Why Is This Fascism?

An educational glossary with 72 terms explaining fascist patterns, dogwhistles, and tactics referenced throughout the database.

A B C D E F G I L M N O P R S T U V W

Understanding Fascism

Fascism is not just a historical phenomenon—it's a recurring pattern of authoritarian politics that adapts to different contexts while maintaining core characteristics.

This glossary explains the key elements of fascism referenced throughout the database. Each entry includes historical context, modern examples, and academic sources to help you understand why specific policies, incidents, businesses, and individuals are identified as fascist.

Note: Entries in the database link to relevant glossary terms to explain the fascist characteristics they exhibit.

A

Accelerationism

ideology

The belief that hastening societal collapse through violence and chaos will enable the creation of a new order.

Explanation

Accelerationism motivates some of the most violent far-right extremism. Adherents believe democracy is irredeemable and must be destroyed through terrorism, race war, or societal breakdown. They seek to 'accelerate' collapse through mass violence, hoping to rebuild society according to fascist principles.

Historical Examples

Nazi strategy of creating crisis to seize power
Fascist use of street violence to destabilize Weimar Republic

Modern Examples

Christchurch and other white supremacist mass shootings
'Boogaloo' movement seeking civil war
Siege culture and atomwaffen ideology

Sources

The Base: Neo-Nazi Accelerationism — Southern Poverty Law Center

Anti-Democratic Behavior

behavior

Actions and rhetoric that undermine democratic institutions, norms, and processes.

Explanation

Fascism is fundamentally anti-democratic. While fascist movements may use democratic processes to gain power, they ultimately seek to dismantle democracy itself. This includes attacking election integrity, undermining independent institutions, suppressing opposition, and concentrating power in the executive.

Historical Examples

Hitler's Reichstag Fire Decree suspending civil liberties
Mussolini's March on Rome and subsequent dismantling of parliament
Erosion of democratic institutions in 1930s Europe

Modern Examples

Refusing to accept election results
Attacking judges and courts as 'enemies'
Calling free press 'enemy of the people'
Purging civil servants for disloyalty

Sources

How Democracies Die by Levitsky and Ziblatt — Political Science Research

Anti-Intellectualism

ideology

Hostility toward and mistrust of intellectuals, experts, and academic institutions.

Explanation

Fascist movements attack expertise and education as elitist, corrupt, or disconnected from 'real people.' This undermines the critical thinking and evidence-based reasoning that can expose fascist lies. Anti-intellectualism also targets universities, scientists, and journalists as enemies of the people.

Historical Examples

Nazi book burnings and purging of universities
Mao's Cultural Revolution attacking intellectuals
Pol Pot's targeting of educated Cambodians

Modern Examples

Attacks on climate science and public health expertise
Defunding universities and public education
'Do your own research' rejection of expertise
Accusations of 'liberal indoctrination' in schools

Sources

Anti-Intellectualism in American Life by Richard Hofstadter — Academic Analysis

Apocalyptic Framing

rhetoric

Rhetoric that presents political conflicts as existential struggles for survival requiring extraordinary measures.

Explanation

Apocalyptic framing raises the stakes to civilizational survival. If the enemy threatens total destruction, any measure is justified—including violence, suspending rights, or abandoning democratic norms. This eliminates space for compromise and demands total loyalty to the cause.

Historical Examples

Nazi framing of 'Jewish Bolshevism' as existential threat
Cold War nuclear apocalypse rhetoric

Modern Examples

'Flight 93 election' rhetoric
'If we lose, you'll never have a country again'
Framing elections as 'the end of America'

Sources

Ur-Fascism by Umberto Eco — Academic Essay

Authoritarianism

ideology

A form of government characterized by strong central power and limited political freedoms.

Explanation

Authoritarianism is a core component of fascism. It involves the concentration of power in a leader or elite group, suppression of opposition, and elimination of democratic checks and balances. Fascist movements seek to centralize authority while claiming to represent 'the people' against perceived enemies.

Historical Examples

Mussolini's consolidation of power in 1920s Italy
Hitler's enabling acts that granted dictatorial powers
Franco's authoritarian rule in Spain

Modern Examples

Attempts to overturn election results
Undermining independent judiciary
Attacks on free press and media

Sources

The Anatomy of Fascism by Robert Paxton — Academic Analysis

B

Blood and Soil

rhetoric

An ideology linking ethnicity ('blood') with a claimed ancestral homeland ('soil') as the basis for national identity.

Explanation

Blood and soil (German: Blut und Boden) ideology claims that authentic national identity requires both ethnic heritage and connection to ancestral land. This excludes immigrants and minorities as forever foreign regardless of citizenship. It romanticizes rural life and frames cities as corrupting influences.

Historical Examples

Nazi agrarian ideology and settler colonialism
Fascist Italy's 'Battle for Grain'
South African apartheid homeland policy

Modern Examples

'Blood and soil' chant at Charlottesville
Rhetoric about immigrants 'replacing' native populations
Claims that diversity destroys national identity

Sources

Blood and Soil by Anna Bramwell — Historical Analysis

Book Banning

policy

Government or institutional prohibition of books, typically targeting works that discuss race, LGBTQ+ identity, or challenge authority.

Explanation

Book banning attempts to control information and suppress ideas. Fascist regimes always target books—burning them in Germany, banning them in schools. Modern book bans target LGBTQ+ content, racial history, and anything that contradicts authoritarian narratives.

Historical Examples

Nazi book burnings of 1933
Index of Forbidden Books (Catholic Church)
Soviet censorship of dissidents

Modern Examples

School library book removals
Bans on teaching about racism (CRT bans)
Targeting books with LGBTQ+ characters

Sources

Banned Books - American Library Association — Library Science

C

Concentration Camps

policy

Mass detention facilities where people are held without trial, typically in harsh conditions, based on group membership.

Explanation

Concentration camps confine people based on identity (ethnicity, nationality, religion) rather than individual actions. Conditions range from harsh to lethal. While associated with Nazi death camps, concentration camps have been used by many regimes and differ from death camps in primary purpose.

Historical Examples

British camps in Boer War South Africa
Nazi concentration and death camp system
Japanese American internment during WWII

Modern Examples

Migrant detention facilities at US border
Uyghur detention camps in Xinjiang
Indefinite detention without trial

Sources

Concentration Camps: A Very Short Introduction — Oxford University Press

Conspiracy Theories

rhetoric

Explanations for events that attribute them to secret plots by powerful groups, often used to scapegoat and radicalize.

