On Godwin

Godwin's Law is a fairly famous 'law' from Usenet. Due to the fact that people have memories, it has also been carried over, in limited forms, to other discussion media. In short:

Godwin's Observation: The longer a thread on Usenet gets, the likelihood that Nazis will be brought up trends towards one. Such invoking is usually done as an insult to something or someone.
Godwin's Law: 1. At such time as one member of a discussion brings up Nazis, the discussion will be deemed over. 2. At such time as one member of a discussion brings up Nazis, that member will be considered to have lost the argument.

Needless to say, Godwin's Law, in the communities where it is tradition, can by itself cause great discussion.

Unfortunately, Godwin violations have been a lot more common lately. Some point to current events and cry, 'It is impossible to NOT violate!' Indeed, it is very easy to invoke that particular ghost of our past and compare our events to the rise of that particular evil power, but you don't have to.

Really, the thing that is causing everyone to get downright Aryan is really Fascism. For that you can look to Mussolini and his Black Shirts; for a quick look try here. No need to point to events in Germany. You can make your point, AND not tick off the Godwin purists! Heck, the guy coined the term "Fascism".

As for the argument itself, lets take a look at some data.

Analysis of these seven regimes reveals fourteen common threads that link them in recognizable patterns of national behavior and abuse of power. These basic characteristics are more prevalent and intense in some regimes than in others, but they all share at least some level of similarity. [I will just list the fourteen items here – see Britt’s full article for explanations, plus references.]

1. Powerful and continuing expressions of nationalism

2. Disdain for the importance of human rights

3. Identification of enemies / scapegoats as a unifying cause

4. The supremacy of the military / avid militarism

5. Rampant sexism

6. A controlled mass media

7. Obsession with national security

8. Religion and ruling élite tied together

9. Power of corporations protected

10. Power of labor suppressed or eliminated

11. Disdain and suppression of intellectuals and the arts

12. Obsession with crime and punishment

13. Rampant cronyism and corruption

14. Fraudulent elections

Cite
Now to take them point by point.

1. Powerful and continuing expressions of nationalism
When Mussolini came to power, it was to fix a government widely viewed as broken. He was a patriot who was going to Do Something about the problem. People like that sort of sentiment. Keep in mind, Mussolini came to power with the will of the people against the government.

2. Disdain for the importance of human rights
If survival of the fittest is the rule, then heck yeah. You work for the good of the state, not yourself. If you don't agree with the government, then you get eliminated.

3. Identification of enemies / scapegoats as a unifying cause
The communists in Italy were largely broken by the time Mussolini came to power, but it was still a very effective threat. Heck, that worked for the US in the 1950's and we didn't have an attempted red revolt like Italy did.

4. The supremacy of the military / avid militarism
Mussolini wanted to re-establish the Roman Empire, and for that you need to spend lots on your military. A strong foreign policy it was called.

5. Rampant sexism
More of that survival of the fittest thing. Women stay home to breed strong men!

6. A controlled mass media
Controlled, as in anything but state-run or state-sanctioned media is illegal. Many deaths over this one.

7. Obsession with national security
Keys into point number three. You have to do something about that enemy, you know. Security must be addressed!

8. Religion and ruling élite tied together
If you co-opt the religious elite, or just plain make your own religion and its own elite to go with it, it is easier to control the masses. In Italy this wasn't as big since the Vatican was Right There. It was more important in Germany.

9. Power of corporations protected
A strong economy breed a strong nation. Everyone knows that. And what better way to strengthen the economy than by protection the corporations that drive it.

10. Power of labor suppressed or eliminated
Actually, the suppression applies to ANY organized force that is not co-opted by the fascist regime. But Unions are well known for their Red leanings. See point three.

11. Disdain and suppression of intellectuals and the arts
If you have an economy to get revved up, such frivolity is not needed.

12. Obsession with crime and punishment
See point three. Also, organized crime is as much of a threat to the fascist regime as any other organized unit. The People got these bozos into power, so it is a good idea to ensure the streets are safe at night. And ironically, that's a lot easier to do in a fascist regime.

13. Rampant cronyism and corruption
This applies to any government run by the personal connections of the leader, but yeah. Rampant in this case means near total.

14. Fraudulent elections
Also not exclusive to Fascism, but common. Fraudulent in this case means that voters were pressured to vote the right way, or not at all. See point 13.

As with psychactric evaluations, multiple points need to be satisfied to qualify as 'fascist'. After Florida's election problems in 2000 people were rather frothy on point number 14. I have to challenge that assertion as the 'fraud' here was in the courts, not in the ballot box itself. An antiquated balloting system was put in the cross-hairs of battalions of lawyers and the results were predictable.

Personally, I see the seeds of five of the fourteen points listed above. 1, 3, 7, 9, and 12. An truthfully, America can get off of this list by choosing a different Chief Executive this November. The power is in our hands. As always.