# Is America a Fascist Country? Are we the next Egypt? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 1, 2011, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-america-a-fascist-country-are-we-the-next-egypt/569835 "2011-02-01T23:06:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-america-a-fascist-country-are-we-the-next-egypt/569835/21 "2011-02-02T02:12:20Z")
Hypothetically, supposed I lived in a country that was not fascist. How would I be able to tell? ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-america-a-fascist-country-are-we-the-next-egypt/569835/22 "2011-02-02T02:27:26Z")
The Illuminati would have to hold bake sales. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-america-a-fascist-country-are-we-the-next-egypt/569835/23 "2011-02-02T02:32:40Z")
> [@nilum](#): > > I think that some would argue successfully that quite a few presidents have been in the pocket of corporations and banks There’s some truth to that, but it doesn’t speak very well for your case if you’re falling back on other people to make the argument. > [@](#): > > and to a major extent both parties pander to lobbyists. When did the fascists do this? > [@](#): > > When the leaders of this country are picked by how much money they can throw at a campaign and what corporations are endorsing them, how can we have anything _but_ fascism in this country. What does this have to DO with fascism? > [@](#): > > We’re also continually hearing from our own government about how well the Chinese model works, if it’s not the Internet infrastructure, it’s their economy. Of course there is no mention about poor living conditions, pollution, and human rights violations in the what they espouse. Perhaps the government does not want to adopt those models. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![godix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/278dde/32.png) [@godix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/godix)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-america-a-fascist-country-are-we-the-next-egypt/569835/24 "2011-02-02T02:33:01Z")
In the couple hundred years the United States has been around, there has not once been a serious coup d’état. Some conspiracy theories and a few nuts, but never once a serious threat to overthrowing the US government. The closest to that is the civil war, and that was about some states wanting to leave the US, not take it over. Not once has there been a serious doubt on who our leader is. There may be wackos yelling about birth certificates or some such, but there has never been a serious allegation that had proof someone was leading our country who shouldn’t be. There has never been a leader that was not put into place by the method they are supposed to, either elected or elevated to office via proper succession. There has never been a leader who did not willingly and peacefully passed power on to the next legitimate leader. Frequently this peaceful passing of power was to his political rivals. There has never been a leader who canceled elections and kept power due to some ‘emergency’ or another. The closest the US has ever gotten to a contested election ended peacefully, via the courts, without even a hint of involvement from the military or police. There has always been a strong opposition party. The military and police do not intimidate or crackdown on the opposition as a standard practice. If such a thing is alleged to happen, it is seriously investigated and would be harshly punished. Members of the opposition party are not routinely thrown in jail, and when they are it is after due process of the law determined they really did violate laws, not just some made up crap to harass the opposition. So the answer to your question isn’t just no, we’re not a fascist country nor are we like Egypt. It is a loudly yelled FUCK NO. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-america-a-fascist-country-are-we-the-next-egypt/569835/25 "2011-02-02T02:39:50Z")
> [@nilum](#): > > When the leaders of this country are picked by how much money they can throw at a campaign and what corporations are endorsing them, how can we have anything _but_ fascism in this country. I have to echo those who question if you know what “fascism” is. ---
**Author:** ![nilum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ed8c4c/32.png) [@nilum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nilum)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-america-a-fascist-country-are-we-the-next-egypt/569835/26 "2011-02-02T03:37:50Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I have to echo those who question if you know what “fascism” is. “Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate power.” - Benito Mussolini I am pretty sure if anyone knew what fascism was, that _fascist_ dictator did. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-america-a-fascist-country-are-we-the-next-egypt/569835/27 "2011-02-02T03:48:18Z")
Personally, I assume someone isn’t fascist, until I see them carry an axe wrapped in a bunch of sticks. Then it’s on, lictor-boy! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-america-a-fascist-country-are-we-the-next-egypt/569835/28 "2011-02-02T03:48:23Z")
