He was a leader who held a nation in his thrall. From the excesses of empire and occupation, he arose with a voice so clear it could not but give his people hope, give his people dreams. He arose and gave them such ravishings of riches never before imagined.
He had no fixed ideology, only a vision, and an acute sense of what would work or not. He used coercive methods, stoked the fears of communist plots. But he did arise democratically. Later, he discovered that the law could be used to stop the Opposition from entering parliament. The law could be used to maintain dominance, to do wrong. Entirely legal, entirely legitimate. It helped to have an extravagant propaganda machinery at his disposal.
And he followed his vision as long as the destination was a nation strong and free.
Although he upheld the principles of private property, and his people given an illusion of private ownership, most of it belonged to the State. That is, after numerous land grabs and forced evictions. The state colluded with private capital, chanelling economic growth through top-down regulations and contracts, through prolonged working hours and suppressed wages.
State-owned enterprises controlled the economy, the labour movement was quelled in the name of unity, and the capitalist class was feted accordingly. This nationalist autarchy was an efficient blend of capitalism and socialism, a Third Way far ahead of its time, a shining emblem of a corporate state. By necessity, the masses were reduced to a kind of serfdom. Hostage to the state, servants to capital. But no matter, for the means justified the ends.
This was a society based on the doctrinal trilogy of order, discipline, and hierarchy. Based on the elites of the few and the mobilization of the masses. To this end, the elites – belonging to a certain race – had to be born. Their births and citizenship were encouraged.
On the other end, the inferior had to be prevented. Their births were reduced, residency curtailed, and some others sterilized. Of course, homosexuals were persecuted. An elitist, racist, and sexist society was thus nurtured by a state-wide eugenicist programme, determining marriage, immigration, and first birth. So as to proliferate the favoured types and races, so as to achieve a nation strong and free.
Such a nation naturally needed a strong leader. A father of founding fathers the mantle of legends and myths. And how indeed he made good his promises to make his people strong again. How triumphant they were, how prosperous, and how they loved him so. The father embodied in one people and one nation, exalted in its youths and cultivated in its men.
Such were his people then, like a flock waiting for their messiah, for national rebirth, such stirring, incandescent passions, that they were willing to condone the wrongs that he did and the evils that he wrought. Such was the compelling power of his particular fascism, the extent of their dehumanization, to have his nation so ravished by riches, so enthralled by visions, so fascinated by the always present, always beautiful fantasy of unity, of sacrifice, so as to achieve a nation strong, glorious, and free.
***
And know this story of Hitler well. The tragic intoxication of a nation with his dreams. The imperative of war. The gas chambers. A solution, as long as it worked. The means justified the ends.
(Right: Lee Kuan Yew leading the G.E Campaigning in 2006)
Even better if they were within the law – his laws. The unimaginable possibilities of evil. But he did not live happily ever after, thankfully, and gone with him was his particular fascism.
Today, even though patently-fascist organizations operate in many countries, they are few in number, generally weak, and virtually ostracized by mainstream society. To garner electoral support, they have to first de-fascistize themselves and become more moderate – such is the ideological dilemma that they face.
This containment, though, is only effective in functioning democracies. Nonetheless, it will be difficult for another Hitler to emerge. The times have changed. Gone are the days of great wars, racial domination, and imperial conquests – conditions that created a certain kind of fascism. Today, Hitler is a lesson to be learnt, but not an example to be followed.
This does not mean, however, that fascism does not manifest itself in other forms, in lesser degrees, certain qualities adopted, changing and moving along with the times. Fascism’s definitions have always been fluid; it has never been a coherent set of philosophy. Look more closely, less literally, and you might just detect its presence; transformed and reproduced into other morphologies, lambent, like a dark promise.
***
“There is, above all, the amazing stereotyping of all the fascist propaganda material known to us. Not only does each individual speaker incessantly repeat the same pattern again and again, but different speakers use the same clichés. Most importantly, of course, is the dichotomy of black and white, foe and friend.”
– Theodor Adorno, Anti-Semitism and Fascist Propaganda
And the essential face of fascism remains the same: the cult of leadership and its coterie of yes-men, elite rule and mass mobilization, authoritarianism and a depoliticized bureaucracy, assertive nationalism, statist economics, a propagandistic mass media, and an emasculated labour movement (thereby enjoying the support of the rich).
