NP Berlusconi's political base

[Terrance]

Doug Millison wrote:

linked. 

The intimations, no facts, no definitions, no substance,
sorry Doug, but those links simply don't convince me of
anything, is that the recent violence in Italy is proof that
Fascism is on the march again. I have tried to get people to
spell it out in words, with some definitions and facts. It's
obvious, if only because posters are mixing up all sorts of
terms that the Neo or Post or New style of Fascism is
thought, at least in terminology, to have some connection to
the old style, but is it in fact different. Maybe it's not
Fascism at all. It seems that one of the connections is that
what is going on in Italy is the product of an ideology that
places little emphasis on constitutions and rights, and much
on elite-inspired manipulation. But is it Fascism? Much of
the linked material is  partisan tirade disguised as
"anti-fascism," by which I mean, the sort of Marxist
analysis that assumes the whole political spectrum beyond
the radical left is fascist in some imprecise but
irredeemable way. 

The personality bashing, not that some of these characters
should not be 
exposed for their corruption, their politics examined, often
ignores the  ideological component in favor of
psychohistories. This is understandable, since one of the
defining features of fascism is a powerful personality. 
Some say that Fascism would not have been possible without
Friedrich Nietzsche. This ties into our Perspectivism thread
and may even knot into a Pynchon novel. Who knows? And,
speaking of conspiracy, doesn't Fascism promote ruthlessness
for the same reason that it promotes conspiracy theories:
for a fascist, nothing is going to happen unless some will
makes it happen. And isn't this one of the reasons fascists
are  suspicious of free markets?