The rise of Adolf Hitler would soon bring the world shrouded in darkness in the early 1930s. Fascism, with its all-powerful unifying nationalism and iron-like authoritarian control, infected and transformed an entire society and politics, weaving fanaticism and extremism deep into the fabric of the German state. The aftermath was a catastrophe: a world war, the Holocaust, and an imprint on the conscience of humanity.
When we see the recurrence of these ideologies represented in current events throughout the world, as in Israeli-Palestinian war today, perhaps this history can serve as a wake-up call. The Israeli political map, especially concerning Gaza, Rafah, and the occupied Palestinian territories, looks exactly like the fascist methods of yesteryear (if not more so).
The silencing of voices of dissent, the delegitimization of the indigenous people, and the wars without end are reminiscent of what the fascist regimes implemented. The international discourse that often normalizes these practices as self-defense or anti-terrorism echoes the worrisome rhetoric that has defended some of the most destructive acts in history. The voices of earlier fascist crimes wraith-like reappear within the recent horror work of Israeli operations in Gaza.
Increasing nationalism, xenophobia, and Islamophobia are phenomena the world over. Leaders in different nations are utilizing trepidation, amicability, and exploitive hatred, and as a weapon to solidify, power to execute assorted social evils. It is a trend that transcends any single region, touching countless continents and influencing the development of policy and social norms in profoundly troubling ways. Moreover, the rhetoric of hate is becoming all too common in Europe and North America. Racism runs rampant while white supremacist parties and the ideology are becoming more mainstream, (just look at recent elections across Western nations) anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim sentiment and Far-Right parties/movements are gaining traction.
Historically similar fascist states have not fared well for either general human rights (to put it mildly) or minorities – such as the ongoing wave of persecution of Muslim minorities in India with the rise of Hindu nationalism – epitomizing the intolerance and bigotry which always comes with fascism. The fallout of this fascist surge is not contained in the domestic arena. Globally we see militarization and increasing aggression The most troubling feature of the revival of fascist ideologies is the stifling of dissent. In the same way as dissidence in Nazi Germany was synonymous with treason, critical remarks are often viewed as anti-national in today’s political climate, anti-Semitic in the case of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Such conflation is not only intellectually lazy but also a way to suppress legitimate criticism and conversation. It also exploits the struggle against genuine anti-Semitic hate by weaponizing anti-Semitism against those who wish to see justice for the Palestinians. Increasingly, doubts about the official version or government criticism in many countries risk charges of disloyalty or extremism. For every provocative statement made by Ellison, there is one more incendiary statement by Stephen Bannon, yet criticism of the latter is frequently dismissed as anti-Semitism when it’s not.
This needle is already too difficult to thread, with many legitimate criticisms of Israel imposing such a label onto opponents and preventing debate and accountability in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Another equally troubling trend is the acceptance of Islamophobia as the new normal. But policies are normalizing that target Muslims, be they bans on travel, discrimination in legislation, or rampant and long-standing surveillance operations in various parts of the world. Instead of preventing and diminishing violence, this normalization only serves to reinforce the injustice while feeding into a cycle of violence and polarization which, when answered with similar impulses, creates an even deeper chasm in society. The return of fascism and extreme chauvinism to global politics is a wake-up call. It is time to heed the lessons of history and realize the perilous road we are walking. The international community needs to be firm in opposing these ideologies and supporting values of tolerance, equality, and justice.
All the above trends are deeply alarming, and the international community needs to acknowledge the perilous direction this points to History tells us that unchecked nationalism, intolerance, or authoritarianism will be able to claim huge numbers of human lives. Adherence to the principles of justice, human rights, and international law is essential to ensure that such horrors do not occur again. The ascension of global fascism demonstrated vividly through the actions of Israel in Gaza, underlines the imperative required to address this political elitism head-on.
Overall, the spread of fascism in international politics is a sinister repeat of the history that has been humankind in the past. Normalization of hate; In a benign or not-so-benign manner, a culture of hatred/warmongering/suppressing dissent now threatens the very ethos of our human race. Instead, we must outright destroy these ideologies with the same tenacity that rages through those willing to die for them, for to continue to accept them lightly at our own expense is a price we cannot afford. May that be the message we hold in our hearts during these trying times and one that we carry onward as we work to build a more peaceful, more just, and more humane world.
