Boris Strugatsky: Fascism is very simple. Epidemiological Bulletin

Boris Strugatsky "Fascism is very simple. Epidemiological Bulletin". 1995

"A plague in our house. To treat it we do not know. Moreover, we very often do not even know how to make the correct diagnosis. And one who is already infected, often does not notice that he was sick and contagious."

He thinks he knows all about fascism. Because we all know that fascism — is: black SS uniforms; barking speech; upturned Roman-greeting hand; the swastika; black-and-red banners, the marching columns; people-skeletons behind barbed wire; greasy smoke from the chimneys; Hitler possessed with a fringe; the fat Goering; gleaming glass - Himmler — and half a dozen more or less reliable figures of "Seventeen moments of spring", "Feat scout", from "Fall of Berlin"...

Oh, we know what fascism German fascism, a Nazism. Us and not think that there is another fascism, the same rotten, same terrible, but your own. And perhaps that's why we don't see him stop when he is in front of us grows in the body of the country, like a quiet cancer.

We, however, distinguish the swastika, disguised as runic characters. Until we hear the hoarse cries calling for the massacre of foreigners. We notice sometimes nasty slogans and pictures on the walls of our homes. But we can not admit that it is also fascism. We all think that fascism — is: black SS uniforms barking of alien speech, greasy smoke from the chimneys, the war...

Academy of Sciences, fulfilling the decree of the President feverishly formulating a scientific definition of fascism. Presumably, it will be accurate, comprehensive, on all occasions, the definition. And, of course, fiendishly complicated.

Meanwhile, fascism is just. Moreover, fascism — it's easy! Fascism is the dictatorship of the nationalists. Accordingly, a fascist is a person who professes (and preach) the superiority of one nation over others and is an active proponent of the "iron hand", "discipline order", "iron fist" and other delights of totalitarianism.

And that's all. Nothing more at the heart of fascism there. Dictatorship plus nationalism. Totalitarian rule of one nation. But everything else — the secret police, camps, bonfires of books, war grows out of this poisonous grain, as the death of the cancer cells.

Possible iron dictatorship with all its deathly charms — say, a dictatorship of Stroessner in Paraguay or the dictatorship of Stalin in the Soviet Union, but since the total idea of this dictatorship is not the idea of a national (racial) is not fascism. It is possible to state, based on the national idea, — say, Israel — but if there is no dictatorship ("iron hand", the suppression of democratic freedoms, the omnipotence of the secret police) — it is not fascism.

It is senseless and ignorant expressions like "demofashist" or "fascist Democrat." This is the same nonsense as the "icy hot water" or "fragrant stench." A Democrat, Yes, may be to some extent a nationalist, but he is, by definition, the enemy of all and every kind of dictatorship, and a fascist so be it can't. Just like can't no fascist to be a Democrat, a supporter of freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of rallies and demonstrations, he was always one for freedom — freedom with an Iron Hand.
Can easily imagine a man who, after reading all these my definitions, I will say (doubtfully): "that Way you get what years five to six hundred ago, everything was by the Nazis — and princes, and kings, and lords, and vassals..."

In a sense, such a remark is hitting the target, because it is true "the exact opposite": fascism is retarded feudalism, survived, and the age of steam, age of electricity, and the age of the atom, and are prepared to survive a century of space flight and artificial intelligence. Feudal relations seemingly disappeared, but the feudal mentality proved tenacious and powerful, he was stronger and steam, and electricity, and stronger, universal literacy and universal computerization.

The persistence of it, of course, is the reason for the fact that the roots of feudalism goes into pre-feudal, even cave times, in the mentality of flea-bitten herd of tailless monkeys: all outsiders living in the nearby woods, disgusting and dangerous, and the leader of our great cruel, wise and defeats the enemies. This primitive mentality, probably not soon leave the human race. And that is why fascism is feudalism today. And tomorrow.

Only, for God's sake, don't confuse nationalism with patriotism! Patriotism is the love of his people, but nationalism — a dislike to someone else. Patriot knows that there are no bad and good people — there are only good and bad people. Nationalist always thinks in terms of "own-alien", "ours-not ours", "thieves-fraera" he whole Nations with remarkable ease writes the villains, or fools, or criminals.

This is an important feature of fascist ideology — the division of people into "ours and not ours". Stalinist totalitarianism is based on this ideology, that is why they are so similar, these regimes — regimes-killer modes — the destroyers of culture, modes-militarists. Only fascists divide people into races, and the Stalinists — classes.

A very important feature of fascism is a lie. Of course, not everyone who lies, fascist, but every fascist is necessarily a liar. He just has to lie. Because sometimes a dictatorship is somehow possible, somehow, but still reasonable, justified, nationalism is justified only through the lies — some of the fake "Protocols" or ranting, that de "the Jews the Russian people spoil, all Caucasians — born criminals" and the like. So the Nazis are lying. And always lied. And no one really Ernest Hemingway said about them: "Fascism is a lie, speaketh the bandits."

So if you suddenly "realized" that only your people are worthy of all blessings, and all the other Nations around second grade, congratulations: you've taken your first step into fascism. Then it dawns on you that the high purposes, your people will achieve only when the iron order will be installed and plugged the mouth of all these ranters and scribblers, ranting about freedom; when put up against the wall (without trial) of all who come across, and foreigners mercilessly take the nail...

And once you've accepted all of this — the process has finished: you're a fascist. There black uniform with a swastika. You do not have the habit of yelling "Heil!". All your life you were proud of the victory over fascism and, maybe, even themselves, personally, gaining this victory. But you allowed yourself to join the ranks of the fighters for the dictatorship of the nationalists — and you're a fascist. As simple as that! How terribly simple.

And don't tell me that you — not the evil man that you are against the suffering of innocent people (to the wall set should be only enemies of the order, and only the enemies of the order should be behind barbed wire) that you have the most children and grandchildren that you are against the war... it doesn't matter, as long as you took Communion Buffalo.

The road of history has long been knurled, the logic of history is merciless, and, once come to power, your Fuhrer, will earn a well-oiled Assembly line: the elimination of dissidents — the inevitable suppression of protest — the concentration camps, the gallows — the decline of a peacetime economy — militarization — war...

But if you come round, you want at some point to stop this terrible pipeline, you will be ruthlessly destroyed, as if the very last Democrat-internationalist. The banners you will not be red-brown, and — for example — black and orange. You will be at the meetings to not shout "Heil," and say, "glory!". Will not have sturmbannfuhrer, and some captain-the team leaders, but the essence of fascism — the dictatorship of the Nazis — will remain, and so will the lying, the bleeding, war — perhaps nuclear.

We live in dangerous times. The plague in our house. First and foremost, it affects the abused and the downtrodden, and so many of them now.

Is it possible to reverse history? Perhaps you can — if they want millions. So let's do not want. After all much depends on us. Of course not all but a lot. published

P. S. And remember, just changing your mind — together we change the world! ©

Source: mi3ch.livejournal.com/2556275.html?thread=200973427