So any state in which there are powerful corporations is fascist? ---
**Author:** ![nilum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ed8c4c/32.png) [@nilum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nilum)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-america-a-fascist-country-are-we-the-next-egypt/569835/29 "2011-02-02T03:52:30Z")
Lets say I was extremely wealthy. Wealthy enough to help finance the campaigns of either political party. The person elected will be expected to make good on his _campaign promises_ to me. After all many come to me for employment or favors when they are out of office, and it’s good to have friends in high places (in this case a mutual benefit). My name? Goldman Sachs. In power since 1913. 15 years before Hosni Mubarak was born. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-america-a-fascist-country-are-we-the-next-egypt/569835/30 "2011-02-02T04:25:07Z")
> [@nilum](#): > > “Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate power.” - Benito Mussolini > > I am pretty sure if anyone knew what fascism was, that _fascist_ dictator did. Well, hey, I’m sure Benito Mussolini is a trustworthy guy. Having said that, “Corporatism” does not mean “run by big corporations.” I hate to burst your bubble here, but in that that isn’t even CLOSE to what it means. I know the words sound similar, but “corporatism” is a very different concept. What you are complaining about simply isn’t fascism. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-america-a-fascist-country-are-we-the-next-egypt/569835/31 "2011-02-02T04:42:28Z")
> [@nilum](#): > > I think that some would argue successfully that quite a few presidents have been in the pocket of corporations and banks, and to a major extent both parties pander to lobbyists. When the leaders of this country are picked by how much money they can throw at a campaign and what corporations are endorsing them, how can we have anything _but_ fascism in this country. That’s an unfortunate aspect of democracy actually. If we were fascist or communist actually we would not have worry about money in elections or lobbyists so perhaps if you are worried about that fascism may not be too bad an idea. > [@](#): > > Also, our liberties are under constant threat of being stripped away by the populace either through indifference, desire for more government control of our lives, or by giving the government more power to _protect_ us. Nonsense. Voter participation has risen in recent years and there are plenty of paranoiacs on both the Right and Left who would give us plenty of warning if there was actual authoritarianism. > [@](#): > > We’re also continually hearing from our own government about how well the Chinese model works, if it’s not the Internet infrastructure, it’s their economy. Of course there is no mention about poor living conditions, pollution, and human rights violations in the what they espouse. Some **aspects**. Nobody wants centralize planning or oppression of the Tibetans and Uighurs or whatnot. > [@](#): > > The problem is most of the people on this message board are not poor and probably have stock in the corrupt system. It works for them. It protects their interests. _Who cares how many get screwed as long as it’s best for me and my family._ I get this vibe from many of the members here. > > I pity you for not having any type of perspective. The majority of the people here are of liberal-progressive-left persuasion who dislike the “System” and most current American politicians for being too conservative including most Democrats. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-america-a-fascist-country-are-we-the-next-egypt/569835/32 "2011-02-02T04:45:59Z")
> [@nilum](#): > > Lets say I was extremely wealthy. Wealthy enough to help finance the campaigns of either political party. The person elected will be expected to make good on his _campaign promises_ to me. After all many come to me for employment or favors when they are out of office, and it’s good to have friends in high places (in this case a mutual benefit). > > My name? Goldman Sachs. In power since 1913. 15 years before Hosni Mubarak was born. Do yourself a favor and look up how much money Goldman Sachs donated in the latest election cycle. Not that I think it will do much good. If you think Goldman Sachs is as powerful in the U.S. as Hosni Mubarak is in Egypt there’s not much hope for this turning into a sensible argument. ---