Explanation

Fascist movements rely on conspiracy theories to explain complex problems through simple villains. Whether 'international Jewry,' 'deep state,' or 'globalists,' conspiracies identify enemies, explain setbacks, and justify extreme measures. They're unfalsifiable—any counter-evidence proves the conspiracy's power.

Historical Examples

Protocols of the Elders of Zion forgery
Nazi 'Jewish Bolshevism' conspiracy
'Stab in the back' myth

Modern Examples

QAnon and its political mainstreaming
'Deep state' claims about government
'Stolen election' conspiracy

Related Terms

The Big Lie Globalist Scapegoating

Sources

A Lot of People Are Saying by Muirhead and Rosenblum — Political Analysis

Controlled Opposition

tactic

Movements or figures that appear to oppose the regime but actually serve to neutralize genuine opposition.

Explanation

Controlled opposition channels dissent into harmless forms, identifies potential threats, and discredits legitimate resistance. By controlling the opposition, regimes can manage threats while maintaining the appearance of permitting dissent. This includes co-opted leaders, infiltrated movements, and manufactured controversies.

Historical Examples

Nazi co-optation of labor unions before destroying them
Soviet use of 'loyal opposition' parties

Modern Examples

Astroturf movements posing as grassroots
Co-opted advocacy organizations
Platform amplification of ineffective opposition

Sources

Manufacturing Consent by Chomsky and Herman — Media Analysis

Corporatism

ideology

An economic and political system where major interest groups (corporations, labor, state) are integrated into governmental decision-making.

Explanation

In fascist contexts, corporatism refers to the fusion of state and corporate power where business interests and government become indistinguishable. This allows wealthy elites to influence policy while workers lose independent representation. Fascist corporatism differs from democratic corporatism by eliminating labor autonomy and democratic oversight.

Historical Examples

Mussolini's corporatist state structure in Italy
Nazi Germany's integration of industry into war production
Franco's vertical syndicates in Spain

Modern Examples

Corporate capture of regulatory agencies
Tech billionaires gaining government positions
Private prison industry influencing immigration policy

Sources

The Corporate State by Mussolini — Primary Source

Corruption Normalization

behavior

The process of making graft, bribery, and self-dealing appear routine and acceptable.

Explanation

When corruption becomes normal, it no longer disqualifies leaders. 'Everyone does it' cynicism replaces accountability. This benefits authoritarian leaders who use state power for personal enrichment while making corruption charges seem like political persecution.

Historical Examples

Nazi leadership's personal enrichment
Fascist seizure of Jewish property
Soviet nomenklatura privileges

Modern Examples

Self-dealing from government positions
'Drain the swamp' rhetoric while increasing corruption
Family enrichment through government access

Sources

Thieves of State by Sarah Chayes — Political Analysis

Crisis Manufacturing

tactic

The deliberate creation or exaggeration of emergencies to justify exceptional measures and expanded powers.

Explanation

Fascist movements thrive on crisis. When real crises don't exist, they manufacture them—through provocation, exaggeration, or outright fabrication. These 'emergencies' justify suspending normal rules, expanding executive power, and persecuting targeted groups as threats to national security.

Historical Examples

Reichstag Fire used to suspend civil liberties
Fascist violence creating 'disorder' they promised to solve
Gulf of Tonkin incident escalating Vietnam War

Modern Examples

Exaggerated claims of immigrant crime waves
Manufactured 'caravans' timed to elections
Creating crises to justify emergency powers

Sources

The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein — Political Analysis

Cult of Personality

behavior

When a leader is glorified through mass media to create an idealized, heroic image requiring devotion.

Explanation

Cult of personality replaces institutional legitimacy with personal loyalty. The leader becomes infallible—their word overrides law, their image saturates public space, criticism becomes treason. This enables authoritarianism by making the leader synonymous with the nation itself.

Historical Examples

Hitler's Führerprinzip
Mussolini's 'Il Duce' cult
Stalin's and Mao's personality cults

Modern Examples

Leader's image on merchandise and displays
'Only I can fix it' rhetoric
Personal loyalty above institutional duty

Sources

Strongmen by Ruth Ben-Ghiat — Historical Analysis

Cultural Marxism

rhetoric

A far-right conspiracy theory claiming Marxists are secretly undermining Western civilization through academia and culture.

Explanation

The 'Cultural Marxism' conspiracy theory claims that a cabal of Marxist intellectuals (often identified with the Frankfurt School and coded as Jewish) have infiltrated universities and media to destroy Western society. It's used to dismiss civil rights, feminism, and LGBTQ+ acceptance as plots rather than organic social movements.

Historical Examples

Nazi 'Kulturbolschewismus' (Cultural Bolshevism) concept
Anders Breivik's manifesto extensively cited this conspiracy

Modern Examples

Claims that universities are 'Marxist indoctrination'
'Woke' as continuation of this conspiracy theory
Jordan Peterson and other figures promoting this narrative

Sources

The 'Cultural Marxism' Conspiracy Theory — Southern Poverty Law Center

Curriculum Control

policy

Government dictation of educational content to promote state ideology and suppress critical perspectives.

Explanation

Controlling what children learn ensures future generations accept the regime's ideology. This includes mandating patriotic narratives, banning discussion of historical injustices, requiring religious content, and punishing teachers who deviate. Education becomes indoctrination.

Historical Examples

Nazi education promoting racial ideology
Soviet communist education requirements
Segregation-era 'Lost Cause' curriculum

Modern Examples

Laws banning discussion of systemic racism
'Don't Say Gay' restrictions on LGBTQ+ topics
Required patriotic education mandates

Sources

Teaching Hard History - SPLC — Educational Research

D

Dehumanization

rhetoric

Language and imagery that portrays targeted groups as less than human—as animals, vermin, diseases, or threats.

Explanation

Dehumanization is a precursor to violence. By portraying targets as subhuman, it removes moral barriers to their persecution. Terms like 'animals,' 'vermin,' 'infestation,' and 'invasion' prepare populations to accept policies they would reject if applied to fellow humans.

Historical Examples

Nazi propaganda depicting Jews as rats and parasites
Rwandan genocide radio calling Tutsis 'cockroaches'
Slave trade depicting Africans as subhuman

Modern Examples

Calling immigrants 'animals' and 'invaders'
'Infestation' language about minority communities
Portraying protesters as 'thugs' and 'terrorists'

Sources

Less Than Human by David Livingstone Smith — Psychological Research

Denaturalization

policy

The revocation of citizenship, typically targeting naturalized citizens or specific ethnic/religious groups.