More dangerously: the ruling elites’ belief of an innate human inequality, of socio-biological eugenics, state-sanctioned executions, the inculcation of military virtues, the insidious sense of siege, a nation if not preparing for war, at war, then ever-ready to wage a war – all inoculated in the name of efficiency and advancement. Of survival. Totalizing state power for an ultimate vision of utopia, for fascism is after all a politics of vision.
So the stirring mass displays of precision and one-ness, the impressive weaponry and grand infrastructure, the fireworks that swathe the sky and surge one’s heart, and of course, always, the timeless image of the messiah. In all these, the youth on the centre-stage, the Father’s youths, for fascism exalts the youth.
Like the National Day 2009 music video “What do you see?” with a curious, conspicuous absence of the old, as if the nation consists only of young, smiling boys and girls, precious children of the State. Like the old who ‘would not conveniently die off’, labeled too, inhumanely, as a ‘silver tsunami’. Such illuminating connotations of obstinacy, of recalcitrance, of catastrophe associated with the elderly.
“All fascist agitators dwell upon the imminence of catastrophes of some kind. Whereas they warn of impending danger, they and their listeners get a thrill out of the idea of inevitable doom.”
– Theodor Adorno, Anti-Semitism and Fascist Propaganda
Or else, or perdition looms. The nation is always in peril.
In fascist regimes, where individual lives are insignificant, it is unsurprising that citizens are treated with contempt, offenders punished punitively, criminals executed swiftly, for brutal regimes breed a brutal people.
(Left: Life in Singapore City Centre, Photo Credit: Timo Sippala)
Of course, the people soothe themselves (but what else can they do?): it’s a necessary evil, it’s for the greater good, lest the great nation falls. It’s that smell of blood and the thrill of doom.
But fascism doesn’t just flourish in authoritarian regimes. 20th century European fascism did thrive in an era of democracy; and as recent as 2008, Austria’s far-right Freedom Party continued to win seats in its parliament – such are the disturbing signs of the times. While mainstream Austrians and the international community expressed their alarm at this development, they could do little to prevent George W. Bush’s post-9/11 America from racially profiling its citizens, passing the Patriot Act, and continually invoking the fantasy of a united nation – the fascist inflections in democratic America. But at least there were critical awareness and vigorous debates in those countries.
***
Compared to times past, much of contemporary fascism is subtler, more banal – it has avoided its previous mistakes, adopted its best practices. It helps authoritarian regimes to better themselves.
As a diffusion of capitalism – and capitalism having become a celebrated ideology the world over, splendent in its neo-liberal variant – fascism remains a potent poison. No longer just administered by military adventurism, or even the more contemporary ‘wars’ of religious extremism and the fears of terrorism, there is also now the lure of consumerist comfort. A politics of fear combined with a culture of contentment to lull us into embracing a dictatorship of competence (fascism as blithely defined by Pierre Bourdieu).
Thus, to be rich is glorious, and life is after all incomplete without shopping. In certain quarters, it can be dressed up as ‘good governance’. Fascism by any other name now comes in even more attractive versions. But fascism is fascism however demure it appears.
Thus, before we can curb what Susan Sontag has called the ‘fascist longings in our midst’, for fascism is always compelling, always alluring, we have to first be willing to countenance its banality of riches, to recognize its swastika in yet another guise, and to call it by its only rightful name. For before one submits to temptation, the temptation to its unimaginable possibilities, one is first susceptible to it. Fascism inures, it inoculates, it makes one susceptible.
Compared to its versions of past failures and full regalia, ours is a fascism that holds us tighter in its thrall. And it is not just because one lives in an authoritarian state. But that this time, it is ribboned with a smug, enticing smile: Ours is a fascism that bestows us the good life. Ours is a fascism that works.
This is the lyre and the legacy of fascism. From Third Reich to First.
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I can’t believe I’m the first to comment. But this is so passionately and wonderfully written, really, thank you so much.
What perturbs me was that when I read the first bit it seemed like LKY. Didn’t even think of Hitler. Paradigms, no?
