CFN –
“… the liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than their democratic state itself. That, in its essence, is fascism – ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power.”
Franklin D. Roosevelt, April29, 1938
In 2003, the American political scientist Laurence W. Britt published in the magazine Free Inquiry an article entitled “Fascism Anyone?” (Free Inquiry, Spring 2003-Volume 23, No. 2) After studying the political system of seven countries that have experienced periods of political dictatorship (Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, Spain under Franco, Portugal under Salazar, Greece under Papadopoulos, Chile under Pinochet and Indonesia under Suharto) the political scientist concluded that despite some differences, all these regimes have 14 common characteristics: Powerful and continuing expression of nationalism, Disdain for the importance of human rights, Identification of enemies/scapegoats as unifying cause, Supremacy of the military/avid militarism, Rampant sexism, A controlled mass media, Obsession with national security, Religion and ruling elite tied together, Power of corporation protected, Power of labor suppressed or eliminated, Disdain and suppression of intellectuals and the arts, Obsession with crime and punishment, Rampant cronyism and corruption and Fraudulent elections.
Let me add one more characteristic of totalitarian regimes to those identified by the author: The contempt for democratic institutions which are nevertheless used for the establishment of the totalitarian regime.
What struck me the most after reading the article was the resemblance to the characteristics of Canadian politics since January 2006 and even more since May 2011, when the Conservative government became a majority government with less than 40% of the votes cast. It is not difficult to find concrete examples for each of the 15 characteristics mentioned. I will content myself in mentioning a few, leaving readers the opportunity to complete the list as they please:
Two times prorogation of Parliament to avoid votes of non-confidence and loss of power; changing the operating rules of the Committees of the House of Commons; overspending to exalt nationalism celebrating the War of 1812; budget cuts and the elimination of organisations dealing with human rights, identification of socialists, liberals, progressives and environmentalists as enemies of the nation and the national interest; reckless spending, in times of economic crisis, for military equipment and military interventions abroad; control of the mass media and access to information and retaliation against those who criticise the government; excessive laws justified by the need for national security; close relationships with leaders of various religions and their use for electoral purposes; anti-union legislation and the weakening of the legislation protecting workers; many legislative changes in favor of companies and corporations and against the common good and the environment; illegal elimination of the Wheat Board in favor of big landowners and big US grain companies; control of scientific information produced by government employees and the elimination of many scientific and cultural organisations; adoption of several laws relating to criminal offenses in a context where crime rates are down; legislation addressing judicial independence by requiring judges to award predetermined sentences; thousands of partisan nominations and corrupt behaviour by government officials (among others ministers Bev Oda, Peter MacKay, Tony Clement and Christian Paradis); concentration of decision-making in the hands of the Prime Minister and Cabinet members to the detriment of the Members of Parliament; a unique lack of transparency in Canadian political history; fraudulent electoral behaviour (suppression of votes with illegal phone calls, illegal voting, financial opacity).
The majority of Canadians identify democracy as being the opportunity to vote freely and choose among candidates nominated by various parties, those who will represent and speak on their behalf for a period of time, usually four years. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms ensures a wide range of other rights which are taken for granted and considered immutable. We are convinced that those to whom we have delegated our power to decide are worthy and defend the common good and the general interest of our country. Unfortunately, the reality is very different and we risk having a rude awakening. History is full of examples but we still think that this can only happen elsewhere, not in Canada.
Nevertheless, since 2006, Canada has entered a period of profound political and social changes. These changes have been very gradual and they have been supported by an extraordinary propaganda machine that would be the envy of any totalitarian regime. Under the influence of this propaganda and overwhelmed by our daily problems (job security, consumption and debts) we are convinced that those to whom we have temporarily delegated our powers are defending our interests and those of our country. The reality is that since 2006 the opposition parties, each in turn and for partisan reasons, have been accomplices in these changes. Since the Conservative Party has had a majority in Parliament (with only 40% of the votes) the progressive forces, representing over 60% of the population, have continued their division and internal fights and thereby fostered the changes.
Under the Conservative government, Canada is formulating and implementing an all-new form of dictatorship, the democratic dictatorship. The lack of leadership and unity of progressive forces makes even sadder the establishment of the new Canadian political regime.
For now, the only good news is that all the dictatorial regimes have eventually failed and democracy has triumphed over tyranny.
Corneliu Kirjan
Free-thinking Citizen
Cornwall, Ontario
(Comments and opinions of Editorials, Letters to the Editor, and comments from readers are purely their own and don’t necessarily reflect those of the owners of this site, their staff, or sponsors.)
