Friendly Fascism

"Despite the sharp differences from classic fascism, there are also some basic similarities. In each, a powerful oligarchy operates outside of, as well as through, the state. Each subverts constitutional government. Each suppresses rising demands for wider participation in decision making, the enforcement and enlargement of human rights, and genuine democracy. Each uses informational control and ideological flimflam to get lower and middle-class support for plans to expand the capital and power of the oligarchy and provide suitable rewards for political, professional, scientific, and cultural supporters."

Bertram Gross

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But as I survey the entire panorama of contending forces, I can readily detect something more important: the outline of a powerful logic of events. This logic points toward tighter integration of every First World Establishment. In the United States it points toward more concentrated, unscrupulous, repressive, and militaristic control by a Big Business-Big Government partnership that—to preserve the privileges of the ultra-rich, the corporate overseers, and the brass in the military and civilian order—squelches the rights and liberties of other people both at home and abroad. That is friendly fascism.

https://archive.org/details/friendly-fascism-the-new-face-bertram-gross/page/n644/mode/1up

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"Over three decades ago, Bertram Gross wrote
'Friendly Fascism: The New Face of American Power', a prescient prediction of the coming corporate dystopia. Gross warned us that fascism always has two faces. One is paternal, benevolent, entertaining, and kind. The other is embodied in the executioner’s sadistic grin. Janus-like, fascism seeks to present itself to a captive public as a force for good and promises protection against enemies real or imagined. But defy its ideology, challenge its power, demand freedom from fascism’s iron grip, and you are confronted by the death’s head. Gross knew that if fascism, expressed through corporate tyranny, was able to effectively mask its true intentions behind its “friendly” face we would be successfully stripped of power, shorn of our most cherished rights, and impoverished. His prediction, sadly, has been realized. This book is prophetic and important."

https://archive.org/details/friendly-fascism-the-new-face-bertram-gross

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