Who Are The Real Cronies And Fascists?
So often, in such a politically divided system, such as ours, in The United States, incendiary words such as Fascist, Socialist etc. are, routinely, tossed around, simply because one is opposed to a Politician, and their policies. I think it is, also, commonly accepted, throughout our population that, a Socialist or Fascist is synonymous with a murderous thug. Certainly, we have seen, throughout The 20th Century, with people like Adoph Hitler, Joseph Stalin, and Benito Mussolini, that was the case; but, the truth is, both Socialism and Fascism are nothing more then economic systems, which lends themselves very well to those thugs who are predisposed to violence. Simply put, because, such systems centralize economic Power into the hands of a few, who, at the same time, also have the Power of Government, to make Laws and Regulations.
In John T. Flynn‘s great book, “As We Go Marching,” Flynn goes into some well-researched history, in regards to the roots of Fascism, and how it took root in Italy. He also laid out several policies, instituted by the respective Government, writing, “where these elements are found, there is fascism, by whatever name the system is called.” And, the pretty ominous parallels between such systems, and policies instituted, right here, in The United States, by our own Federal Government.
By all means, please click on the above link, and review the several elements to which Flynn, astutely, listed, so that we may understand the elements that are incorporated into a Fascist system; but, for this post, I am going to focus on these four elements:
3. An economic system in which production and distribution are carried on by private owners but in accordance with plans made by the state directly or under its immediate supervision.
4. These plans involve control of all the instruments of production and distribution through great government bureaus which have the power to make regulations or directives with the force of law.
5. They involve also the comprehensive integration of government and private finances, under which investment is directed and regimented by the government, so that while ownership is private and production is carried on by private owners there is a type of socialization of investment, of the financial aspects of production. By this means the state, which by law and by regulation can exercise a powerful control over industry, can enormously expand and complete that control by assuming the role of banker and partner.
6. They involve also the device of creating streams of purchasing power by…government borrowing and spending as a permanent institution.
Do we, as Americans, want to believe that we do, indeed, have a Fascist form of Government? Of course we don’t! At least the overwhelming majority of us, I will assume, do not. But, upon reviewing the above list, can anyone, who is being completely honest with themselves, deny the parallels?
So often, far too many people equate Capitalism with Cronyism; but, the truth is that, in a truly free market economy, where there is an almost complete wall of separation between Government and Economy, a company or corporation can do very little except to create goods and services that we desire, and to compete for our money. However, when Governments create the conditions that cause, or enable corporations to jump squarely in bed with them – or to come running to them, to lobby for certain Laws or Regulations to be written, to favor their industry or company over another – then, that is when the worse forms of Cronyism occurs. In this insightful article, written by John Stossel, titled, “The real enemies of Capitalism,” Stossel made this great, and relevant, point:
“Our big government has justified its existence (at least since the Progressive Era) by claiming it is a “countervailing influence” to corporate power – when it is, in fact, incestuously entwined with corporations.”
Without devolving into Partisan Politics, and accusing one party or the other, of being more Fascist then the other, I only ask readers to review the above list, and ask yourselves, “what economic policies, or Government programs, do I support, that incorporates the above elements”? Like it or not, the truth is, as John T. Flynn, astutely wrote, way back in 1944, “where these elements are found, there is Fascism, by whatever name the system is called.”
Further Reading:
Ayn Rand: Capitalism Verses Socialism
What Can Corporations Do To Us?
Posted, originally at, The Original Republican