of thing from the Democrats, etc.
Most important though, it is far less a movement of unity than the fascist movements. The fascists certainly looked inward for enemies, but they were also looking outward, a far cry from the isolationist trends in Trumpism. — Count Timothy von Icarus
I wouldn't say they are fascist. But they may (unconsciously) hold views that conform with fascist tendencies — schopenhauer1
Many Christian literalists hold monarchy as an ideal, as that is what they expect in an afterlife. The extent to which such a view is consciously held varies, but it tends to be there to some degree as a consequence of the culture. — wonderer1
Fascism has long been absorbed into the structure of the American state, starting with FDR. It's corporatism, grand public works, state propaganda, have a frightening similarity (Wolfgang Schivelbusch – Three New Deals: Reflections on Roosevelt's America, Mussolini's Italy, and Hitler's Germany, 1933-1939) with the policies of Mussolini and Hitler. The missing element is the abject totalitarianism, although we’ve seen it rear its ugly head during the pandemic. — NOS4A2
Which “various aspects” have I missed? — NOS4A2
Hallmarks and echoes aren’t good enough, I’m afraid. One has to show that fascism is the guiding “thought and action” behind he who implements it. — NOS4A2
Ah, fascism improper. Ok — NOS4A2
The USA has an armed populace. — AmadeusD
The USA has an armed populace.
— AmadeusD
That doesn't mean anything. Most of the people who have the huge stockpiles are probably Trump supporters. — schopenhauer1
activities of his opponents — NOS4A2
I think though that a bunch of the personality cult is tongue-in-cheek. The Trump voter base seems far more concerned with their enemies than with their "glorious leader". Arguably Hillary Clinton as the embodiment of evil is as important to the Trump movement as Trump is. — Echarmion
nothing "sticks" to Trump. — schopenhauer1
An intentional or unintentional pun on the question of Fascism? — Fooloso4
Also, again, it's a slow build whereby the guardrails get taken off a bit at the time and normalized. Then use whatever norms that aren't strict laws to make decisions that work against the spirit of democratic governance, if not strictly illegal.
Like prosecuting one’s political opponents or removing them from the ballot? Given the unprecedented nature of each of these, we can watch in real time as the guardrails get removed one piece at a time. — NOS4A2
Prosecuting politicians who try to remove the guardrails off the political process (illegally asking for votes, encouraging, aiding, and not calling off a violent insurrection in the Capitol as sitting president?).
That doesn't mean anything. Most of the people who have the huge stockpiles are probably Trump supporters. — schopenhauer1
This certainly appears to me like you're not thinking very hard. — AmadeusD
Yes, I was thinking what Schop said. I don't think ownership of guns is a vaccination against fascism. — Tom Storm
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