Quote by Frederick Douglas.
Many here, myself included, have blamed the ignorance of the voters for wanting someone like Trump as their leader and electing him. It cannot of course be denied that fascism’s support and base comes from elements in the masses themselves. There has long been an historic lack on historical truth and understanding of societal and class realities among the masses. Along with a long list of biases and beliefs that have been pandered to, encouraged and manipulated by the political classes since our earliest days.
The goal of the most of the wealthy few that dominate society has always been to keep the masses in ignorant bliss of actual history and limit their knowledge of how society and politics actually work. The best educations mostly went to the elites destined to own and operate the vast profit orientated system and businesses that run America.
MAGA has Always Been Part of America
MAGA demonstration
MAGA type jingoism along with the many lies taught about our history have always been part of American consciousness. We should not be shocked that fascism has spread like wildfire or that a significant fascist movement has developed.
At the same time, the truth and nature of our history could not be completely concealed. So it was that the economic sins born of our society had to be covered up with lies, myths and the rewriting of history.
The alienation of the working classes has been with us since the very beginnings of civilization and is primarily based on dramatic class differences and privileges. But what’s also been absorbed is an acceptance of the status quo and the rule of the wealthy couched in Darwinism, a belief in “the survival of the fittest”, which in practice is believed to mean survival of the physically strongest and most ruthless, the Trumps and Musks of our society.
Lost in America
Auto worker’s sit-down strike, 1930s
Worker solidarity has ebbed and flowed over the last century and is now at a record low point since the late 1930s and 40s.
The working classes of today cannot conceive of any other way to organize society or see themselves as a class capable of ruling it.
Marxism and related concepts, which theorized a way workers could control society, was almost impossible in principle to sell to most workers and farmers in America. They instead fantasized going into business and becoming wealthy as a way to achieve success.
How the Working Class Understands Society
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Fascism strikes industrial societies when the working class looks for a supreme, almost god-like leader to deliver them from society’s ills and sooth their fears, and when enough financial elites see these weaknesses as a road to power and help finance such a movement.
They know the masses have little faith in collective or democratic solutions and practices. They are convinced beyond all reason that the illusionary image of a strong alpha-male leader/fuhrer will deliver them to the promised land.
American fascism differs from German fascism in some important ways. Our fascist financial backers are led by a corrupted elite drunk with power from over achieving scandalous levels of wealth. They lack the wisdom or desire to care about the long term consequences. Germany had no democratic history and was economically devastated and humiliated after losing WWI, with barrels of paper money needed to buy a loaf of bread after the world economic 1929 crash, making it ripe for a man like Hitler and his Nazi Party. Media monopoly, economic corruption and Trump’s mega lies have led to our brand of fascism.
Why the Democratic Message Failed
The Democratic Party leadership is composed of a non-fascist elite which also has many wealthy backers like Trump has, but apparently today is now in a minority. It’s not, of course, a working class entity.
This leadership does not hold many of the views, perspectives, ignorances and economic fears commonly found in the working class. While the Democratic leadership may think it understands the working class, it does not. The primary campaign message delivered to the masses — i.e. restore reproductive rights, save the Constitution, preserve democratic rights and democracy, and stop Trump — was unfortunately not what many working class people wanted to hear or what was of sufficient concern to them.
Reaction Reached its Zenith in 2024
Republican media and radio stations dominate the Nation in 2024.
Despite the misreading of much of the electorate, Trump was far from achieving a true majority, getting about 31% of eligible voters. Harris got about 29 - 30 %, and an astounding 40% did not cast a vote at all. The latter demonstrating that many in the country lack confidence in both Parties.
Trump’s wealthy backers had the sympathies of both the corporate owned media and a broad backing among the billionaire classes. Plus the wide network of Republican controlled media and a powerful national radio network behind him. Trump also had 24/7 media domination, both positive and negative, for an astounding eight straight years. Those are all factors than cannot be underestimated.
You Don’t Beat Fascism by Kissing Butts
Many much smarter than I am have failed to stem the tide of fascism in their countries. I’m not sure any strategy against its irrationality, false promises, code of violence and other inherent evils is a sure fire guaranteed winner. That said, Biden and the Democrats squandered a chance to prosecute Trump immediately after January 6th and the documents thefts, and not allow the clock to run out so that Trump could be saved by a corrupted Supreme Court. Fascism only understands force and it was not applied vigorously to Trump. His butt was basically kissed, which only made matters much worse and him more dangerous. That cannot be overlooked as a major reason the election was lost.
