[Peace-discuss] Nazi ideology

[LAURIE SOLOMON]

What?  On the continuum of political philosophies bounded by left and right,
fascism is neither a centrism position between end points since Marxism and
liberal democracy do not define the end points of the political spectrum nor
mid-way between Marxism and liberal democracy. The right end of the spectrum
is typically seen as conservatism of the Edmund Burke model, which replaced
the "divine right of kings" model of conservatism in 18th century. In point
of fact, liberal democracy (or more precisely liberalism) is generally taken
as being the mid-point or centrist position on that continuum.  The fact
that the current political spectrum is screwed up and has shifted to the
right as an actuality in which what is called the far left now stands in the
center of the traditional spectrum, liberalism is situated moderately to the
right of center, and conservatism is at the far right of center with what is
currently called conservatism being on the extreme right should not be taken
as the traditional standard against which political philosophies were
classified.

Fascism - in theory - is a form of state controlled corporate capitalism in
which socialism is for the state run corporations not for the individuals or
for privately run businesses or corporations. Leaving aside styles of
conservatism, liberalism, and socialism, the degree of autocracy,
authoritarianism, or totalitarianism that any of these political
philosophies incorporate as part of their theory or in their practice is
really analytically irrelevant to their position on the political spectrum.
These features or properties are not essential or defining characteristics
of socialism, liberalism, or conservatism; and they, therefore, do not
determine their place on the political spectrum of left to right.  

In terms of dimensions, first of all, fascism was statist or collectivist as
opposed to individualist in that the State had priority over the individual;
the individual good was seen as stemming from the collective good wherein
the state purpose was to establish conditions which enabled individuals to
achieve their individual good or human potential by removing barriers to
that achievement by means of organizing and running the socio-economic and
political system in all its aspects in a way as to further and achieve the
collective good. Secondly, the rulers represented the interests of the
individuals via "virtual representation" in Edmund Burke's sense of the
phrase as opposed to "actual representation" in so far as they attended to
what the rulers felt or discerned to be in the best interests of the state
or the societal collective (i.e., nation or community) as a whole, which
would indirectly serve the best interests of the individuals who made up the
collective.  Thirdly, the source of the ruler's authority was not the result
of elections or polling of the individuals but the result of cultural
traditions, lineage and heritage, societal customs, religion, science, etc. 

-----Original Message-----
From: peace-discuss-bounces at lists.chambana.net
[mailto:peace-discuss-bounces at lists.chambana.net] On Behalf Of Bob Illyes
Sent: Monday, August 10, 2009 4:06 PM
To: peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net
Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] Nazi ideology

Fascism was seen as a middle way between Marxism and liberal democracy, and 
grew out of a fear of both of these extremes. It was neither left nor 
right. This misguided centrism had a consistently bad outcome.

Evil knows no ideology. It is its own thing. It exists on both the "left" 
and the "right". And in the middle.

Bob 

_______________________________________________
Peace-discuss mailing list
Peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net
http://lists.chambana.net/cgi-bin/listinfo/peace-discuss