Explanation

Denaturalization creates a permanent underclass of people who can never be secure in their membership in society. It has historically preceded deportation and worse. Even the threat of denaturalization intimidates communities into silence and compliance.

Historical Examples

Nazi denaturalization of German Jews (Nuremberg Laws)
Soviet stripping of citizenship from dissidents

Modern Examples

Creation of denaturalization task forces
Expanded grounds for citizenship revocation
Targeting naturalized citizens for review

Sources

You Are Not American by Amanda Frost — Legal History

Dog Whistling

rhetoric

Using coded language that appears innocent to general audiences but conveys specific meaning to target audiences.

Explanation

Dog whistles allow politicians to signal to extremist supporters while maintaining deniability. Like a whistle only dogs can hear, these terms communicate racist, antisemitic, or extremist meanings to those 'in the know' while seeming innocuous to others. This enables mainstreaming of extremist ideas.

Historical Examples

Nixon's 'law and order' campaigns
Reagan's 'welfare queen' rhetoric
'States' rights' as segregation code

Modern Examples

'Globalist' as antisemitic code
'Urban' as racial coding
'Thug' and 'illegal' as dehumanizing terms

Sources

Dog Whistle Politics by Ian Haney López — Political Analysis

E

Enemy of the People

rhetoric

A label applied to individuals, groups, or institutions portrayed as threats to the nation's interests.

Explanation

Declaring critics 'enemies of the people' transforms political opposition into treason. This framing delegitimizes journalism, courts, and political opponents as illegitimate—not people with different views but existential threats to be eliminated. It prepares the ground for persecution.

Historical Examples

Nazi persecution of 'Volksfeinde' (enemies of the people)
Soviet 'vrag naroda' (enemy of the people) label
French Revolution's use of the term

Modern Examples

Calling journalists 'enemy of the people'
Labeling political opponents as 'traitors'
Framing prosecutors and judges as 'enemies'

Sources

On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder — Political Analysis

Ethnic Cleansing

policy

The forced removal of an ethnic or religious group from a territory through violence, intimidation, or deportation.

Explanation

Ethnic cleansing aims to create ethnically 'pure' territories by removing unwanted populations. Methods include murder, forced deportation, destruction of homes and cultural sites, and creating conditions so unbearable people flee. It's distinct from genocide but often precedes it.

Historical Examples

Armenian genocide and deportations
Nazi deportations and Holocaust
Yugoslav Wars ethnic cleansing
Nakba (Palestinian displacement)

Modern Examples

Rohingya expulsion from Myanmar
Mass deportation proposals targeting ethnic groups
Destruction of minority communities

Sources

Ethnic Cleansing in the Balkans — International Criminal Tribunal

Ethnonationalism

ideology

A form of nationalism wherein the nation is defined in terms of ethnicity, with the core belief that nations are defined by a shared heritage.

Explanation

Ethnonationalism ties national identity to ethnic or racial characteristics, excluding those deemed outsiders regardless of citizenship. It underpins policies of ethnic cleansing, discriminatory citizenship laws, and the persecution of minorities. Fascist movements use ethnonationalism to create a mythologized 'pure' national identity that must be defended against 'contamination.'

Historical Examples

Nazi Germany's concept of the Aryan Volk
Croatian Ustasha's ethnic persecution
Serbian nationalism during Yugoslav Wars

Modern Examples

White nationalist movements in Western countries
Hindu nationalist policies in India
Citizenship laws based on ethnic heritage

Sources

The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine by Ilan Pappe — Historical Analysis

F

Family Separation

policy

Government policies that deliberately separate children from parents, typically used against immigrant or minority families.

Explanation

Family separation is used as punishment and deterrent against targeted populations. Removing children traumatizes families and communities, serving as a form of collective punishment. The practice has been condemned as cruel, unusual, and potentially meeting the definition of genocide.

Historical Examples

Slavery's destruction of Black families
Native American boarding schools
Nazi separation of families in camps

Modern Examples

Zero tolerance border policy separating families
Children held in detention facilities
Deported parents unable to reclaim US citizen children

Sources

Separated: Inside an American Tragedy by Jacob Soboroff — Investigative Journalism

Fourteen Words (14/88)

rhetoric

A white supremacist slogan and numerical code used to identify adherents.

Explanation

The 'Fourteen Words' ('We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children') is a core white supremacist slogan. '14' refers to this phrase; '88' means 'Heil Hitler' (H=8th letter). These codes appear in usernames, merchandise, and online content to signal white supremacist allegiance while evading detection.

Historical Examples

Coined by David Lane, member of white supremacist terrorist group The Order
Used by Nazi skinhead movements since 1980s

Modern Examples

88 and 14 in usernames and handles
1488 appearing in online content
Coded merchandise and tattoos

Sources

14 Words - Hate Symbols Database — Anti-Defamation League

G

Gerrymandering

tactic

The manipulation of electoral district boundaries to establish political advantage.

Explanation

Gerrymandering allows parties to choose their voters rather than voters choosing their representatives. By drawing districts to 'pack' or 'crack' opposition voters, ruling parties can maintain power despite minority support. This undermines representative democracy and entrenches one-party control.

Historical Examples

Post-Civil War racial gerrymandering
Elbridge Gerry's original Massachusetts district

Modern Examples

Computer-optimized partisan redistricting
Racial gerrymandering to dilute minority voting power
State legislatures overriding independent commissions

Sources

Ratf**ked by David Daley — Political Analysis

Globalist

rhetoric

A term that, while sometimes used neutrally, frequently serves as an antisemitic dog whistle for 'Jewish' or 'Jewish-controlled.'

Explanation

While 'globalist' can describe supporters of international cooperation, it increasingly functions as antisemitic code. It evokes conspiracy theories about shadowy elites (coded as Jewish) controlling the world. The term lets speakers invoke antisemitic tropes while maintaining deniability.

Historical Examples

Nazi 'international Jewry' conspiracy theories
Protocols of the Elders of Zion forgery

Modern Examples

'Globalist bankers' and 'globalist elites' rhetoric
George Soros as 'globalist' villain
'Globalist agenda' accusations against international institutions

Sources

Globalist - Hate Terms Database — Anti-Defamation League

Great Replacement Theory

ideology

A white supremacist conspiracy theory claiming that white populations are being deliberately replaced through immigration and low birth rates.

