Is Trump A Fascist?
The answer tells us a lot.
Is Donald Trump a fascist? Yes, he is. But just calling him fascist is reductive. The word has lost its meaning in political discourse, particularly in America. It is now a functionally useless label. Instead, we need to understand why Trump is a fascist, how that has enabled him to rise to power, and what this means for the next four years. Only then can we ensure the future is bright.
Let’s start at the beginning. What is fascism? Well, it is hard to define.
Firstly, many confuse fascism with despotism, or being a dictator. This is why some people will point to Trump winning the 2024 election as evidence that he is not fascist. But fascism isn’t despotic from the get-go. Mussolini, who started the first explicitly fascist party in 1921, clearly demonstrates this point. He won the Italian 1924 general election by a wide margin through voter intimidation. Once in power, he disbanded democracy and became a dictator. His fascism preceded his despotism.
Even though fascism is over a century old, we have yet to get a solid definition. Unlike other political movements, fascism isn’t defined by a set of morals or political goals. In fact, many widely accepted political movements, such as populism, share political stances with fascists. This is why many dictionary definitions of fascism are…
