The US elections is once again presenting the electorate with a choice between the liberal capitalist (Democratic Party) or the rightwing (Republican Party) faction of the ruling class. Donald Trump’s election as president in 2016 brought the otherwise marginal fascist wing of the Republican Party to the centre of bourgeois politics. Many on the left are debating whether to characterize Trump as fascist or a case of Bonapartism (a mediocre strong man/leader). Numerous analyses undoubtedly prove that global capitalism’s prolonged social crisis is propelling a movement towards fascism. Its ideological and political mass appeal, combining the ideology of racism and anti-capitalist rhetoric, is a key characteristic of fascism. As the social crisis deepens, Trump, holding state power, is redoubling efforts to raise his party’s fascist mass appeal. The battle of ideas to curtail and neutralize fascism’s political appeal has certain consequences for the left and progressive forces; more so during this 2020 US election cycle and its aftermath. This important task cannot be left to the Democratic Party. Instead of challenging fascist agitation head-on the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate Joe Biden and vice-presidential pick Kamala Harris are shifting politically to the right, with the hope of gaining moderate conservative voters.
Donald Trump’s electoral campaign launch at the 2020 Republican National Convention was unmistakably a fascist ideological and political appeal; national chauvinism, militarism, Christian fundamentalism and racist scapegoating were openly touted. The cable television channel Fox News, openly operates as the party’s propaganda machine, spewing out rightwing fascist propaganda on a 24 hour basis . It is within this mass appeal that fascism has the potential to spread and be actualized. In a crisis ridden capitalist society where human alienation is deep and wide, fascism offers a political home to those who are alienated, food insecure, homeless, suffering and without any prospect of a future.
In his fourth of July speech Trump declared “We are now in the process of defeating the radical left, the Marxists, the anarchists, the agitators, the looters and people who in many instances have absolutely no clue what they are doing”. While attacking the ‘radical’ left and the anti-fascist forces Trump is openly embracing and defending the far-right fascist organizations and individuals. These fascist militias has been rallied by Trump against anti-fascists and those protesting against police brutality. Fascist militias have heeded his dog whistle by going to areas where protests and resistance in defence of private property and their “cities” have been on the rise.
In Portland a rightwing 17-year-old armed with an AR 15 assault rifle responded to the call of a militia and went to a BLM protest where he eventually killed two protesters and injured another. Afterwards – still armed – he walked towards the police without being questioned or arrested. The boundaries between police and militias are increasingly blurred with law enforcement often siding with the rightwing militias. Unsurprising, The Guardian (27 August, US edition) reported that since 2000 rightwing white supremacist have been infiltrating police departments and other law enforcement agencies. In an attempt to quell the protests across American cities Trump, a self-proclaimed ‘law and order’ candidate unleashed the military and federal agents, abducting protestors from the street and using military technologies.
Confronting Donald Trump’s fascist electoral campaign is a life and death issue for the labouring classes and oppressed in the US and globally. Physical preparedness for self-protection against the potential and real existing threat of fascist violence and terror is equally vital. Now is not the time for cowardice, baseness and perfidy. Instead we need united action, the committed work of organization and political education to defeat the threat of fascism. Ultimately, we need a United Front of the oppressed and exploited layers of society and the different left currents with a clear political programme to fight against fascism.