Explanation

The 'Great Replacement' conspiracy theory claims that elites (often coded as Jewish) are orchestrating the demographic 'replacement' of white people through immigration and interracial relationships. This dangerous ideology has motivated multiple mass shootings and drives mainstream anti-immigrant policies.

Historical Examples

Nazi fears of 'racial contamination'
19th century 'race suicide' panic

Modern Examples

Christchurch shooter's manifesto titled 'The Great Replacement'
Tucker Carlson's 'replacement' segments
Buffalo and El Paso shooting motivations
'White genocide' rhetoric

Sources

The Great Replacement: Analysis — Anti-Defamation League

Groomers (Anti-LGBTQ+ Dogwhistle)

rhetoric

A term falsely associating LGBTQ+ people with child sexual abuse, reviving historical blood libel tactics.

Explanation

The 'groomer' slur falsely equates LGBTQ+ identity with pedophilia. This dangerous accusation has historically preceded violence against LGBTQ+ communities. It's used to justify anti-trans legislation, book bans, and harassment while invoking 'protecting children' as cover for discrimination.

Historical Examples

Anita Bryant's 'Save Our Children' campaign (1977)
Nazi persecution of gay men as 'corruptors'
Historical accusations of homosexuals 'recruiting'

Modern Examples

'OK Groomer' rhetoric targeting teachers
'Don't Say Gay' legislation framing
Attacks on drag story hours as 'grooming'

Sources

GLAAD Anti-LGBTQ Rhetoric Report — Civil Rights Analysis

I

Illegal Alien (Dehumanizing Term)

rhetoric

Terminology that frames undocumented immigrants as inherently criminal and foreign, rather than as people in an administrative status.

Explanation

'Illegal alien' combines criminalization ('illegal') with dehumanization ('alien'). It reduces people to their immigration status and frames them as invaders rather than migrants. This language prepares public opinion for harsh enforcement policies by removing the humanity of those targeted.

Historical Examples

Historical use of 'alien' in exclusionary immigration laws
Bracero program exploitation using dehumanizing language

Modern Examples

Political rhetoric about 'illegals' and 'aliens'
Media amplification of dehumanizing terminology
'Illegal' as noun rather than adjective

Sources

No Human Being Is Illegal - UNHCR — Human Rights Framework

Institutional Capture

tactic

The process of gaining control over institutions to serve partisan rather than public interests.

Explanation

Fascist movements seek to capture and transform institutions—courts, agencies, military, police—from neutral arbiters into partisan weapons. This involves appointing loyalists, purging dissenters, and changing rules to entrench power. Once captured, institutions protect the regime rather than constrain it.

Historical Examples

Nazi Gleichschaltung (coordination) of German institutions
Fascist takeover of Italian courts and police
Stalinist purges of Soviet institutions

Modern Examples

Court-packing with ideological judges
Replacing career officials with political appointees
Weaponizing DOJ against political opponents

Sources

How Democracies Die by Levitsky and Ziblatt — Political Science Research

Invasion Rhetoric

rhetoric

Language that frames immigration as a military attack requiring defensive response.

Explanation

'Invasion' rhetoric transforms migrants seeking safety or opportunity into enemy combatants. It justifies military deployment, family separation, and lethal force as 'national defense.' This framing has directly inspired mass shooters targeting immigrant communities.

Historical Examples

Nazi 'Asiatic hordes' invasion rhetoric
Yellow Peril immigration fears

Modern Examples

'Border invasion' claims
El Paso shooter's 'Hispanic invasion' manifesto
Military deployment to border

Sources

Invasion Rhetoric - Media Matters — Media Analysis

Irredentism

ideology

A political policy advocating annexation of territories based on claims of historical ownership or ethnic composition.

Explanation

Fascist movements often claim territories based on historical grievances or the presence of co-ethnics. This justifies aggressive foreign policy and military expansion while portraying the nation as reclaiming what was 'stolen.' Irredentism has led to wars, ethnic cleansing, and international conflicts.

Historical Examples

Nazi Germany's annexation of Austria and Sudetenland
Italian fascist claims to Dalmatia and Nice
Japanese expansion into Manchuria

Modern Examples

Russian claims to Ukrainian territory
Chinese claims in South China Sea
Territorial disputes based on historical borders

Sources

Irredentism and National Identities — Academic Collection

L

Law and Order (Coded Messaging)

rhetoric

Political rhetoric that uses crime concerns to justify policies disproportionately targeting communities of color.

Explanation

'Law and order' campaigns have historically targeted civil rights movements and communities of color. The phrase signals support for aggressive policing, harsh sentencing, and surveillance of minority communities while appearing to simply support public safety. It channels racial anxieties into support for authoritarian policies.

Historical Examples

Nixon's 1968 'law and order' campaign
George Wallace's segregationist campaigns
Reagan's 'War on Drugs'

Modern Examples

'Law and order' rhetoric against BLM protests
Calls for military deployment against protesters
'Tough on crime' policies that expand incarceration

Sources

The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander — Legal Analysis

Lawfare

tactic

The weaponization of legal systems to harass, silence, or delegitimize political opponents.

Explanation

Lawfare turns the justice system into a tool of persecution. It includes frivolous lawsuits to drain opponents' resources (SLAPP suits), selective prosecution of political enemies, and using bureaucratic processes to obstruct opposition. Simultaneously, allies receive protection from legitimate legal accountability.

Historical Examples

Nazi use of courts to persecute Jews and political opponents
Soviet show trials
COINTELPRO legal harassment of activists

Modern Examples

Prosecution of journalists and whistleblowers
SLAPP suits against critics
Selective enforcement based on political affiliation

Sources

Lawfare: Law as a Weapon of War — Legal Studies

Loyalty Tests

behavior

Requirements that officials demonstrate personal fealty to a leader rather than commitment to law or constitution.

Explanation

Loyalty tests replace professional standards with personal devotion. Officials must praise the leader, defend lies, attack enemies, or prove loyalty through compromising acts. This creates complicity—once compromised, officials have no choice but continued loyalty.

Historical Examples

Nazi loyalty oaths to Hitler personally
Soviet party loyalty requirements
Fascist Italy's oath to Mussolini

Modern Examples

Firing officials who don't show personal loyalty
Demanding public praise from appointees
Punishing those who testify truthfully

Sources

On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder — Political Analysis

M

Mass Deportation

policy

The large-scale forced removal of populations from a territory, typically targeting ethnic, national, or religious groups.

