Decoding Fascism: A Contradiction Or A Doctrine?

I am revisiting the topic of Fascism and it's underlying Philosophy once more, correcting my previous take on the matter. Fascism often elicits diverse definitions and strong emotions, but what truly lies at its philosophical core? Answering this question is the goal of this video, dissecting the complex interplay of ideals that have shaped Fascism throughout history. We will be analyzing the philosophical underpinnings of one of the most controversial ideologies in the world, and in the end, giving it a definitive definition and way to identify it.

0:00 - Introduction
4:17 - The "Foundational" Prophets
13:21 - Rising From The Ashes
25:05 - The Fascist Revolution
28:56 - Conclusion

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Sources Used:

"The Anatomy Of Fascism" by Robert O. Paxton (Primary Source)

"The Palingenetic Core of Fascist Ideology" by Roger Griffin (Primary Source)

"Il Popolo d'Italia" by Benito Mussolini

"Oswald Spengler" by H. Hughes

"Georges Sorel: The Character and Development of His Thought" by J. R. Jennings

"Fascism: 100 Questions Asked And Answered" by Oswald Mosley

"The Greater Britain" by Oswald Mosley

"Origins and Doctrines of Fascism" by Giovanni Gentile

"For My Legionaries" by Corneliu Zelea Codreanu

"de Rivera - Anthalogy of Speeches and Quotes" by Unknown Compiler

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Music used:

Ross Bugden - Flight Hymn

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Tags:

Fascism, Benito Mussolini, National Socialism, Europe, Politics, Lavader, What is Fascism?, Oswald Mosley, British Union of Fascists, Oswald Spengler, Decline of the West, Giovanni Gentile, Roger Griffin, Communism, Corneliu Codreanu, de Rivera, Falange, Spain, Romania, Italy, Germany, Blackshirts

[SonofTiamat]

Nietzsche: "State is the coldest of all monsters. And when it says, 'I, the state, am the people, ' that is a lie!" (Paraphrased)


Mussolini: "So what you're saying is we need a big state!"

[UnrealFPS]

I like that you always make a huge difference between having just rightist views and being a fascist.

[TheWayoftheSith]

Heroic realism suggested by fascists is the virtues of duty, sacrifice, devotion and, I would personally add discipline. Not just a shared or common goals.

[rogersmith]

Oswald Spengler looks like he’s trying to catch Heisenberg.

[tylerbozinovski]

Decent video. My main critique is that you characterised the ideology as "fascism", rather than "Third Positionism", since fascism and Nazism are just two separate branches of that same movement.

[nachtwandeling]

Was surprised Hegel wasn't mentioned in this vid. Some of his ideas about the State are fundamental for Fascism.

[DjDeadpig]

That was certainly a shock!

Didn’t expect a video at this time. Thanks for uploading at this time. Just finished my core set of mock exams so this will cheer me up.

[TheWayoftheSith]

Also Origins and Doctrine of Fascism by Giovanni Gentile is considered the grand father of fascism.

[wombraider]

(National syndicalism with a philosophy of actualism.) you also cannot forget the goal to bridge the antithesis between labour and capital via the state as a unifying force.

[mrsentencename]

"Fascism is an ideology of contradictions because its always willing to contradict itself if it means it will get more power and influence"

For me this is most ideologies. The Marxists are similar nor exempt and follow the same ideas, particularly around supposedly 'breaking the barriers between the elite'. I love how you understand this just like me. Many try and deny it but these 20th century collectivist ideologies are all equal in this thinking in my opinion.

On palingenesis, the idea of 'perpetual struggle', 'progressive action', a constant revolution if you will, are all common themes between them. There was a debate between academics on whether the national socialists were revolutionaries or not, modernistic or anti modernistic. They themselves believed themselves to be both prior, but no matter your conclusion you can see the common theme of contradiction within their thinking.

Marxists seem to get a pass on this which irks me, but in reality they are no different. This ultimately means I'm a fascist in their eyes, but they call anyone who doesn't agree with them either 'fascists' or 'reactionaries' while denying their ideological routes. This goes for the fascists aswell, which highlights another similarity. Non are distinct in that regard. I think fascism is nothing but a heresy of Marxism and a branch evolved from it. Even Mussolini and his followers admit this fact. It's complicated though because all individuals and their ideas are different and ideas only seem to converge when people form large politically motivated groups where the waters get muddied.

Hegel's idea of the state being a spirit of collective consciousness that binds the people within the nation and determines it's destiny seems to unite them all ideologically, but if you divert from 'the narrative' of collective ideals, you're a problem for them and need to be stamped out like a virus in the body. They saw the state as a body politic after all.

The Italian movement as a whole was nothing but a rejection of the internationalist ideas of the communists and primarily put focus on Italian national interests. Mussolini was called the Lenin of Italy. All of them are against 'capitalism' or at least what they viewed it to be.

I'm still studying the subject so this is just my conclusion so far but love the insight.

[ramen]

Day 6 of asking you to do a video on Franco and the Falangists

[TheWayoftheSith]

I think mustache man also read Martin Heidegger, Oswald Spengler and Alfred Rosenberg. Like Myth of the 20th Century, Hour of Decision, Prussianism and Socialism, The Decline of the West, and Being and Time. The traditional and rightwing books of the time.

[Wendeta-hqcp]

I love this! I'm so glad you revisited this!

[Konrad_Festung]

Excellent video - very proud of Lavader for following up his previous video and admitting his mistakes. Very few would do that.

My hat off to you sir.

I found the definition at the end to be pretty accurate and in accordance with my own understanding.

[pmmemes]

As a fascist this video was very interesting 👍🏿

[SonofTiamat]

27:15 The state declaring imminent domain on your personhood

[audrius]

National socialism IS NOT fascism, yes there are similarities but they are significantly different

[marshall_zhukov]

The good ending for our civilization will not be fascist, but it'll look just like it

[mrgreybrownin]

I appreciate the writing and wording of your video. Phrasing it like you're going back to correct yourself and expand on the thoughts.
Good vibes.

[theMOCmaster]

The core of fascism is everything within the state, nothing outside the state, nothing against the state, the nation is viewed as a single organism, with a single leader as the brain, moving toward a goal, usually “Palingensis” as you say. Populism should be something more like collectivism.