But what could we have done otherwise? If Barisan Sosialis had succeeded but Communism/Socialism failed, would we be another footnote to the sad annals of history, a noble dream perished? Maybe it’s the limits of my pragmatist indoctrination but I prefer existing ):
There is some striking similarities between the Nazis and PAP :
1.Begin with a charismatic leader with a vision
and Cult of leadership (NDP 2009?)
2,control of the press and unions
3.Use of the laws to maintain dominance (GRCs, defamation suits, ISA
detentions)
4 Rule of the elites -scholars and connecteds in govt and GLCs)
5 Eugenics- remember that elites encouraged to have more babies and
vice versa for the less and uneducateds,
6 Authoritarian style of Govt
etc etc etc
Thanks goodness we haven’t got the gas chambers!
Dear KJ,
Congratulations for a truly magnificent piece of writing! At once thought-provoking, well-researched, illuminating and mature. The best part was that you have left its conclusions unsaid, apparently leaving the reader to evaluate his own predicament in Singapore.
Keep it up!
Gas chamber? refering to the second message. To me, i believe the whole island has become an invisible gas chamber. With the huge influx of foreigner, we are already in “gas chamber” whereby if you become obsolete, you will be wipe out by competition and rising prices. the death will not be immediate, but gradually.
@nothoodwinked
#5-really? My impression is that (I don’t know if it’s just limited to singapore) generally, this is present around the world when people call that (severely?) mentally/physically handicapped be sterilized “for their own good”, to “minimize suffering”.
I’m not sure how real it is, but I guess I agree that there’s an expectation for the elite to be together with the elite – article in ST a few years back about RGS girl dating a boy from a neighbourhood school, as if THAT’s something to squeal about.
@plopp
I didn’t even think of Hitler though I was just studying that for exams :P TOC = SG lah. haha
@ nothoodwinked,
the oldfart is one up on Hitler, he managed to deceive the international community for a long time.
i also do not recall Hitler practising nepotism, that includes past and present despots associated with oldfart.
the fact oldfart did not gas anyone made it easier for him to justify his methods.
persecute and prosecute,
breaks and bankrupts perceived opponents using the ISD and kangaroo courts.
it is befitting for oldfart to reap eternal shame in history.
Oh, qiang…qiang….qiang…… i think i hear the furious beat indicating another good show coming up….
Another one filing bankrupty ….heehee
If a poor man with a lot of money can afford a top grade lawyer but the victim could not afford any lawyer, i am sure he still can get the justice he deserves?
As the electorate become more sophisticated, Singaporeans can expect harsher restrictions placed on them.
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/KF13Ae02.html
Challenge for the opposition:
1. How to get enough credible candidates to contest all the seats at an election.
2. How to win the election. Even if opposition win 10 to 20 seats also no use. PAP still has the two thirds majority.
3. If problem #1 is unsolved, forget about winning even a few seats, let alone 10 to 20 seats.
So can challenge be overcomed? What are the chances? If for 40 over years cannot make it, can it be done in one or 2 years in time for the next election?
Now, I know I don’t shout ‘Facist’ for nothing …..
Remember the latest catchphrase? CBF (Cheaper, Better, Faster) ….!!
It sounds like the infamous slogan: ‘Arbeit macht Frei’ !
They are conducting experiments on kindergarden kids!
adolf hitler gassed 6 million Jews
while singapoor have none or near zero Jew…
so pap government have to import foreign talented Jews here just to gas them…
Well, if HE/whole country is what KKJ described, then KJ now must be in the gas chamber. changi resort or “sentosa cove”. And perhap the whole TOC team and those posting over here hanged and public displayed at city hall/padang hehe
Our opposition still living in a very dreamy state, refused get to the ground and work on the people. sigh….
Remember LKY once said that undergraduate women should give birth to more children while poor uneducated women should not?
human being,
how many and who do you think would remember this historical truth as played out in the 70s experienced only by a cross section of the citizens? Many have forgetten them and those who want to know has been given another version by the national library board – another mass medium ever so subtly altering the mind of the younger generations.
If you have come across someof the exhibits by the NLB in our libraries you will notice that the stop at two policy was due to Jek Youn Tong the Health minister at the time demanding a containment of birth rates due to Tan Tock Seng hospitalunable to cope with the demand of births.
