1. Militaristic Rhetoric
Some governments use militaristic language and themes to appeal to national pride or inspire a sense of unity among citizens. This often involves glorifying war, demonizing enemies, and celebrating military victories. It can also involve the glorification of violence as a means to an end or the upholding of military virtues such as strength and power.
2. Scapegoating of Minority Groups
Fascist governments often use the rhetoric of “othering” to blame certain populations for social or economic problems. Minorities are often accused of being responsible for economic stagnation, crime, unemployment, and other issues. This forms a basis for policies that target these populations for exclusion or persecution.
3. Strong Negative Reactions to Critiques of Government Policies
In authoritarian regimes, any criticism of the government is likely to be met with strong negative reactions from the ruling powers. These can range from verbal attacks on dissidents to censorship and physical violence.
4. Censorship of Dissenting Opinions
Authoritarian regimes routinely censor those who express views contrary to the government’s official policies. This can include silencing or imprisoning those who speak out against the government, as well as removing content from newspapers, books, and other media outlets that is critical of the regime.
5. Counterfeit Elections
In some cases, elections are rigged to ensure that the favored candidate wins. This can involve voter suppression or manipulation of ballot counts in order to secure a predetermined result.
6. Fixation on National Security
Fascist governments often prioritize national security issues over civil liberties and human rights. They may target certain minority groups as potential threats to national security and deploy military force in response to perceived risks without regard for international law or human rights conventions.
7. Goverment Controlled Mass Media
In authoritarian regimes, the media is often controlled and manipulated by the government in order to propagate its views and shape public opinion. This can include the spread of disinformation, censorship of dissenting opinions, and other forms of propaganda.
8. Relegating of Minorities to Second-Class Citizens
Fascist governments often use policies or rhetoric that relegate certain minority groups to second-class citizens within their own societies. This may involve denying them equal rights or access to resources, or subjecting them to discriminatory laws or practices.
9. Suppression of Religious and Political Dissenters
A cornerstone of fascism is the suppression of any dissent from religious or political beliefs not supported by the government. This can involve punishing those who speak out against oppressive policies or stifling any criticism of the regime through censorship and other forms of repression.
10. Nationalism and Cult of Personality
Fascist governments rely on nationalism as a way to rally citizens behind their cause and create a sense of shared identity amongst its population. They also often promote a cult of personality revolving around a single leader, who is presented as an all-knowing figure capable of leading the nation to success and greatness.