#137 – What is Fascism? Part 1

About this episode

Cameron and Ray explore the complexities of defining fascism and its implications in contemporary politics.

In this first instalment of a new series on fascism, Cameron and Ray dig into what the word really means beyond the marching boots and fiery rallies of 20th-century Europe. They explore the difficulty of defining fascism, how it manifests differently across time and place, and why the term is often misused today. Drawing on historians like Robert Paxton, Jason Stanley, and Michael Mann, as well as political thinkers from Trotsky to Hannah Arendt, the discussion asks whether the United States is sliding toward fascism, and what makes Trump’s brand of politics similar or distinct from Mussolini or Hitler. Along the way, the hosts look at epistemology and heuristics—how we know what’s true and whose voices we trust—as a framework for analysing complex social movements. This episode sets the stage for a deeper historical exploration in future parts of the series. The post #137 – What is Fascism? Part 1 appeared first on The BS Filter .

People in this episode

Hosts: Cameron Reilly, Ray Harris

Topics covered

• fascism
• political definitions
• historical analysis
• social movements
• epistemology
• political thought

Keywords

• fascism
• politics
• historical context
• social movements
• epistemology
• Trump
• Mussolini
• Hitler

Mentioned in this episode

Places: United States

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