Yes the government portray that part of history subtly that way.
What can you do about it? Jek youn tong is now death and death man can tell no lies.
It’s always possible to force one story to look like another, but it does not necessarily convey significant truth. Strong leaders are always authoritarian by definition, in philosophy, action or effect.
I think this is a silly piece. The writing talent is wasted because it is being used to shoehorn a large story into a small one, both with completely different histories and only minor and very superficial similarities.
Surely the story, if there is one, can be presented powerfully without the recourse to the Hitler narrative? If not, then either the writer is poor or the story is weak — or both.
It’s quite amazing.
Hard to believe it’s true at first.
Yet it’s quite real.
17) ~autolycus on October 25th, 2009 3.45 am
Ah yes, the belittling starts…denial always works for those unable to face truth.
Sadly, history has shown that unless we learn from the mistakes, we WILL repeat it…it’s a given. Man is not God. Man will always mess up. We’re usually able to move forward because we innovate and learn more than we mess up. However, Singapore’s a small place. I paraphrase our shining leader’s words – if we make any mistake, we’ll mess up Singapore.
Are we too late?
No!!
Let’s start our redemption by using our votes validly. Vote in some Opposition to give the PAP yes-men a run for their money.
zee #05
Can you name any democratic nation who leader that openly tell their poor and invalids not to have children and the educated to procreate more? Brown? Merkel? or Ma Yinjeou?
It may be hushed up because they all know its morally unacceptable.
Only ours have the arrogance to trumpet it and perhaps made it into a policy.
We are not God so never play with eugenics especially if you are into religion.
Nature have a way of handling the consequences.
Hitler tried to create a “Great Aryan Nation” which led to tragic consequences.
Ours trying to prevent the creation of a ” more stupid society” will not bring
us good tidings too.
gutless wrote:
“… national library board – another mass medium ever so subtly altering the mind of the younger generations. ”
So curious. Could I enquire how is the NLB altering the minds of the younger generations?
Interesting. A very Brave New World scenario but with more emphasis on the leaders than the citizens. Hmm..
A diificult piece to correlate but at least someone is finally drawing lessons from history and comparing with current events. Not easy though as most S’poreans don’t have/can’t be bothered with such depth of history; to the younger generations, history was when handphones were the size of a beer mug. Of course, some would rather see things in clear 1=1 and 2=2, and thus their small mind closes.
Like to add, without any qualifications, Hitler did built up Germany in the 1930s into a powerhouse. Unfortunately, what he built, he saw it fit that he himself had the right to destroy — Stalingrad, Tunisia, etc.. The common folk were just digits to him. Similarly, was there any consensus amongst Singporeans to have, say 36%, foreigners here? What about Singapore having the highest paid leader in the world — did we have a say? Policies were just rammed down our throats, like “father knows best”.
Besides the Nazis, valuable lessons were also learnt from their wartime Japanese Allies — Nanking massacre and comfort women never existed if one stone-walled it long enough. Like, was the 2-is-enough policy a long-term disaster to a small country with no natural resources except its people? No? Blank face? Let’s move on…
“Facism that works”? What is the writers definition of “works”?
What “works” for one person may not “work” for another.
foreigners pay more taxes and levy than singaporeans and siingaporeans should be thankful to foreigners? oh really??
singaporeans:
1) pay high income tax
2) pay high property tax
3)pay high gst
4)pay high town counsil
5)pay high SP bills
6)pay high transportation fare
7)pay high medical fee
singaporeans are force to accept lower paid jobs
so this is what basically singaporeans are paying for the rest of their life and with low income how do you expect singaporeans to have even a small amount of savings for the future to retire old age?
or is there a retire for us singaporeans? we don’t see that yet.
the pap and the goverment have made a way that singaporeans are to earn within the limit as not to allow us to have savings and our saving is in the hand of the goverment and it is up to them if they wish to give it to us or to pocket in the own banks.
with low income and no savings..singaporeans are merely a slave working harder and harder each day to survive and what we earn are basically not ours, we only see the digits of our pay but do we really own it? NO!!
