Archive for Fascism

The Morning After

Posted in Politics with tags , on November 6, 2024 by telescoper

Before anyone asks, no I didn’t stay up all night to see the US electoral disaster unfold. I was fairly sure what would happen and was not pleased to be proven right. I will never understand why anyone could vote for an individual so obviously unsuitable for high office as Donald Trump. I could say that about a number of other prominent national leaders too, but Trump is far worse. At least in 2016 there was an argument that he was an unknown quantity. Now everyone knows that he is a convicted felon – at least until he issues himself a pardon – and serial sexual predator whose outspoken bigotry appeals to the basest instincts of the electorate and who tried to stage an insurrection when he lost the last election. I don’t believe that Trump fans can’t see what a monster their idol is: they do see, but don’t care. It was the same in the UK with Boris Johnson.

However depressing it is to wake up and hear yet more evidence of the relentless march of fascism, there is no point in self-pity.  If you yield to despair, the bastards have won. In order to resist it is first necessary to endure. Brace yourselves. Things are going to get very nasty.

I’m just glad that I’m no longer young.

Revolução dos Cravos

Posted in History, Music, Politics with tags , , , , , , on April 25, 2024 by telescoper

My office mate in Barcelona is Portuguese and he very proudly reminded me this morning that today, 25th April 2024, is the 50th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution that ultimately overthrew a fascist dictatorship and led Portugal towards becoming a progressive democracy. Just over a year later, General Franco died and Spain began its transition to democracy too. Both countries joined the European Community in 1986 and are now members of the European Union. It’s hard to believe, only 50 years on, that fascism is on the rise once more in Europe (and elsewhere). That makes it all the more important to remember the struggles of the not-so-distant past.

The signal for the Revolução dos Cravos in Portugal to begin was a song played on the radio. The result was remarkable. Although led by military officers dissatisfied with the ruling regime, it garnered a huge level of popular support and morphed into a coordinated campaign of mass civil resistance. When regime change was achieved, it was largely peaceful. The name “Carnation Revolution” refers to the flowers given to soldiers by people celebrating their liberation from authoritarianism.

Fascismo nunca mais! Vinte e cinco de abril sempre!

I couldn’t help sharing the song that triggered that huge historical moment. It is Grândola, Vila Morena by Zeca Afonso. Few people can lay claim to have written a song that brought down a dictatorship.

Fascist Lookalikes No. 357

Posted in History, Politics with tags , , , , , on July 2, 2019 by telescoper

 

Have you noticed to remarkable similarity in behaviour between representatives of the Nazi Party elected to the Reichstag in 1930* and representatives of the Brexit Party Money-Laundering Company in the European Parliament in Strasbourg?

I wonder if, by any chance, they might be related?

*In an earlier version of this post I used 1926 (the date given by the stock photo supplier Alamy) but this is incorrecr; the right date is 1930.

Fascism is coming..

Posted in History, Politics with tags , on May 19, 2019 by telescoper

Rally for Oswald Mosley’s British Union of Fascists, Earl’s Court, London July 1939.

Beer-brandishing ‘Man of the People’, Oswald Mosley.

Fascism is coming; probably a slimy Anglicised form of Fascism, with cultured policemen instead of Nazi gorillas and the lion and the unicorn instead of the swastika.

George Orwell, from The Road to Wigan Pier, 1937.

A Question of Morality

Posted in History, Politics with tags , , on November 14, 2016 by telescoper

I floated the following hypothetical question on Twitter yesterday and was quite surprised at the response, so I thought I’d repeat it here and see what the reaction is.

Please make your choice before reading my opinion below the line.

Continue reading