Explanation

Mass deportation operations remove entire communities rather than individuals. They require massive infrastructure, often involve family separation and human rights abuses, and devastate targeted communities. Historical mass deportations have resulted in massive death tolls and generational trauma.

Historical Examples

Trail of Tears removal of Native Americans
Nazi deportations to concentration camps
Operation Wetback (1954)

Modern Examples

Proposals for deporting millions of immigrants
ICE workplace and community raids
Deportation as family separation tool

Sources

The Deportation Machine by Adam Goodman — Historical Analysis

Mass Mobilization

tactic

The organization of large numbers of people for political action, often involving rallies, demonstrations, and coordinated activities.

Explanation

Fascist movements use mass rallies and mobilization to create a sense of overwhelming power, unity, and inevitability. These spectacles intimidate opponents, energize supporters, and project strength. The crowd becomes a weapon, demonstrating the movement's ability to mobilize force.

Historical Examples

Nuremberg rallies in Nazi Germany
Mussolini's March on Rome
Fascist youth organizations and paramilitary groups

Modern Examples

Rally attendance as measure of political strength
Organized harassment campaigns online
Armed demonstrations at government buildings

Sources

The Third Reich in Power by Richard Evans — Historical Analysis

Militarism

ideology

The glorification of military power, values, and aesthetics as the highest expression of national strength.

Explanation

Fascism glorifies military culture, hierarchy, and violence as virtues. Militarism pervades fascist societies through military parades, valorization of soldiers, aggressive foreign policy, and the application of military discipline to civilian life. It also promotes the idea that war is purifying and necessary for national greatness.

Historical Examples

Nazi Wehrmacht cult and SS glorification
Italian fascist youth military organizations
Japanese bushido revival and military expansion

Modern Examples

Excessive military spending despite domestic needs
Police militarization and warrior mentality
Glorification of military intervention abroad

Sources

The Wages of Destruction by Adam Tooze — Economic History

N

Nativism

ideology

The political policy of favoring native inhabitants over immigrants and protecting the interests of natives against immigrants.

Explanation

Nativism frames immigrants as threats to jobs, culture, and security of 'native' populations. It ignores the constructed nature of national identity and the contributions of immigrants. Fascist movements weaponize nativism to build support through fear of demographic change and cultural 'replacement.'

Historical Examples

Know-Nothing Party in 1850s America
Nazi persecution of non-'Aryans'
Anti-Irish and anti-Catholic movements

Modern Examples

Anti-immigrant rhetoric about 'invasions'
Muslim bans and restrictions
'Build the wall' policies
Opposition to birthright citizenship

Sources

Strangers in the Land by John Higham — Historical Analysis

Nepotism

behavior

The practice of appointing family members and personal loyalists to positions of power regardless of qualification.

Explanation

Nepotism ensures regime loyalty over competence. By placing family members in key positions, leaders create a ruling dynasty rather than public servants. This also enables corruption, as family members can conduct business benefiting from government access.

Historical Examples

Mussolini's family involvement in government
Nazi leadership family dynasties
Authoritarian ruling families worldwide

Modern Examples

Unqualified family members in government positions
Family businesses receiving government contracts
Dynasties in political positions

Sources

Kleptopia by Tom Burgis — Investigative Journalism

O

Othering

rhetoric

The process of defining and treating people as fundamentally different and inferior based on group membership.

Explanation

Othering creates in-groups and out-groups, defining 'us' against 'them.' It treats outgroup members as inherently different, suspicious, or threatening. This psychological process underlies discrimination and violence—once someone is 'other,' normal moral constraints weaken.

Historical Examples

Nazi categorization of 'Aryans' vs. 'non-Aryans'
Colonial classifications of 'civilized' vs. 'savage'
Apartheid racial categories

Modern Examples

Muslim bans and surveillance
Treatment of immigrants as inherently criminal
Trans people as 'other' in bathroom debates

Related Terms

Dehumanization Scapegoating Nativism

Sources

Othering & Belonging Institute — UC Berkeley Research

P

Palingenetic Ultranationalism

ideology

The belief that a nation must be reborn or regenerated through a revolutionary transformation that purges decadent elements.

Explanation

Political scientist Roger Griffin identified palingenetic ultranationalism as the core of fascist ideology. It combines extreme nationalism with a myth of national rebirth—the idea that the nation has declined due to corrupting influences and must be purified and restored to a mythologized former glory. This justifies radical action against perceived enemies.

Historical Examples

Nazi vision of a 'Thousand Year Reich'
Mussolini's 'New Roman Empire'
Imperial Japan's vision of a Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere

Modern Examples

'Make America Great Again' as a rebirth narrative
Rhetoric about restoring 'Western civilization'
Claims that the nation has been corrupted by immigrants/elites

Sources

The Nature of Fascism by Roger Griffin — Academic Analysis

Parallel Structures

tactic

Creating alternative institutions that bypass legitimate democratic structures and oversight.

Explanation

When fascist movements cannot fully capture existing institutions, they create parallel ones that operate outside democratic oversight. This includes shadow governments, militias that parallel police, and media that replaces journalism with propaganda. These structures undermine legitimate authority.

Historical Examples

Nazi SS as parallel to regular military
Fascist paramilitary Blackshirts in Italy
Party structures duplicating government functions

Modern Examples

Private militias operating alongside police
Partisan media ecosystems bypassing journalism
Shadow advisory structures outside official government

Sources

The Anatomy of Fascism by Robert Paxton — Academic Analysis

Persecution of Minorities

behavior

Systematic targeting of ethnic, religious, sexual, or other minority groups through policy and violence.

Explanation

Minority persecution is central to fascism. Minorities serve as scapegoats, unifying the majority against common enemies. Persecution escalates: first rhetoric, then discrimination, then violence, potentially to extermination. Each escalation normalizes the next.

Historical Examples

Holocaust and Nazi persecution of multiple groups
Armenian Genocide
Rwandan Genocide

Modern Examples

Anti-trans legislation campaigns
Muslim surveillance and bans
State violence against minority communities

Sources

Origins of Totalitarianism by Hannah Arendt — Political Philosophy

Political Purges

behavior

The systematic removal of people from institutions based on political views or insufficient loyalty.

Explanation

Purges remove institutional resistance to authoritarian rule. By firing, prosecuting, or forcing out career professionals, purges replace expertise with loyalty. The threat of purging also intimidates remaining officials into compliance. Once purged, institutions serve the regime rather than the public.