this is to contain singaporeans in this country as not to allowed any of us lower income earn to flee the country. the goverment knows well what it would be is one singaporeans were to give enough money and savings.., resulting them not wanting to live in singapore and flee away. why is this so? ask the goverment!!
so this is why poor singaporeans have no choice but to accept the indirectly of human slavery and torture and to let us live in pain despite knowing that we are suffering they simply doesn’t care as all this long in their mind is….WHICH SINGAPOREANS DARE TO VOICE UP?? the answer is NONE!!
vote after vote singaporeans blindly give in and hoping the goverment will pity and the old folks and the child to help them come up in live and feel the life they dreaming to live in. but the goverment simply do not have this time for us singaporeans
all their concern is:
you work you pay us
you sick you pay us
you want a house a place of shelter you pay us
you want help? sorry goverment has no money for us singaporeans
this is what will happen if singaporeans keep voting for them and they think we fear them
singaporeans think opposition will make our life more worst.
so are our life now any good? NO!!
as lky says..look at singapore now..yes singapore is beautiful!! with casino,F1 track, hotels,lots and lots of tourist attractions,lots and lots of entertainment for tourist
and what is singaporeans citizen getting out of all this? nothing. we have to keep sweating out daily to support and give the goverment the money they need to make more of this to attract tourist, foreigner working here and to give them support and welcome them with an open heart and help them even to land here with a high paying jobs and living in luxuries properties.
we singaporeans are carrying their loads.
ukrain in the ns?well…why not put the whole china national ,indian ,vietnamese ,japanese, korean and more.. into our army? must as well call in osama bin laden to join our army too as things would be easy for singapore to be destroy in any country finger tips. is this what we call defending our country?
STUPID LEE KUAN YEW!! you are exposing our country to disaster and open our country and selling piace by piece to foreign landing here. is this the promise you made for us singaporeans to vote you for the past 50years??!!
WE WILL VOTE YOU OUT THIS TIME AND WOULD NOT CONSIDER OVER YOUR GOODIES BAGS!!
They forgot to mention:
“The People Get The Government They Deserve”.
If you pay more attention to the various political economies of the world, FASCISM is very popular that its even adopted a “softer” term — CENTRIST politics. Neither here nor there — private property, but state controlled definition of what the word “private” actually means.
The govt is there to “level the playing field” and also becomes a big player in business, finance, and now even gambling.
And the people LIKE this — begrudgingly for some –but believe (as in supernatural belief – aka “faith”) that this system of all-powerful govt who allows some free market is the best compromise and in the short to medium run, it seems to work — at the HUGE PRICE of surrendering individual freedoms and civil liberties in exchange for the state dictating what your freedoms and liberties are.
Grin and bear it. Fascism is here to stay.
PAP UBER ALLES!
HEIL HARRY!
adrenliner,
if you are truly curious my best suggestion will be not just to take my words for it. Go to NLB and request for the microfish or if you are determined enough ask for a view of those exhibits even if it might not be on display now.
I am afraid that the more I try to clarify the more confuse and curious you will be. But are you curious enough ?
It’s about Hitler? Really?
How stupid of me. It reminded me of the Sinkapoor story.
Hello,
I have no unique opinion to contribute, I found this story is true to > 50% factual, some other aspects are marginally matched in comparison.
I agree to what (25) said of the 7 points of “achievement” of PAP, That is PAY and PAY as TAX and Tax.
But, we need not to use a nick name such as “26) Matilah_Singapura”
For Singapore belongs to Singaporean, and not PAP, so we shall not curse our motherland
I need to go back and read George Orwell’s “Politics in the English Language”.
I do not see much analysis in this post but more narrative.
Here’s a link to an article ‘Is Tolerance Anathema to Fascists – the case of singapore’ (dated 17th Oct) that i strongly recommend to all
http://www.according2ed.com/2009/10/is-tolerance-anathema-to-fascists-case.html
Very thought-provoking and analytical article.
Hope you feel enlightened as much as i do.
@31) Tracy on October 29th, 2009 3.13 am
I found the link provided as lots of words but little substance. Don’t get me wrong though. In a literal sense it is certainly thought-provoking but the TOC article deals more on the practical aspects that Singaporeans are currently facing; I doubt anyone here cares about a clear definition of fascism or whatever.
