US Intellectual Says Trump Regime Isn't Fascist, Because It Doesn't Look Like Ancient Rome
A prominent US intellectual is claiming that Donald Trump's regime isn't fascist because the term "fascism" evokes images of ancient Rome. Mark Lilla argues that we can't define fascism solely by its past manifestations in Europe and that Trump's America lacks many key features of traditional fascist regimes.
Lilla, a professor at Columbia University, claims that what we're seeing in America is not conservatism or fascism but rather something entirely different, which he calls "chthonic forces" - ancient Greek terms meaning the underworld or dark energy. According to Lilla, these underlying forces drive right-wing extremism and undermine democratic institutions.
However, critics say Lilla's argument relies on vague language and conveniently ignores many of Trump's actions that are typically associated with fascist regimes, such as his attacks on minorities, women, and public intellectuals.
To define fascism, experts point to several key characteristics including nationalism, xenophobia, militarism, a cult of the infallible leader, anti-intellectualism, misogyny, hatred for certain groups, cultural pessimism, economic nationalism, and hostility towards workers' rights.
While it's true that American society has evolved significantly from Europe in terms of technology, culture, and politics, some experts argue that many of these key features of fascism can be found in modern America.
One such expert is Umberto Eco, who wrote extensively about the nature of fascist regimes in the 20th century. His work provides a clear definition of fascism as a distinct ideology that emphasizes nationalism, corporatism, anti-communism and authoritarianism.
Critics also point out that Lilla's reluctance to label Trump's regime as fascist is based on an overly narrow view of what constitutes fascism. They argue that using this label would require a far more nuanced understanding of how these ideologies intersect with each other in the 21st century, including their influence on US politics and culture.
While some might see Lilla's views as overly cautious or politically expedient, they also highlight the challenges faced by US intellectuals who want to engage with complex and sensitive topics without alienating their audience.
A prominent US intellectual is claiming that Donald Trump's regime isn't fascist because the term "fascism" evokes images of ancient Rome. Mark Lilla argues that we can't define fascism solely by its past manifestations in Europe and that Trump's America lacks many key features of traditional fascist regimes.
Lilla, a professor at Columbia University, claims that what we're seeing in America is not conservatism or fascism but rather something entirely different, which he calls "chthonic forces" - ancient Greek terms meaning the underworld or dark energy. According to Lilla, these underlying forces drive right-wing extremism and undermine democratic institutions.
However, critics say Lilla's argument relies on vague language and conveniently ignores many of Trump's actions that are typically associated with fascist regimes, such as his attacks on minorities, women, and public intellectuals.
To define fascism, experts point to several key characteristics including nationalism, xenophobia, militarism, a cult of the infallible leader, anti-intellectualism, misogyny, hatred for certain groups, cultural pessimism, economic nationalism, and hostility towards workers' rights.
While it's true that American society has evolved significantly from Europe in terms of technology, culture, and politics, some experts argue that many of these key features of fascism can be found in modern America.
One such expert is Umberto Eco, who wrote extensively about the nature of fascist regimes in the 20th century. His work provides a clear definition of fascism as a distinct ideology that emphasizes nationalism, corporatism, anti-communism and authoritarianism.
Critics also point out that Lilla's reluctance to label Trump's regime as fascist is based on an overly narrow view of what constitutes fascism. They argue that using this label would require a far more nuanced understanding of how these ideologies intersect with each other in the 21st century, including their influence on US politics and culture.
While some might see Lilla's views as overly cautious or politically expedient, they also highlight the challenges faced by US intellectuals who want to engage with complex and sensitive topics without alienating their audience.
. I mean, come on, if you're gonna call out Trump's regime for what it is, you gotta be more specific. He's been all over the place with his attacks on minorities and women 
, and let's not forget about the whole Russia thing... that doesn't sound like a bunch of "dark energy" to me 
. And what's up with this notion that fascism has to be ancient Rome? Like, we can't learn from history or anything? 
It's time for US intellectuals to get real and call out the fascists for what they are 
.
anyway, back to this article... i don't get why experts are making such a big deal about labeling trump's regime as fascist. can we just say what we mean and be done with it? 
how do i even explain fascism to my little sister who's 8 years old lol!
this is getting out of hand! mark lilla thinks he can just dismiss fascism because it doesn't look like ancient rome? that's not even close 
some people are just too worried about being PC to call out the obvious... meanwhile lilla is off making up new terms like "chthonic forces" and pretending that's a thing now 
.
. It's about how we treat each other, how we organize our societies, and who gets to decide what's best for everyone 
. If Lilla can't see that, then maybe he's too caught up in his own academic bubble 
.
. It takes some courage and honesty, which Lilla seems to be lacking right now 
. Maybe instead of playing intellectual games, he should just own the fact that we're living in a pretty messed-up time 
. But maybe we need to be more nuanced in our understanding of what fascism looks like in the 21st century? It's not just about Rome or ancient Greece anymore 
.
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. i mean i know Lilla wants to be fair but some of us just want straight answers.
. like, he says it involves corporatism, anti-communism, and authoritarianism... sounds kinda familiar to me 
.