Socialist or Fascist? (Thomas Sowell on Obama)

Creators Syndicate ^ | June 12, 2012 | Thomas Sowell

[jazusamo]

It bothers me a little when conservatives call Barack Obama a "socialist." He certainly is an enemy of the free market, and wants politicians and bureaucrats to make the fundamental decisions about the economy. But that does not mean that he wants government ownership of the means of production, which has long been a standard definition of socialism. What President Obama has been pushing for, and moving toward, is more insidious: government control of the economy, while leaving ownership in private hands. That way, politicians get to call the shots but, when their bright ideas lead to disaster, they can always blame those who own businesses in the private sector. Politically, it is heads-I-win when things go right, and tails-you-lose when things go wrong. This is far preferable, from Obama's point of view, since it gives him a variety of scapegoats for all his failed policies, without having to use President Bush as a scapegoat all the time. Government ownership of the means of production means that politicians also own the consequences of their policies, and have to face responsibility when those consequences are disastrous — something that Barack Obama avoids like the plague. Thus the Obama administration can arbitrarily force insurance companies to cover the children of their customers until the children are 26 years old. Obviously, this creates favorable publicity for President Obama. But if this and other government edicts cause insurance premiums to rise, then that is something that can be blamed on the "greed" of the insurance companies. The same principle, or lack of principle, applies to many other privately owned businesses. It is a very successful political ploy that can be adapted to all sorts of situations. One of the reasons why both pro-Obama and anti-Obama observers may be reluctant to see him as fascist is that both tend to accept the prevailing notion that fascism is on the political right, while it is obvious that Obama is on the political left. Back in the 1920s, however, when fascism was a new political development, it was widely — and correctly — regarded as being on the political left. Jonah Goldberg's great book "Liberal Fascism" cites overwhelming evidence of the fascists' consistent pursuit of the goals of the left, and of the left's embrace of the fascists as one of their own during the 1920s. Mussolini, the originator of fascism, was lionized by the left, both in Europe and in America, during the 1920s. Even Hitler, who adopted fascist ideas in the 1920s, was seen by some, including W.E.B. Du Bois, as a man of the left. It was in the 1930s, when ugly internal and international actions by Hitler and Mussolini repelled the world, that the left distanced themselves from fascism and its Nazi offshoot — and verbally transferred these totalitarian dictatorships to the right, saddling their opponents with these pariahs. What socialism, fascism and other ideologies of the left have in common is an assumption that some very wise people — like themselves — need to take decisions out of the hands of lesser people, like the rest of us, and impose those decisions by government fiat. The left's vision is not only a vision of the world, but also a vision of themselves, as superior beings pursuing superior ends. In the United States, however, this vision conflicts with a Constitution that begins, "We the People..." That is why the left has for more than a century been trying to get the Constitution's limitations on government loosened or evaded by judges' new interpretations, based on notions of "a living Constitution" that will take decisions out of the hands of "We the People," and transfer those decisions to our betters. The self-flattery of the vision of the left also gives its true believers a huge ego stake in that vision, which means that mere facts are unlikely to make them reconsider, regardless of what evidence piles up against the vision of the left, and regardless of its disastrous consequences. Only our own awareness of the huge stakes involved can save us from the rampaging presumptions of our betters, whether they are called socialists or fascists. So long as we buy their heady rhetoric, we are selling our birthright of freedom.

[caddie]

1.) Thomas Sowell needs nominated for a Nobel Prize in Economics or Literature, or both.

Write your mayor, Congressa$$hole, or Senator. Only elected persons can do it.

2.) Fascist, socialist, Marxist, Stalinist.

All of the above. To paraphrase the Bard, "A turd by any other name would smell as sweet."

[Lysandru]

I started comparing Obama to Mussolini back in early 2009. It's not just that I recognized fascist economic policy when I saw it(and just look at some of his totalitarian slips of the tongue).

When I read a biography of Mussolini, I was astounded at the colossal ego that the man had. Mussolini once held 8 portfolios in his government. He was totally incompetent at all of them. Fast forward to this Administration--and you get authors claiming that Obama thinks he knows more than his advisers.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

For one of the best explanations of socialism, communism, and fascism read von Hayek Road to Serfdom available as a readers digest condensed version. They are all left and fought each other for the same followers

The Road to Serfdom
(Link to the Readers' Digest Condensed Version in PDF!)

I once saw a movie set in an Ottoman palace, wherein two counselors to the Sultan see two young princes going at each other. I always think about it in reference to the “difference” between fascism and socialism, because one counselor says to the other, “They fight as only half-brothers can."

