Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Ilaine who wrote (19996)	2/26/2002 2:29:02 AM
From: frankw1900	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 281500

Fascism, naziism, totaltarianism in general, you two have been giving it the once over. Eco's desciption is pretty well dead on. It agrees in basics with that of Al Azmeh which I posted here a couple of weeks ago wrt religious fundamentalism. ( Message 17048902 ) Hegel/Marx came to it through Plato: The first feature of Ur-Fascism is the cult of tradition. Traditionalism is of course much older than fascism. Not only was it typical of counterrevolutionary Catholic thought after the French revolution, but is [it?] was born in the late Hellenistic era, as a reaction to classical Greek rationalism. In the Mediterranean basin, people of different religions (most of the faiths indulgently accepted by the Roman pantheon) started dreaming of a revelation received at the dawn of human history. [Eco] That Mediterranean connection: See books 7 - 10 of Republic. Therein the progression from sound-mind-sound-body of the philosopher king's ideal state to that of the disease and disolution of democracy is described. The parallel between the animistic (organic) conception of the state and that of the sound and unsound body/spirit is wrapped up in the parable myth of Er at the end and the eternal return is achieved. Marx reversed the progression and the ultimate end of time is found in the workers' paradise. In both cases time is denied and the 'eternal' (rejection of modernity) so beloved of fascists, fundamentalists, etc., is achieved. Most of the other facets of ur-fascism as described by Eco may also be found in Plato's Republic.