Time to take down Harper and his Cons!
What is it you wish to replace a democratically elected government that exercises it right to rule and run and decree Mr. Kirjan, a dictatorship that nationalizes the oil sands and all other natural resources and then corruption can run rampant at every level save those that are exposed to the government…go figure that one.
What we do need is a government that has the courage (balls if they have any) of its convictions to implement what it sees as the necessary plans to reinvent the wheel. We have needed new wheels ever since the Liberals went flat or caused all four to go flat in their last decade of running slipshod over our nation. Ships flagged out of country come to mind. Major scams and plots come to mind. Corruption at the highest levels come to mind. To what country Utopian society do you ascribe to Mr. Kirpan? Perhaps you believe a religious oligarchy is the key……..banning all who do not ascribe or believe in that religion from work, eats, music, play, freedom?
What is YOUR undisclosed resolve for nationhood Mr. Kirjan. Tell us, tell us now lest we believe you to be a crook no matter the leading government leaders.
D.W.
Cornwall
Iimpeccable, Corneliu.
@ DW – Du courage. Sometimes the truth hurts; it will also set you free.
Very thought provoking. I fear scapegoating could easily rear its head in this century with the unprecedented issue of the aging population. Just beneath the surface of many young adults’ complaints about tuition fees, debt load and poor job prospects is a palpable current of contempt.
These “only 40% who voted for Harper” people must be on the wacky weed. Go vote next time Sirhan and quit complaining.
Your wild and questionably loose use of facts and bewildering fantasy are amusing. However, you forget to realize that we need a benevolent dictator to turn back as much of the 30 years of bad judgements by Liberals and liberals as possible to save the country from the Left.
Little known facts that Cornelius believes:
-Stephen Harper cooks toast with his eyes
-Stephen Harper trancends time and space
-Stephen Harper was a Hitler Youth
-Stephen Harper went golfing and scored a hole in one, on every hole
I look forward to your critique of Mr. Chretien and Shewinigate, or how Mr. Trudeau pushed metric, multiculturism and the Official Language Act without consultation.
or Bill Davis changing the landscape in 1971 reducing the drinking age in Ontario to 18 from 21. Billions of waste in Ontario under the present “dictatorship”. Mr. McGuinty only had 48% of the vote in his riding, should he be tossed?
These are the beginning stages of fascism and the “banksters as in gansters which they are and the corporations” own Canada, the US and the entire world. There is no democracy or any republic or anything else. You do not own your house either – you are all indebted slaves. Go and read books by Naomi Wolfe and Naomi Kline and others. Go and read “The Bilderberg Group” and you will start awakening. There is plenty to read and awaken. Trudeau attended the Bilderberg meetings and others where they have plans to kill over 90% of the population and all of them are the same. Heir Harpo is even more so on this subject. Find out what is going on in the US. Do you all know that Pres. FDR of the 30’s was murdered – yes he was poisoned and even George Washington and other presidents were poisoned and I bet you didn’t hear about that. Do you know that there were 6 or 8 presidents before George Washington – yes I looked it up. I found that out from the singer Prince when I was listening to something on youtube.com. The things we learn by clicking and reading. Too many people are asleep. FDR was almost overthrown by Prescott Bush (the grandfather of G.W. Bush who was also a senator of Connecticut. Prescott along with other banksters and corporations supported Hitler during WWII and it was General Smedley Butler who reported it and it all came down. FDR said back in the 30’s era “nothing in politics just happens, you may be sure it was well planned ahead.” Research everything and learn what is going on in the world. If you are not awake on what is going on we will all be in a terrible trouble. Wake up and learn.
I agree completely with Corneliu Kirjan. It is sickening how complacent so much of the population is as we march steadily towards the cliff. We should be the most enlightened society to date, with the internet and the limitless availability of world news and history. But we’re not. Instead, most people are distracted by endless sport contests, celebrity worship, religion, fighting about which language should prevail, and on and on. Just like the Germans in the 1930s, by the time we wake up it’ll be way too late.