Historical Examples

Nazi purges of civil service and judiciary
Stalin's Great Purge
McCarthyist purges of government

Modern Examples

Firing inspectors general for investigating allies
Replacing career diplomats and officials
'Schedule F' proposals to enable mass firings

Sources

How Democracies Die by Levitsky and Ziblatt — Political Science Research

Press Suppression

policy

Government actions to control, intimidate, or silence independent journalism.

Explanation

Free press threatens fascism by exposing lies and abuses. Suppression methods include revoking credentials, prosecuting journalists, lawsuits, physical attacks, and ownership concentration. State-aligned media replaces independent journalism while 'enemy of the people' rhetoric delegitimizes critics.

Historical Examples

Nazi Gleichschaltung of German press
Soviet state control of media
Fascist Italy's press censorship

Modern Examples

Revoking press credentials from critics
Prosecution of journalists under espionage laws
'Fake news' delegitimization campaigns

Related Terms

Enemy of the People Propaganda Lawfare

Sources

Press Freedom Index — Reporters Without Borders

Propaganda

tactic

The systematic dissemination of information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, to promote a political cause.

Explanation

Propaganda is essential to fascist movements. It creates an alternative reality where the leader is infallible, enemies are everywhere, and the movement represents the true will of the people. Modern propaganda exploits social media and cable news to spread disinformation at unprecedented scale.

Historical Examples

Goebbels' Ministry of Propaganda in Nazi Germany
Fascist Italy's control of media and film
Soviet and Stalinist propaganda apparatus

Modern Examples

State-aligned media amplifying government narratives
Social media disinformation campaigns
Coordinated messaging across right-wing outlets

Sources

Propaganda by Edward Bernays — Primary Source

Protest Criminalization

policy

Laws and policies that make political dissent illegal or increasingly difficult and dangerous.

Explanation

Democracies depend on the right to protest. Criminalizing dissent—through laws against blocking traffic, 'riot' charges for peaceful protesters, or immunity for drivers who hit protesters—silences opposition. Combined with militarized police response, protest becomes too risky for most people.

Historical Examples

Nazi bans on opposition gatherings
Jim Crow restrictions on civil rights marches
COINTELPRO targeting of activists

Modern Examples

Anti-protest laws passed after BLM
'Riot' charges for peaceful protesters
Driver immunity laws for hitting protesters

Sources

Arresting Dissent - PEN America — Civil Liberties Analysis

R

Race Realism

rhetoric

A euphemism for scientific racism that claims racial hierarchies are biological facts rather than social constructs.

Explanation

'Race realism' repackages debunked racial science as objective truth. It claims IQ differences, crime rates, and other social outcomes reflect innate racial characteristics rather than systemic racism. This provides pseudo-scientific justification for discrimination while allowing adherents to deny being racist.

Historical Examples

19th century 'scientific racism' and phrenology
Nazi racial science and eugenics

Modern Examples

The Bell Curve and related IQ debates
'Human biodiversity' communities online
Claims about race and crime statistics

Sources

Scientific Racism FAQ — Southern Poverty Law Center

Reactionary Traditionalism

ideology

A political stance that seeks to return society to an idealized past, rejecting progressive social changes.

Explanation

Fascism often presents itself as defending traditional values against modernity's corruption. This romanticizes a mythologized past that never actually existed—one of patriarchal families, religious conformity, and clear social hierarchies. Reactionary traditionalism opposes feminism, LGBTQ+ rights, and multiculturalism as threats to this imagined order.

Historical Examples

Nazi idealization of rural Germanic life
Fascist Italy's cult of Roman antiquity
Vichy France's 'National Revolution' emphasizing traditional values

Modern Examples

Rhetoric about 'traditional families' and gender roles
Opposition to LGBTQ+ rights as 'protecting children'
Nostalgia for pre-civil rights era

Sources

Ur-Fascism by Umberto Eco — Academic Essay

Replacement Rhetoric

rhetoric

Language suggesting that immigration and diversity policies are intentionally replacing native/white populations.

Explanation

Replacement rhetoric claims demographic change is a deliberate plot against white/native populations. It transforms normal immigration into an existential threat. This dangerous framing has been mainstreamed by cable news hosts and politicians, lending legitimacy to white supremacist terrorism.

Historical Examples

Nazi 'Volkstod' (death of the people) fears
'Race suicide' panic of early 20th century

Modern Examples

'They're replacing you' cable news segments
Political rhetoric about 'changing' America
'Native born' vs. immigrant framing

Sources

Great Replacement: Mainstreaming — Anti-Defamation League

S

Salami Tactics

tactic

A strategy of achieving goals through incremental steps, each small enough to avoid triggering resistance.

Explanation

Named for slicing off opposition 'slice by slice,' salami tactics gradually erode rights and norms. Each individual step seems minor—a small restriction, a procedural change—but cumulatively they transform the system. This avoids the backlash that dramatic changes would provoke.

Historical Examples

Nazi incremental persecution of Jews (1933-1941)
Communist takeovers in Eastern Europe post-WWII
Gradual erosion of Weimar democracy

Modern Examples

Incremental abortion restrictions designed to eliminate access
Gradual rollback of voting rights
Step-by-step expansion of surveillance powers

Sources

Origins of Totalitarianism by Hannah Arendt — Political Philosophy

Scapegoating

tactic

The practice of singling out a person or group for unmerited blame and consequent negative treatment.

Explanation

Scapegoating is a key fascist tactic. By blaming societal problems on vulnerable minorities (immigrants, religious groups, LGBTQ+ people, etc.), fascist movements deflect attention from systemic issues and rally support around a common enemy. This creates social division and justifies discriminatory policies and violence.

Historical Examples

Nazi scapegoating of Jewish people for Germany's economic problems
Fascist Italy's targeting of socialists and communists
Scapegoating of Roma, disabled people, and other minorities

Modern Examples

Blaming immigrants for economic inequality
Targeting trans people for societal anxieties
Conspiracy theories about 'globalists'

Sources

The Nature of Prejudice by Gordon Allport — Psychological Research

States' Rights (Historical Context)

rhetoric

A constitutional principle that, historically, has been weaponized to defend slavery and segregation.

Explanation

While federalism is legitimate, 'states' rights' has historically served as code for the right to maintain racial hierarchy. From defending slavery to resisting civil rights, the term signals opposition to federal civil rights enforcement. Understanding this history is essential to recognizing when the term is used as a dog whistle.

