for Muslims to be barred from entering the United States. This form of controversial

rhetoric has been a consistent theme during the Trump campaign. Some, including Jeb Bush’s

national security advisor, are suggesting that his political ideology resembles fascism.

So, we wanted to know, is Donald Trump actually a fascist?

Well, the problem with identifying a fascist is that the label is applied to a huge number

of differing political theories. It was actually Italy’s Benito Mussolini who's considered the founder of fascism

in 1919. In a nutshell, the ideology is based on strengthening a country through extreme

nationalism, a powerful leader, and the exclusion of “weaker” groups.

An essay by Italian philosopher, Umberto Eco, distinguishes fourteen characteristics which

are found in fascism, and have been the subject of accusations against Donald Trump.

In a nutshell, Eco says that fascism relies on a cult of tradition, while rejecting modernism.

In many ways, new ideas are seen as the beginning of modern depravity; that with a breakdown

in moral and traditional order comes chaos. It is then unsurprising that even Trump’s

slogan, “Make America Great Again” plays in line with traditionalism. And his fear

of things like the internet speaks to the fascist fear of modern depravity.

Another hallmark of fascism is anti-intellectualism. In this way, knowledgeable criticism is not

only ignored, but ridiculed. Trump says that he is “very smart”, but he has also suggested

that knowing things doesn’t make you a good leader.

Further characteristics are based on the idea that dissent and diversity are bad, and they

weaken discourse and society. Almost by definition, Eco says that fascism is racist, or at the

very least “anti-diversity”. Trump’s rampant xenophobia, within which he proposes

deporting 11 million immigrants, and blocking entry to the US for Muslims, is an open appeal

extreme nationalism.

In his presidential announcement speech, Trump latched onto another important fascist quality.

Enemies of the state are defined as being strong and needlessly wealthy. At the same

time, they are able to be brought down by a heroic, charismatic leader. For Trump, this

enemy is China, and he is that leader.

There are even more subtle aspects of Trump’s rhetoric and campaign which reflect fascist

attitudes of “machismo” and sexually demeaning mores. The way Trump speaks to and about women,

as well as in relation to other men illustrates these thoughts.

But perhaps the most identifiable aspect is what is called “the big lie”. The concept

of newspeak, for using language and discourse to support lies and half truths. Despite being

regularly called out as lying, Trump simply denies the allegations. He usually attacks

the source of the accusation, and often the media in general.

Still, despite the many similarities, some say that Trump isn’t necessarily a fascist,

but rather, an opportunist. Trump’s lack of ideological direction suggests that a vocal

portion of the US public is calling for a fascist candidate, and Trump has simply filled

that role. The scariest thought is not that Trump is a fascist, but that American voters

want one.

For a deep dive into the history of fascism and its different definitions, watch our video.

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