The author of that link indicated his/her last experience of Singapore was in the 1980s — much have changed since then, very much. His/her notion of “we majority what” and “we minority what” is just a poopr imitation to sound Singaporean. Unfortunately, the ground situation is much more than
words in a clever (and beating-round-the-bush) piece of literacy. If you are similarly aware of what the common folk is facing now, you would certainly be enlightened.
Why I found so. The 2006 elections saw 44% of eligible voters unable to vote due to the GRC system. The GRC system is supposed to ensure “minority” representation in Parliament. But minorities are only about 22% in Singapore. Marginalizing 44% of the population for the sake of 22% certainly doesn’t sound like fascism in the sense that the author made it to be. Note that there are fair amounts of “minorities” in that 44% excluded group. Just ask to them if they feel good about the GRC system or really sore that they didn’t get to vote as citizens (aka your fascists?).
A sore point here is that large influx of foreigers are Chinese, yet the “majority” true-Singaporeans, of whatever races that had served NS is “sore” about these “minority” free-loafers. Perhaps you can give an analysis of such behavior, minus the narrative of course. Presumably of course also, you’ve gone thru NS + 13 years reservist cycle to know what everyone is talking about. So, are reservists/NSF right-wings, left-wings or….. center-backs?
Maybe the author, presumably British, should write on colony masters over their colonial servants. I understand the Brits have much experience in that field.
To Baccarat on October 28th, 2009 6.59 pm
You’re right, you don’t have anything of substance to contribute, but how great it is that you still are FREE to come an post here. Just like I am.
I do not know who this royal “we” is you refer to, but hey…I don’t and won;t tell you what language to use because your own brain (if you have one) is your business.
Thank you for making me feel welcome ;-) Come visit my blog sometime.
Matilah_Singapura!
#32 theforgottengeneration
Your definition of ‘practical’ is based on ignoring the oversights of the ongoing past and just focusing on being ‘practical’ about dealing with its consequences. You must have heard that those who don’t learn from the mistakes of the past are doomed to repeat them. So if people here are not concerned about the definition and the means by which fascism is perpetuated, then toc might as well shut down because they are actually whining about its consequences.
If you could not see this point, I wonder how much you have understood from A2ED’s article.
31) Tracy,
Thanks for the recommendation. Truly a thought-provoking article. I will also recommend his site to others.
It is only right to trace back the problem, then we will know how to tackle it. If a problem is not being addressed, the probable outcome could just be to make the best of the consequences and live with the problem. That could very well be the issue of singapore today.
32) theforgottengeneration
I do not agree with you that ‘anyone cares about a clear definition of fascism or whatever.’ Of course we care or at least I do. If we do not know the meaning then how are we going to find out the root causes and solve the problems.
One thing I have observed is that most people, especially most Chinese are only concerned on matters/issues that affect them. I have yet to see any Chinese truly fighting for the rights of the minority in singapore. And,I am also guilty of that.
#35 Tracy – Glad you have enjoyed the article. It has provided some insights how biases ‘ were institutionalised over time’.
There are four official languages : English, Malay, Mandarin and Tamil. Malay is the national language of the country. However, the government has been
promoting the use of Mandarin when English is the link between the
different ethnic groups.
In the Cost of Living Survey – Worldwide Ranking 2009, singapore has moved up three places to reach 10th. The common folk is complaining the rising costs of living, price hikes for basic necessities and GST, overpriced public housing, high inflation, depressed wages, lack of a social safety net, a job market that discriminates in favour of cheaper younger foreigners.
I truly fail to see how ‘Ours is a fascism that bestows us the good life. Ours is a fascism that works.’
#35 Maria, sorry, typo error. My apologies :)
@34) Tracy on November 1st, 2009 12.41 am
“….If you could not see this point, I wonder how much you have understood from A2ED’s article. ….”
Hi Tracy,
You have taken my comments wrongly. See my earlier post @#23 — lessons of the past/similarities do concern me, concise definitions don’t.
Maybe you could mention something PRACTICAL on how you understand the A2ED’s(?) article as applicable to Singapore’s current situation. I did provide some possibilities for future discussion in #32 – would you care to expand on those?
