Lecture on Fascism and Corporatism

Overview

• Fascism is a right-wing ideology, involving corporatism, militarism, and authoritarianism.
• Focuses on a coherent set of ideas, such as the social whole and national body.
• Examples include Hitler's Nazi Party and Italy's National Fascist Party.

Key Characteristics of Fascism

• Ultra-Nationalism: Nationalism in an extreme form, involving citizens sacrificing for the nation.
• Aryan Supremacy: Explores historical context of racial ideologies.
• Charismatic Leadership: Cult of personality akin to some communist regimes.
• Expansionism and Militarism: Use of law to consolidate power, linked to nationalism.
• Fear of Difference and Disagreement: Viewed as treason, promoting social cohesion through uniformity.

Umberto Eco's Traits of Fascism

• Cult of Tradition: Reverence for the past and rejection of modernism.
• Action for Action’s Sake: Emphasis on doing for doing's sake.
• Disagreement as Treason
• Obsession with Plots: Constant vigilance against perceived threats.
• Pacifism as Weakness: Valorization of militarism and strength.
• Selective Populism and Newspeak

Corporatism

• Fascist Corporatism: State coordination of corporate interests, often linked with Catholic social teachings.
• Liberal Corporatism: Focus on social harmony, often critiqued by liberal capitalism.
• Historical Context: Emerged as a counter to liberal capitalism, supported by various political ideologies including Christian Democrats.

Examples of Corporatism

• Italian Fascist Corporatism: Coordination of labor and corporate production, rejection of uncontrolled markets.
• Asian and Russian Models: Different approaches integrating state support and control over economic structures.

Discussion Points

• The relationship between nationalism, corporatism, and fascism.
• How historical contexts shape the interaction between state and corporate interests.
• Challenges in contemporary interpretations of corporatism and fascism.

Conclusion

• Various forms of corporatism have been used to promote class cooperation over conflict.
• The lecture emphasizes the importance of understanding corporatism’s role in fascist regimes and its implications today.

Note

• Corporatism is not strictly about corporations but a coherent body or corpus interacting with the state.