Historical Examples

Confederate defense of slavery as 'states' rights'
Massive resistance to desegregation
Strom Thurmond's 1948 'States' Rights Democratic Party'

Modern Examples

Opposition to federal voting rights enforcement
Resistance to federal civil rights laws
'States' rights' framing of abortion restrictions

Sources

The Long Southern Strategy by Angie Maxwell — Political History

Stochastic Terrorism

rhetoric

The use of mass communication to incite random acts of violence while maintaining plausible deniability.

Explanation

Stochastic terrorism works through probabilities—repeatedly demonizing a target ensures that someone in the audience will eventually attack. The speaker never directly orders violence, maintaining deniability, but the statistical outcome of such rhetoric is violence. It turns followers into weapons.

Historical Examples

Nazi antisemitic propaganda preceding Kristallnacht
Radio Milles Collines inciting Rwandan genocide

Modern Examples

Targeting election workers, doctors, judges by name
Rhetoric leading to attacks on mosques and synagogues
Social media campaigns resulting in harassment and violence

Sources

Stochastic Terrorism Analysis — Security Studies

Strategic Ambiguity

tactic

Deliberately maintaining unclear positions to enable plausible deniability while signaling to extremist supporters.

Explanation

Fascist leaders often speak in code, allowing them to deny explicit endorsement of extremism while their supporters understand the true meaning. This 'strategic ambiguity' provides cover—statements can be interpreted innocently by critics while extremists receive the intended signal.

Historical Examples

Hitler's early denials of antisemitic intent
Mussolini's shifting positions before taking power

Modern Examples

'Stand back and stand by' to militia groups
'Very fine people on both sides' after Charlottesville
Refusing to clearly condemn extremist supporters

Sources

How Fascism Works by Jason Stanley — Academic Analysis

Strongman Politics

behavior

A leadership style that emphasizes personal power, decisiveness, and often authoritarian control.

Explanation

Strongman politics is central to fascist governance. It promotes the idea that complex problems can be solved by a single powerful leader unconstrained by democratic institutions. This cult of personality undermines institutional checks and balances while promising order and security in exchange for liberty.

Historical Examples

Mussolini's 'Il Duce' (The Leader) persona
Hitler's Führerprinzip (leader principle)
Stalin's cult of personality

Modern Examples

'Only I can fix it' rhetoric
Demands for personal loyalty over institutional duty
Glorification of decisive action over deliberation

Sources

Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present by Ruth Ben-Ghiat — Historical Analysis

Supremacism

ideology

The belief that a particular group (racial, ethnic, religious, or national) is inherently superior to others and should dominate.

Explanation

Supremacist ideology underpins fascist hierarchies. It provides justification for discrimination, persecution, and violence against 'inferior' groups. White supremacism, in particular, has been central to many fascist movements and continues to drive modern far-right extremism.

Historical Examples

Nazi Aryan supremacy and racial hierarchy
Jim Crow white supremacy in America
Apartheid in South Africa

Modern Examples

White nationalist movements and organizations
Christian nationalist claims of religious superiority
'Western civilization' supremacy rhetoric

Sources

White Rage by Carol Anderson — Historical Analysis

Surveillance State

policy

Government mass monitoring of citizens' communications, movements, and associations.

Explanation

Mass surveillance chills dissent—people self-censor when they know they're watched. Modern technology enables surveillance at unprecedented scale. When combined with authoritarian power, surveillance identifies enemies, enables persecution, and makes organizing against the regime nearly impossible.

Historical Examples

Stasi surveillance in East Germany
Soviet monitoring of citizens
COINTELPRO surveillance of activists

Modern Examples

NSA mass data collection programs
Social media monitoring by law enforcement
Facial recognition and location tracking

Sources

Permanent Record by Edward Snowden — Primary Source

T

The Big Lie

rhetoric

A propaganda technique using lies so enormous that people cannot believe anyone would fabricate them.

Explanation

The Big Lie exploits the assumption that people only tell small lies. A lie so audacious—like claiming a fair election was stolen—seems too outrageous to fabricate. Constant repetition by authorities makes the lie seem credible, and its scale makes refutation seem inadequate.

Historical Examples

Nazi 'stab in the back' myth about WWI defeat
Blood libel accusations against Jews
Stalin's show trial confessions

Modern Examples

Claims of massive election fraud without evidence
Denial of documented events (January 6th)
QAnon and other conspiracy theories

Sources

Mein Kampf (analysis of technique) — Primary Source Analysis

Triple Parentheses (Echoes)

rhetoric

An antisemitic symbol used online to identify Jewish individuals or those perceived as Jewish or Jewish-influenced.

Explanation

The (((echo))) symbol surrounds names to mark them as Jewish, implying Jewish people's influence 'echoes' through history. Used for targeted harassment, it originated on neo-Nazi podcasts and spread through the alt-right. Some Jewish people have reclaimed it in solidarity, but it remains primarily a harassment tool.

Historical Examples

Originated on The Daily Shoah podcast (2014)
Coincidence Detector browser extension that auto-marked Jewish names

Modern Examples

(((Name))) format in social media harassment
Used to target journalists, academics, and public figures
Appears in extremist forums and comment sections

Sources

Echo - Hate Symbols Database — Anti-Defamation League

U

Ultranationalism

ideology

Extreme nationalism that promotes the interests of one nation above all others, often with xenophobic undertones.

Explanation

Ultranationalism is a defining feature of fascism. It creates an 'us versus them' mentality, portraying the nation as superior and under threat from outsiders. This justifies discriminatory policies, violence against minorities, and aggressive foreign policy. Fascist movements use nationalist rhetoric to build mass support while scapegoating vulnerable groups.

Historical Examples

Nazi Germany's Aryan supremacy ideology
Italian fascism's glorification of the Roman Empire
Japanese militarism and empire-building

Modern Examples

'America First' rhetoric excluding immigrants
Blood and soil nationalism
Attacks on multiculturalism and diversity

Sources

How Fascism Works by Jason Stanley — Academic Analysis

Urban/Inner-City (Racial Coding)

rhetoric

Geographic terms used as code words to refer to Black Americans and communities of color.

Explanation

'Urban' and 'inner-city' function as race-neutral language for discussing Black people and communities. Politicians can signal racial messages while claiming to discuss geography. This coding has been documented since Nixon's Southern Strategy made explicit racial appeals unacceptable.

