Sorry, Kinsella, But You Don't Get to Define "Fascism"

Especially not on the strength of a throw-away line from an American novelist, Sinclair Upton, about how "fascism = capitalism + murder."

The fascists, by the way, were Italian, Mussolini's crowd. Hitler's bunch were totalitarian but they were what we still like to call Nazis, sort of fascism taken to another level. And, yes, they both murdered some opponents, one far more than the other, but plenty of ideologies resort to murder and it's not the exclusive prerogative of fascists.

Here, for your edification, are three informed descriptions of fascism.  While there are various interpretations of fascism it remains an ideology best defined by its characteristics.

My critics will assure you that I'm not one to race to the defence of Tom Mulcair but, if you go through Dr. Britt's checklist you'll see the emerging signs of fascism in Mr. Trump. And remember, none of these charismatics come out of the box ringing all the bells. It's something that builds and grows but often fairly rapidly after they come to power. The trick is to spot it early and nip it in the bud.

That said, I agree that Mulcair needs to back off in demanding that Trudeau denounce Trump. We don't meddle in another country's electoral politics. Anyone who wants us to believe he's ready to lead this country should avoid this sort of stunt.

I would have much prefered to have left this as a comment on your blog but, like others who seem to cause you difficulty, I'm blocked. So, here it is, Sinclair Upton notwithstanding.