[jazusamo]

Yes...Policies, ego and expressions.

[W. W. SMITH]

On April 28 1945, at the Piazzale Loreto in Milan, Benito Mussolini and his mistress Clara Petacci were shot and hanged in a spectacle

The only true solution for infestations of leftists.

I was banned from the Reader supported news forum for suggesting that shooting a far left radical should be classified self defence. That post had over 300 thumbs down before they removed it. I was bounced by a Marc Ash, is that the famous Ash from early Free Republic history?

[Paladin2]

But Zer0 is an international fascist.

[Tainan]

Several of Hitlers, and also Mussolinis, actions were responsible for his disenfranchisement by the leftists of Europe, England and America.
Adolphs' mistreatment and invasion of Poland, which at that time was a great bastion of intellectual thought and 'progress' and thus a real obstacle for him, was part of it.
Also his siding with Franco in Spain in his fight against the communists and their tools. His siding with Franco against the Internationalistas was a major factor in their change of "heart."
Mussos' invasion of Ethiopia and attempts to turn it into a fascist raw resource supply was part and parcel of his getting on their sh*t-list. As was his devotion to Adolph when put under pressure from the leftists. Also, Musso had his problems with the strong unions in Italy - which were historically leftists/communist.

These, along with both of their crack-down on dissent from the Party line, were some of the reasons the left decided to move these two from the 'left column' over into the 'rightest column' in the records of academic history.

[JoeFromSidney]

When Obama was elected, I remarked to a Liberal friend, "Somewhere amidst the flames, Benito Mussolini and Karl Marx are laughing and slapping each other on the back."

[Caipirabob]

I never saw fascism as a construct of the right despite attempts by historians to foist it on us.

I so heartily agree with you. The case I make with leftist idiots is as follows: What did the Tea Party represent: Smaller, limited government. What does conservatism represent? Smaller, limited government. Now, what kind of government has the power to impose a specific philosophical ideology upon an entire populace with no resistance? NOT a smaller, limited government...

I lose most of them at "Tea".

[xzins]

What is the evidence that Obama is actually a communist rather than a fascist?

First, I have no doubt that Obama is behaving as a fascist now. He uses crony corporatism to the hilt.

However, his associations of the past peg him as a communist. Bill Ayers, the organizing committees of his Chicago street years, and the ideas he incorporated from his father would cause me to peg him as a communist rather than a fascist.

I imagine he despises his corporate hosts, that he really does hate the rich (who aren’t him) and that he would rather be the lone cock on the rock rather than a partner with a yard full of bantams.

Romney, on the other hand, is a full social corporatist and proud of his ties to other elites like himself.

[Pontiac]

Thanks for the short and to the point analysis

[Tainan]

Those are some quick & dirty POIs.
I think its also a significant factor that a lot of leftys were of Jewish heritage. Hitlers' maniacal obsession with all things Jewish or "Zionist" I think caused a re-think of his place on the political spectrum. They didn't want to be at the same end of the scale as him and his followers.
Just another quick thought.

[Impy]

Fascist would be technically more accurate.

But calling social democrats “socialists” is not something I oppose despite it technically being hyperbole if you go by dictionary definitions. Controlling the language is important.

[Finny]

Especially timely and valid. Late getting to reading it, but thanks for the ping, jaz. God bless Thomas Sowell.

[BelegStrongbow]

I’m late getting here also, but I have been referring to him as a fascist since at least the 2008 election cycle as have others.

And it’s been a tough sell for people who do not know the difference between National Socialist and Fascist. The MSM really has succeeded in equating the two.

Just as Orwell said they would do.

[BelegStrongbow]

I’m late getting here also, but I have been referring to him as a fascist since at least the 2008 election cycle as have others.

And it’s been a tough sell for people who do not know the difference between National Socialist and Fascist. The MSM really has succeeded in equating the two.

Just as Orwell said they would do.

[John Leland 1789]

I have never before read any author so able to define fascism in such a brief article, or so properly compare it with socialism.

We've had Dr. Sowell's books in our home since 1983, and use them in our home schooling regimen. Tremendous writer.

[TurboZamboni]

luvs me some T.S.

add me,too.

[listenhillary]

There is so much noise, bluster and crowing by political commentators that it is hard to focus and find the good stuff.

Thomas Sowell quietly and calmly leaves them in the dust with his analysis each time.

Thanks for the ping.

[CSM]

Great article. Thanks for posting it.