+ + +
Fascism (definition): “A totalitarian philosophy of government that [assigns] to the state control over every aspect of national life.” (TWT)
+ + +
14 DEFINING CHARACTERISTICS OF FASCISM (short version)
SOURCE: Lawrence Britt / Free Inquiry
[Infographic / Summary followed by Full Text]
14 DEFINING CHARACTERISTICS OF FASCISM (longer version)
Dr. Lawrence Britt has examined the fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia) and several Latin American regimes. Britt found 14 defining characteristics common to each:
1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism: Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs, and other paraphernalia*. Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays.
* View “Singapore: The Politics of Inventing National Identity,” by Stephan Ortmann
(PDF download).
2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights: Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in fascist regimes are persuaded that human rights can be ignored in certain cases because of “need.” The people tend to look the other way or even approve of torture, summary executions, assassinations, long incarcerations of prisoners, etc.
3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause: The people are rallied into a unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to eliminate a perceived common threat or foe: racial , ethnic or religious minorities; liberals; communists; socialists, terrorists, etc.
4. Supremacy of the Military: Even when there are widespread domestic problems, the military is given a disproportionate amount of government funding, and the domestic agenda is neglected. Soldiers and military service are glamorized.
5. Rampant Sexism: The governments of fascist nations tend to be almost exclusively male-dominated. Under fascist regimes, traditional gender roles are made more rigid. Divorce, abortion and homosexuality are suppressed and the state is represented as the ultimate guardian of the family institution.
6. Controlled Mass Media: Sometimes the media is directly controlled by the government, but in other cases, the media is indirectly controlled by government regulation, or sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Censorship, especially in war time, is very common.
7. Obsession with National Security: Fear is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses.
8. Religion and Government are Intertwined: Governments in fascist nations tend to use the most common religion in the nation as a tool to manipulate public opinion. Religious rhetoric and terminology is common from government leaders, even when the major tenets of the religion are diametrically opposed to the government’s policies or actions.
9. Corporate Power is Protected: The industrial and business aristocracy of a fascist nation often are the ones who put the government leaders into power, creating a mutually beneficial business/government relationship and power elite.
10. Labor Power is Suppressed: Because the organizing power of labor is the only real threat to a fascist government, labor unions are either eliminated entirely, or are severely suppressed.
11. Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts: Fascist nations tend to promote and tolerate open hostility to higher education, and academia. It is not uncommon for professors and other academics to be censored or even arrested. Free expression in the arts and letters is openly attacked.
12. Obsession with Crime and Punishment: Under fascist regimes, the police are given almost limitless power to enforce laws. The people are often willing to overlook police abuses and even forego civil liberties in the name of patriotism. There is often a national police force with virtually unlimited power in fascist nations.
13. Rampant Cronyism and Corruption: Fascist regimes almost always are governed by groups of friends and associates who appoint each other to government positions and use governmental power and authority to protect their friends from accountability. It is not uncommon in fascist regimes for national resources and even treasures to be appropriated or even outright stolen by government leaders.
14. Fraudulent Elections: Sometimes elections in fascist nations are a complete sham. Other times elections are manipulated by smear campaigns against or (character) assassination of opposition candidates, use of legislation to control voting numbers or political district boundaries, and manipulation of the media. Fascist nations also typically use their judiciaries to manipulate or control elections.
SOURCE: Lawrence Britt / Free Inquiry
+ + +
ADDITIONAL LINKS:
a) Censorship in Singapore (Wikipedia)
b) Excerpts from “Anti-colonialism. . .Operation Coldstore” (Thum Ping Tjin)
c) Is this not a mockery of democracy? (Singapore Recalcitrant)
d) Hushed Fascism, Singapore-Style (Chris Ho / Facebook)
e) Political Abuse of Psychiatry (re: Amos Yee)
f) Singapore Blogger Faces ‘Financial Ruin’ (re: Roy Ngerng / Forbes)
g) Teo Soh Lung (on “fighting back with words”) and SDP / CSJ (on “accountability“)
h) Jolly Hangman (re: human rights abuses / Alan Shadrake)
i) Exciting Conversation on Facebook
Singapore Politics: Blog 
Please learn a lesson or two from Arab Spring. It was the result of the states giving in to the hecklers in the noble name of Freedom. Now everyone there is free to killing each other. The innocents become the refugees fleeing here, fleeing there towing a team of children.
The hypocrates oath of a good government is to prevent these from happening by taking preventive actions. A hokien saying is that one doesn’t build a jamban only when the shit is almost out.
LikeLike
“The state giving into hecklers in the noble name of Freedom” ?
What? Did we witness the same events unfolding?
The state didn’t give into anything.
The people had to fight for their freedom and overthrow the state.
Resulting in the resignation of Ben Ali, the assassination of Gaddafi and Mubarak promising not to step down, which then the Muslim Brotherhood got voted in being no better than Mubarak Egyptians are still revolting against the Muslim brotherhood as many do not believe they won the elections fairly.
None of these countries, Tunisia, Lybia and Egypt were liberal democracies and had leaders who actively silenced their population’s dissent.
The lesson which most people learned from the Arab Spring is if you do not allow peaceful protest you invoke violent revolt.
LikeLike
15. Fascists are anti~communists.
LikeLike
Point number 3.
3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause: The people are rallied into a unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to eliminate a perceived common threat or foe: racial , ethnic or religious minorities; liberals; COMMUNIST; socialists, terrorists, etc.
Look up operation Coldstore and Spectrum.
The PAP accused the barisan sosalis of being communists detained them without trial and to this day none of the people detained were ever convicted of communism.
Not only does the govt make it clear it doesn’t tolerate Communism, it scapegoats people into these ideology.
LikeLike
We can also learn from “Hard Choices,” a well-written book on creating constructive, vital change.
LikeLike
Guess why So Many Singaporeans emigrated overseas since the mid to late 70s ? !!! WELL… They could see evil beyond the Glam, glitter and worthless promises made by the rulers.. They were mostly the “bright” and educated ones over whom wool could not be pulled over their eyes and today, are ever Thankful for heavenly guidance and prayers that sent them packing. Even encouragement and grand promises from Singapore High Commissioners/ Ambassadors to return “home” could not tempt them to do so……….Not even yummy Char Kuay Teow, Laksa, Chai Tau Kueh, Nasi Lemak, Indian etc alot of which can now be had overseas where many Singaporeans ? Malaysians have successfully themselves in NOT overcrowded conditions like Singapore which has become bi-lingual Mandarin/ Singlish rather than that really lovely mix of all the languages…included…….. dialects including Peranakan. Singapore has lost all it’s special & individual character that defined Singaporeans pre 1980. Today, Singaporeans abroad over the age of 40 try to avoid being identified from the island of their birth. The image that Singapore that has abroad is NOT great….superficially…successful but with NO SOUL
The only reason for Expats to return is to visit family & some food tidbits of Peranakan food not available abroad..perhaps…..very very sad AND Reasons are so obvious….oh well….for those NOT blinded by faith or misguided loyalty. Perhaps the Greedies are accumulating their millions…preparing to leave the Titanic ship. If you have the millions, any country will accept you…….FACT. I almost feel like another Prophet………..of Doom perhaps ? Unfortunately when these Greedies or descendants are forced to leave, they will emigrate to countries that have Ex Singaporeans who left to avoid the bad smell of ill gotten gains in the first place and they (Greedies) won’t be welcomed by established Singaporeans for good reason too. Yo !
LikeLike