Ed you are right on and this is what Naomi Wolfe’s book is all about. She is friends with an elderly woman from Germany who said this is what it was like in Germany at everything that is going on today in the US. Hitler was an amazing orator and look at the living hell he brought. Don’t think it can’t happen again – my motto is “history always repeats itself” and it sure does. If you read the Bible from the old testament to the new testament everything that is happening today just like the past is repeating. People are like sheep – they follow the line to the slaughter house. Television aka boob tube, retarded tube or any other stupid name to give it is there to “program people’s brains” where they are kept entertained and dumb as a box of rocks. Education has gone right down the hill and people are coming out more stupid than ever before. Celebrities are paid big money to keep people dumb and entertained while the “banksters and the big corporations” steal everything you have. People better wake up because we are in for a mighty rude awakening that is going to happen soon – a worldwide economic depression – yes the big D like the 30’s but only a great deal worse. If you read the book by John Steinbeck called “The Grapes of Wrath” it will give you a good idea of the reality and not what was shown on the Waltons. Henry Fonda was in that film as Tom Joad. My parents and much elder sisters went through hell during those years. People really need to wake up.
Jules, the folks around here seem to be preoccupied with the language battle, beaver trapping, etc. They are the perfect distractions for those who have some community awareness. The rest have been neutralized by TV. I think ours is a lost cause.
How ’bout them Leafs anyway, eh?
Ed I have stopped watching TV going on nine years now and I have been studying what is going on for a good twelve years. I managed to pull myself completely away from the idiot box – TV. TV was brought out to put people into do do bird land so as they would not know what is going on around them. Our Canada is in very deep trouble financially and politically. There is a Bilderberg meeting being held in Chantilly Virginia on May 31 through June 2 or 3 and Alex Jones will be there bullhorning. There is an article up on Jones site today on Canada, US and Mexico integration. People don’t realize what all this is about and if the people of Cornwall feel that they are in a mess now wait just a little longer and watch what will happen along with the rest of the country. There is a book called “The Bilderberg Group” by Daniel Estullin and he even mentions Trudeau in the book. There is a man I came across some time ago that looked exactly like a big time crook and yes he is a crook alright and his name is George Green – you will see him on youtube.com. He is an investment banker and was in with Ted Kennedy, Trudeau and other dignitaries about population control, etc. etc. etc. It is about time that people wake up. The Bilderberg Group was formed by Queen Beatrix of Holland’s husband Prince Bernhardt a former SS officer under Hitler. Their son wants complete population control as well and he is a dangerous character. This meeting has to do with dignitaries and big industrialists. The people of Cornwall and even other places complain about jobs and other things but don’t realize what is really going on and why their jobs are going overseas. We are headed to third world status and this is no joke in order to compete. I read yesterday that South America is going to have oil and gas as well and that North America and South America will be self sufficient from the Middle East. With all the jobs pulling out of Cornwall this will be really detrimental to the local economy. Harpo was not being generous to Canadians about cross border shopping but instead it has to do with destroying Canada. Sure we pay a tremendous tax but in the US you pay tons of money for private health care and it doesn’t cover everything. My husband’s nephew was paying $700. US/month for himself, his wife and his three babies back in the 90’s era when they lived in Los Angeles. One Canadian lady from Toronto told me that she paid $3000. US to have her youngest born in the US and that was just the delivery. University and colleges cost a great deal more than what we pay here in Canada. People of Cornwall and beyond do not know and appreiciate how lucky they are to be living here.
Yes Harper is a dictator but I want everyone to think long and hard about something and that is when Obama was running for president he promised the people all kinds of hopes and changes and when he came in he kept G.W. Bush’s policies and he became even worse. The people call him the “manchurian candidate” after the movie with Frank Sinatra. Things are becoming a great deal worse and not just in Canada nor just the US but world wide. Soon you will all see the North American Union and the New World Order and you will also see Sunday laws apply where you cannot buy nor sell nor make any noise whatsoever. You will not be able to work on Sunday. The Vatican owns the world folks and they have the “banksters as in gangsters which they are” as they financiers and the United Nations who are their army and controllers of the New World Order. The UN is not democratic in any way and in fact they are more like a Soviet-Socialistic in nature and God help everyone because you would have no say in anything not even on the internet and people would disappear like in other countries and I want that known to people what they can face in the near future. Again Harpo is a dictator and so is Obama along with strings of others and they are put in power by the powers that be – they are selected not elected. They control both sides. Britain owns the US – the US is not a Republic and was always under the control of King George of England – the people of the US pay their taxes to England and this is something that they are not aware of and the constitution does not exist and that is why the constitution is coming apart piece by piece. Instead of your hockey games and the dumb tube you call a TV you better wake up because all hell is going to break loose gradually. There is so much more to this but I would be writing you a book.
Interesting that the unspoken is not mentionned in politics. The Liberals during their heyday political life led by the colorful and strong minded Trudeau were voted in power consecutively and fairly by the electorate.. they must have done something right for most Canadians!!!