thedailycaller | A recent Newsweek piece asked “Is Donald Trump a Fascist?” Another column at The Week (where I’m a contributing editor) is titled: “How Nietzsche explains the rise of Donald Trump.”
These are just two examples of the many “think” pieces examining the
dangerous roots behind Trump’s style and ideology (to the degree he has
an ideology). To put it mildly, the criticism transcends concerns
about populism that might have been found in William Jennings Bryan, or
even Ross Perot.
But I’m less alarmed by Trump than I am by the fact that he has
tapped into something.Trump’s gonna Trump—that’s just how it is. But the
scary part is that a pretty good slice of the public is falling
for what could (if one finds the term “fascist” to be overwrought)
fairly be described as demagoguery.
Of course, the fascist label has been bandied about as a
catch-all slur against “people we don’t like.” But it actually means
something fairly specific. And Newsweek made the case for why it’s not
an inappropriate designation for Trumpism:
In the 19th century, this penchant for industrial protectionism and mercantilism became guild socialism, which mutated later into fascism and then into Nazism. You can read Mises to find out more on how this works.
This is how strongmen take over countries. They say some true things, boldly, and conjure up visions of national greatness under their leadership. They’ve got the flags, the music, the hype, the hysteria, the resources, and they work to extract that thing in many people that seeks heroes and momentous struggles in which they can prove their greatness.
Over at The Week, Damon Linker sees a parallel to Nietzsche.
