Fascism is NOT Nationalism

In spite of efforts by the Left-Liberal – the new age Communist, to conflate two very distinct ideologies of Fascism and Nationalism, the latter continues to gain precedence over any other ideology. Nationalism poses an existential challenge to Communism and therefore it will remain on target of the Left Liberals. Nationalism is a virtuous endeavor so how does one demonize it ? By painting it into something else, into something dangerous and reprehensible.

Nationalism has been the favorite whipping boy of the Left. They try to confuse the narrative by making Nationalism synonymous to Fascism. As a result, our Nationalists are painted as Fascists, our ideology of ‘Desh Prem’ denounced as Fascism and minor instances of people protestig when someone doesn’t respect the National Anthem are described as Fascist attacks on individual liberties. Let us try to understand the difference and increase our understanding of the two concepts. Like any ideology Fascism is a complex totalitarian ideology and it cannot be dumbed down into a few lines.

The Left loves to equate Fascism with Nationalism in that both these ideologies find their roots in the past. Both seek an utopia. BUT a Fascist ideology seeks to recreate the past in the present, Nationalism seeks to create a better future that may or may not have elements of its past. Nationalism is ever evolving as the definition of a Nation keeps changing with time. Migrations change the demographics and identity of ‘who’ constitute a Nation – something a Fascist hates. A Nationalist loves the Nation and strives to take it forward to make it better. A Nationalist embraces a Nation’s diversity and is ready to fight to protect it.

In contrast, in Fascism, people are rallied into a frenzy over the need to eliminate a perceived common enemy (something that it has in common with its rival ‘Left wing’ Communism). This common enemy can be anyone the ideologues deem unfit and unworthy. Often religion and Government are intertwined in a manner that makes them inseparable. In contrast, to a Nationalist, religion is one of the many distinct aspects that define ones Nation / Motherland.

Fascism demands and enforces absolute obedience and it uses a Police force with near unlimited powers and zero accountability to enforce its views. To a Nationalist this idea of a Police state is anathema. He seeks a Nation of laws and accountability.

In a Fascist state the corporate financial power is hand in glove with the state but in a Nationalist state, the corporate is one more branch that serves the state and welfare of its people through creation of wealth and jobs.

(Courtesy : Excerpts from an Editorial on bharatvoice.in, 21^st January 2022)