tzimmer_history

tzimmer_history, 3 days ago

In Part I, I clarify the stakes in this debate, provide an overview of the key arguments that have been advanced by different camps, and outline why I believe that Trumpism does indeed represent a specifically American, specifically 21st-century version of fascism. 2/

https://thomaszimmer.substack.com/p/fascism-in-america

tzimmer_history, 3 days ago

The argument is not that every institution of establishment conservatism has been replaced by fascist structures. The point is that, first, fascist elements exist in a coalition with established reactionary and conservative forces and are increasingly in charge of that alliance. 3/

tzimmer_history, 3 days ago

The recent trajectory of established institutions like Claremont and Heritage is among the clearest indications we have of how much the power centers of conservative politics have radicalized, how much a lust for “counter-revolution” has come to define today’s Right. 4/

tzimmer_history, 3 days ago

I don’t think foregrounding the fascism terminology, concept, and historical analogy is the only way to adequately capture these developments. But reflecting on these tendencies as variants of fascism allows us – forces us – to properly grapple with what is happening over there. 5/

tzimmer_history, 3 days ago

The Skeptics’ position that it cannot and must not be fascism, that all fascism talk is silly, hysterical, and dangerous, relies specifically on not grappling with these tendencies. It is, in fact, built on either a lack of awareness or a deliberate decision to ignore them. 6/

tzimmer_history, 3 days ago

In Part II, I focus on how prominent leftwing intellectuals are allowing their singular, disdain-driven focus on (neo-) liberalism to completely distort their perspective on the Right. 7/

https://thomaszimmer.substack.com/p/the-anti-liberal-left-has-a-fascism

tzimmer_history, 3 days ago

In their view, Liberals are using the “fascism” bogeyman as a way to distract from their own culpability; to discipline the Left into accepting a popular front under liberal leadership; to reinvigorate the (neo-) liberal project by conjuring fears of the ultimate evil. 8/

tzimmer_history, 3 days ago

To the Skeptics, the fascism talk is intended to make people flock to the liberal cause; to expand power by using tyrannophobia as a way of entrenching liberal rule. It’s all just liberal dishonesty, self-exculpation, and self-aggrandizement that needs to be opposed aggressively. 9/

tzimmer_history, 3 days ago

The problem is that their devotion to this anti-liberal struggle has led them to propagating positions that are increasingly untethered from what is happening on the Right – sophistry in defense of a premise that is more and more at odds with empirical evidence. 10/

tzimmer_history, 3 days ago

Simplistic narratives - “The same it’s always been” vs “Trump is a complete departure” - won’t cut it. We need to grapple with both long-standing traditions and continuities, but also recent radicalizations and the extent to which they have, in fact, created something distinct. 11/

tzimmer_history, 3 days ago

The fascism concept can be helpful if we want to explore how radicalizing dynamics and long-standing tendencies have intersected, how the power and influence of different factions and ideas within the rightwing coalition have shifted. 12/

tzimmer_history, 3 days ago

Too many people start from calibrating their position by whatever the political upshot is, are making the question “Where does this place me in the discourse?” their overriding concern. We have to get the diagnosis right first.

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https://thomaszimmer.substack.com/p/the-anti-liberal-left-has-a-fascism

tzimmer_history, 4 days ago

A specific camp of leftwing intellectual Skeptics is stubbornly refusing to engage seriously with the fascism argument and the radicalizing tendencies on the Right. Their overriding concern is a political struggle against what they believe is the real enemy: The (neo-) liberal elites.

tzimmer_history, 4 days ago

In their view, Liberals are using the “fascism” bogeyman as a way to distract from their own culpability; to discipline the Left into accepting a popular front under liberal leadership; to reinvigorate the (neo-) liberal project by conjuring fears of the ultimate evil.

tzimmer_history, 4 days ago

To the Skeptics, the fascism talk is intended to make people flock to the liberal cause; to expand power by using tyrannophobia as a way of entrenching liberal rule. It’s all just liberal dishonesty, self-exculpation, and self-aggrandizement that needs to be opposed aggressively.

tzimmer_history, 4 days ago

The problem is that their devotion to this anti-liberal struggle has led them to propagating positions that are increasingly untethered from what is happening on the Right – sophistry in defense of a premise that is more and more at odds with empirical evidence.

tzimmer_history, 4 days ago

This is Part II of my deep dive into the fascism debate. Part I offered an extensive reflection on the stakes, the scholarship, the key arguments, and the politics of the question of whether or not Trumpism is best understood as fascism.

https://thomaszimmer.substack.com/p/fascism-in-america

tzimmer_history, 4 days ago

I do not make these accusations lightly. The piece is almost 5,500 words long, with lots and lots of concrete examples. Add Part I, and I wrote about 11,500 words on the fascism question in the past three days. Happy holiday weekend reading!

https://thomaszimmer.substack.com/p/the-anti-liberal-left-has-a-fascism

tzimmer_history, 5 days ago

I don’t think foregrounding the fascism terminology, concept, and historical analogy is the only way to adequately capture these developments. But reflecting on these tendencies as variants of fascism allows us – forces us – to properly grapple with what is happening over there. 20/

tzimmer_history, 5 days ago

Meanwhile, the Skeptics’ position that it cannot and must not be fascism, that all fascism talk is silly, hysterical, and dangerous, relies specifically on not grappling with these tendencies. It is, in fact, built on either a lack of awareness or a deliberate decision to ignore them. 21/

tzimmer_history, 5 days ago

The Skeptics are carelessly and/or deliberately obscuring the rightwing threat, even if that means clinging to vastly implausible claims, due to a singular devotion to fighting (neo-) liberalism as the real evil – everything else must be derided as an alarmist diversion. 22/

tzimmer_history, 5 days ago

There will be a Part II in which I will focus specifically on the Skeptics’ anti-liberal crusade and provide more concrete examples of how that has distorted their perspective. But this Part I is already over 6,000 words long, so I had to split it up.

Please consider subscribing:

https://thomaszimmer.substack.com/p/fascism-in-america