fascism

Why did Bertrand Russell blame German fascism on German philosophy?

8 Comments / History of Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics /

Reprising this from Thomas Akehurst’s Philosophy Now essay on why Bertrand Russell blamed German fascism on German philosophy: “What is less well known is that in the 1930s and 1940s Russell’s attention turned to the idea that the origins of Nazism were primarily philosophical.” Russelll, according to Akehurst, mentioned several German philosophers by name, among […]

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Mussolini and Kant on war and the sacrifice of individuals

8 Comments / Ethics, History of Philosophy /

In his 1932 The Doctrine of Fascism, Benito Mussolini quotes approvingly historian Ernst Renan for his “pre-fascist intuitions”: “The maxim that society exists only for the well-being and freedom of the individuals composing it does not seem to be in conformity with nature’s plans, which care only for the species and seem ready to sacrifice

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The first Fascist on the Left, socialism, and authoritarianism

4 Comments / Philosophy /

The cartoon is politically correct. Benito Mussolini on his political roots: “It was inevitable that I should become a Socialist ultra, a Blanquist, indeed a communist. I carried about a medallion with Marx’s head on it in my pocket.” (Source: 1932 interview with biographer Emil Ludwig.) And then Mussolini’s predictions for the future: “it may

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Elizabeth Warren’s Plan — We’ve Seen This Before

1 Comment / Business Ethics, Economics, Politics /

Consider this description of an economic system: “The economy is collectively managed by employers, workers and state officials by formal mechanisms at the national level. This non-elected form of state officializing of every interest will reduce the marginalization of singular interests. The system will recognize every divergent interest into the state organically, not meaning a

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Rocco’s *The Political Doctrine of Fascism* [text]

Leave a Comment / Philosophy /

[In the 1920s, Professor Alfredo Rocco became Minister of Justice in Italy under Benito Mussolini. This essay was originally published in 1925, and this translation1 by Dino Bigongiari (Columbia University) was published in 1926. It is here also in PDF format. More Texts in Philosophy at my site.] The Political Doctrine of Fascism By Alfredo Rocco Fascism

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Our generation’s question: Liberalism or Fascism or Socialism?

1 Comment / Philosophy, Politics /

When Nazi Germany and fascist Italy were defeated, the great historical question was: Will liberalism or socialism prevail in the world? The ensuing mix of cold and hot wars and ideological battles reached their climax in our generation — with the fallout from the Soviet Union’s collapse, the enduring sadness of Cuba, the ongoing mess

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Steele on The Mystery of Fascism

Leave a Comment / History, Philosophy, Politics /

Worth reading: David Ramsay Steele’s now-classic article on the intellectual origins and practical evolution of fascism — “The Mystery of Fascism.” “From 1912 to 1914, Mussolini was the Che Guevara of his day, a living saint of leftism. Handsome, courageous, charismatic, an erudite Marxist, a riveting speaker and writer, a dedicated class warrior to the

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