**Author:** ![wheresmymind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/91b2a8/32.png) [@wheresmymind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wheresmymind)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-america-a-fascist-country-are-we-the-next-egypt/569835/33 "2011-02-02T05:15:36Z")
> [@nilum](#): > > “Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate power.” - Benito Mussolini > > I am pretty sure if anyone knew what fascism was, that _fascist_ dictator did. As RickJay mentioned, I do not think corporatism in this context means what you think it means. In any case, you’re describing a situation in which “the corporations” in this country wag the politicians. Even if that was truly happening to the extent that you believe, that’s not how it would work under a fascist regime. If we were a fascist country political power would be wielded by ONE authoritarian “politician,” not shared between 536 or so individuals whose actions could be undone by any one of a few hundred federal judges. And the corporations wouldn’t run him, he’d run the corporations! I strongly suggest you sit down with at least the wikipedia article on fascism. You’ll doubtlessly learn something… ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-america-a-fascist-country-are-we-the-next-egypt/569835/34 "2011-02-02T05:41:53Z")
No. Facism is _terrible_ for running a modern technological society. Crackdowns have been obsolete for a long time, but even moreso in the internet age. If you want to control people, or better yet make them irrelevant, I think the best model is right in the states. The last popular flare up was over 40 years ago despite worsening conditions. The guys in Egypt are a bunch of amateurs. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-america-a-fascist-country-are-we-the-next-egypt/569835/35 "2011-02-02T06:19:30Z")
Yes, I think that the US is definitely fascist (with or without capitalization…_snort_). And yes, we are the next Egypt. I’ve heard that Obama wants to start building his tomb sometime next year. It’s going to be VERY large and sort of, well, pyramidally shaped, interestingly enough. Plus, I’m getting some bees wax for my new hair style, which is going to be really stunning, and I think that dark eye shadow is going to make a big come back next year, based on my sources in Corporate America. As to the Internet Kill Switch(tm…aar), you don’t need to fret about that one. I have it covered…literally. Any more cracks about my pot belly and it’s curtains for the lot of you, see?!? Curtains I saaaay. Pink ones…with orange stripes. See?!? -XT ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-america-a-fascist-country-are-we-the-next-egypt/569835/36 "2011-02-02T07:13:35Z")
> [@nilum](#): > > Lets say Seriously though, the person who you’ve cited as an expert on this subject is an admitted Troofer. That means that, at a minimum, she’s prone to seeing imaginary conspiracies in one of the most thoroughly well explained and documented events in all of human history. What, then, do you think that says about her conspiratorial gloss when dealing with the financial meltdown? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-america-a-fascist-country-are-we-the-next-egypt/569835/37 "2011-02-02T09:16:13Z")
At worst, you’re the next Mexico. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-america-a-fascist-country-are-we-the-next-egypt/569835/38 "2011-02-02T10:10:16Z")
> [@nilum](#): > > Lets say I was extremely wealthy. Wealthy enough to help finance the campaigns of either political party. The person elected will be expected to make good on his _campaign promises_ to me. After all many come to me for employment or favors when they are out of office, and it’s good to have friends in high places (in this case a mutual benefit). > > My name? Goldman Sachs. In power since 1913. 15 years before Hosni Mubarak was born. You think the US is controlled by Jewish bankers? Please. You should watch Iranian TV more often. We know who really controls the US. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lL9MaZQORfI](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lL9MaZQORfI) ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-america-a-fascist-country-are-we-the-next-egypt/569835/39 "2011-02-02T11:48:58Z")
> [@nilum](#): > > And if you don’t meet any of those criteria? Then I imagine they do look at assets. Theres a revolution going on in the U.S. and people want to flee it? They are called asylum seekers and would be allowed in. A seperate point now. It really annoys me when people are trying to be exciting and radical etc. and start accusing the U.S. and so on of being Fascist or dictatorships, or having no freedom. It insults the victims who actually live and suffer in genuine dictatorships,trivialising their plight. It also cries “wolf” too often, and thus gives the impression to some people that genuine dictatorships are in reality no worse then rightwing democracies. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2011, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-america-a-fascist-country-are-we-the-next-egypt/569835/40 "2011-02-02T12:14:58Z")
> [@wheresmymind](#): > > And the corporations wouldn’t run him, he’d run the corporations! What about in Soviet Russia? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-america-a-fascist-country-are-we-the-next-egypt/569835.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-america-a-fascist-country-are-we-the-next-egypt/569835.md?page=3)