@35) Maria on November 1st, 2009 1.27 am
“….One thing I have observed is that most people, especially most Chinese are only concerned on matters/issues that affect them….”
I presume this is meant to Singapore. Unfortunately, I agree with this observation but I do believe this mentality was imported over the years; the real kiasi/kiasu behavior was really from foreigners & it didn’t take long for the locals to fight fire with fire. It also doesn’t help that our top leaders are setting an example by enriching themselves with obscene pay levels even in the worst recession.
However my experiences showed this need not be the case. During my NS stink, my unit had only 1 Indian and 1 Eurasian. Our vocation meant that it is statistically determinate that our life expectancy would be low in a shooting war. Yet these are the “care only for themselves” Chineses that will carry out their duty to protect any CIMO of Singapore (including those whose only concern is for a definition of fascism). Once SG males rejoin the workforce after their NS stink, I guess any patriotism just fades away when we see incidences of PRs like that Zhang Yuan Yuan flashing her IC while participating in China’s Oct 1 parade. So, no, people like me don’t need a perfect definition of fascism to understand what is going on.
Kiaxu/Kiaxi-ism, of ‘foreign origin’?
Yes, i suppose so, if ‘foreign’ refers to the ‘Chinese’.
It is, significantly, contributed to by top-down oppression leading to the formation of a culture of ‘coping’. ‘Horizontal activism’, you could call it, as opposed to a politically vibrant ‘vertical’ one. When one is relieved from political responsibility as is largely the case amongst the chinese for more than 2 millennia, as opposed to the malays or indians, kia-etc-isms becomes the means via which the consequences of popular political failure is addressed.
Your perspective on definitions being dispensable is quite an impractical one. Anyway, ‘definitions’ aren’t really the appropriate term here. Rather, the point is to explore the various means by which the ‘reality’ of the present is delivered. The issue is far more complex of course – given the sociological and psychological consequences of the oversights of the past, and how this paves the way for the emergence of greater evils thereafter. If the people in America or the west thought along your lines, the blacks will still be picking cotton, china will still be carved up by various western powers, and women will still be minding the hearth as everyone would be making the ‘practical’ best of the present and leaving along the foundations for their condition. Think about that.
That is the conventional scientific approach toward things – unless you’re saying science is irrelevant in the ‘asian democratic’ scheme of things of course.
If that is not done, then one would immediately adopt the traditional chinese way of thinking up more innovative ways to bail out the water whilst leaving politics in the hands of politicians – and hence ignoring the gaping holes that perpetuate the need to continuously bail out the water. It never ceases to amaze me how chinese of all educational levels tend to use this ‘logic’ in discounting thought-requiring and discomforting critical introspection/retrospection. You might have the support of numbers when it comes to your viewpoint, but be assured that you won’t find it in the west where such opinions generally issue forth from juveniles and the ill-educated. I suppose you’re fixated on the ‘present’ given that the ‘majority’ are the least marginalised compared to the ‘others.
And by the way, its interesting to see how you continuously gloss over the apathy of the chinese – be it in xinjiang, tibet, china and singapore…though not as applicable in the case of HK or Taiwan. Given that the chinese are generally unconcerned about anyone or anything unless it directly and blatantly affects their interests, and given how most are not concerned about how the country has been taken from everyone and basically turned into a satellite of china, it is logical to go on to assume that when they pick up arms to ‘defend the nation’, it will, in their minds, be in defence of a chinese state. One follows from the other, and any defence of the non-chinese would be incidental.
ed
a2ed.cm
postscript:
I just had to mention that, ‘fascism that works’, is indeed a very interesting article – and i enjoyed its sometimes ironical approach toward the matter.
It ties up the main factors comprising the various manifestations of the phenomenon of fascism as it had occurred in quite a few locales. It certainly summarises and brings together what one might have to go through quite a few texts for. I certainly wouldn’t say that it is ‘less insightful’ than my series on the matter. Rather, complementary might be the word as our approaches of focus is different. No one individual or text can have the final say on any matter as ‘fascism’, like any of its viral counterparts, is indeed adept at adapting to its progressive host.
ed
a2ed.com