Historical Examples

Nixon's 'urban crime' rhetoric
Reagan's 'welfare queen' and 'inner city' language

Modern Examples

'Urban crime' as code for Black crime
'Inner-city schools' meaning Black schools
'Urban voters' as euphemism for Black voters

Sources

Dog Whistle Politics by Ian Haney López — Political Analysis

V

Victimhood Narrative

rhetoric

Rhetoric that portrays the dominant group as persecuted victims, justifying aggression as self-defense.

Explanation

Fascism paradoxically portrays the powerful as victims. Despite controlling institutions, the majority is depicted as oppressed by minorities, 'elites,' or foreign influences. This victimhood justifies persecution as defensive—they're not attacking the vulnerable but fighting back against their oppressors.

Historical Examples

Nazi portrayal of Germans as victims of Jewish conspiracy
Fascist claims of national humiliation requiring revenge
Serbian victimhood narratives justifying ethnic cleansing

Modern Examples

'War on Christmas' and Christian persecution claims
'White genocide' and 'anti-white racism' rhetoric
'Reverse discrimination' narratives

Sources

How Fascism Works by Jason Stanley — Academic Analysis

Violent Rhetoric

rhetoric

Language that explicitly or implicitly encourages, glorifies, or normalizes political violence.

Explanation

Fascist movements rely on violent rhetoric to intimidate opponents, energize supporters, and normalize political violence. This includes dehumanizing language toward enemies, calls for retribution, and glorification of violence as a legitimate political tool. Such rhetoric creates a climate where actual violence becomes more likely.

Historical Examples

Nazi rhetoric dehumanizing Jewish people and other targets
Fascist glorification of war and violence as purifying
Blackshirt and Brownshirt paramilitary violence

Modern Examples

Calls for violence against protesters
Rhetoric about 'enemies within' deserving punishment
Praise for political violence against opponents

Sources

Fascist Voices by Christopher Duggan — Historical Research

Voter Suppression

tactic

Strategies and tactics designed to reduce voter turnout among specific demographic groups.

Explanation

Since fascist movements often cannot win fair elections, they work to restrict who can vote. Voter suppression disproportionately targets racial minorities, young people, and low-income voters through ID requirements, purging voter rolls, limiting polling places, and other barriers. This undermines democracy while maintaining its appearance.

Historical Examples

Jim Crow era voting restrictions
Poll taxes and literacy tests
Violence and intimidation at polls

Modern Examples

Strict voter ID laws
Purging voter rolls
Reducing early voting and polling locations
Criminalizing voter registration drives

Sources

One Person, No Vote by Carol Anderson — Historical Analysis

W

Weaponized Anti-Communism

ideology

Using opposition to communism or socialism as justification for authoritarian measures and persecution of the left.

Explanation

While opposition to communism itself is not fascist, fascist movements weaponize anti-communism to justify suppression of all left-wing movements, unions, and social reforms. The 'communist' label becomes a catch-all accusation against anyone opposing fascist goals, regardless of their actual beliefs.

Historical Examples

Nazi persecution of communists and socialists
Anti-Comintern Pact justifying fascist alliance
McCarthyism and Red Scare in America

Modern Examples

Labeling any social program as 'socialism'
Calling civil rights movements 'Marxist'
Using 'communist' to discredit any opposition

Sources

The Anatomy of Fascism by Robert Paxton — Academic Analysis

Western Civilization (as dogwhistle)

rhetoric

When used by the far-right, a coded term for white/European racial identity rather than a neutral geographic or cultural category.

Explanation

While 'Western civilization' can be used neutrally, far-right movements use it as code for white racial identity. 'Defending Western civilization' means defending white demographic dominance. This allows racial appeals while claiming to discuss culture, not race.

Historical Examples

Nazi claims to defend 'European civilization' from 'Asiatic hordes'
Cold War framing of 'Western' vs 'Eastern' civilization

Modern Examples

'Western civilization is under attack' rhetoric
Claims that immigration threatens 'our way of life'
'Clash of civilizations' framing of Islam

Sources

How Fascism Works by Jason Stanley — Academic Analysis

Whataboutism

rhetoric

A rhetorical tactic that deflects criticism by pointing to alleged hypocrisy or wrongdoing by critics.

Explanation

Whataboutism avoids addressing criticism by changing the subject: 'What about X?' This technique undermines moral clarity, suggesting everyone is equally corrupt. Originating in Soviet propaganda ('And you are lynching Negroes'), it's used to deflect accountability and paralyze criticism.

Historical Examples

Soviet deflection of human rights criticism
Nazi comparisons to British colonialism

Modern Examples

Deflecting criticism with 'what about Hillary/Hunter'
Responding to January 6th with 'what about BLM'
'Both sides' false equivalences

Sources

Whataboutism: The Soviet Origins — The Economist

White Genocide

rhetoric

A white supremacist conspiracy theory claiming there's a deliberate plot to eliminate white people through immigration and interracial relationships.

Explanation

'White genocide' claims that policies promoting immigration, integration, and diversity are actually a deliberate plan to 'breed out' or replace white people. It reframes demographic change as intentional extermination, justifying violent 'self-defense.' This dangerous conspiracy has motivated multiple mass shootings.

Historical Examples

Nazi fears of 'racial death' through 'mixing'
Apartheid-era rhetoric in South Africa

Modern Examples

'Diversity is code for white genocide' slogan
Christchurch shooter's motivation
Buffalo shooting manifesto

Sources

White Genocide - Hate Terms — Anti-Defamation League

Woke/DEI (Coded Anti-Equality Terms)

rhetoric

Terms that, when used pejoratively, dismiss civil rights, diversity efforts, and anti-racism as threats to society.

Explanation

'Woke' originated in Black communities meaning awareness of systemic racism. Its appropriation as a pejorative dismisses any acknowledgment of racism or discrimination. Similarly, 'DEI' (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) is attacked as 'reverse discrimination.' These terms let opponents attack civil rights while claiming victimhood.

Historical Examples

'Political correctness' panics of the 1990s
'Cultural Marxism' conspiracy theory evolution

Modern Examples

'Anti-woke' legislation banning diversity training
Blaming 'DEI' for any failure involving minorities
'Woke mind virus' rhetoric

Sources

How 'Woke' Became a Weapon — The Atlantic

Quick Reference

Look for glossary term links throughout the database to learn why specific entries are identified as fascist.