Why Understanding Fascism is Important for Americans Today Article Review

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Article Review: “Ur-Fascism” by Umberto EcoDuring an era when being an “anti-fascist” American has assumed negative connotations and the increasing polarization of the nation’s political parties has caused concern among many observers concerning the rise of fascism in the United States, it is essential to identify the various characteristics of fascism, why this issue is relevant to Americans today, and why it is important to know. To this end, this paper provides a review of Umberto Eco’s “Ur-Fascism,” followed by a summary of the findings in the conclusion.Review and DiscussionWhile Eco concedes that formulating a definition of fascism is problematic, he provides multiple useful examples that shed light on the political ideology’s characteristics. For instance, according to Eco, fascism is characterized by cult of tradition, rejection of modernism, contempt for weakness, a strong preference for strongmen and machismo, a plot obsession, selective populism speaking “Newspeak,” and more that mirror what is taking place in the United States today. In many ways, these characteristics of fascism smack of “Big Brother,” an eventuality that is sought by growing numbers of right-leaning Americans – Americans who vote.Indeed, Eco points to the contemporary debates concerning the rise of fascism by addressing resistance to rising…

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…Eco and like-minded pundits press the point that there is clear and present danger of fascism’s rise in democratic nations around the world, making this text especially relevant and important to know. As Eco’s analysis shows, fascism exploits emotional appeals and contradictions to undermine democracy, revive nationalist myths, create scapegoats, and consolidate their power which they are wont to give up, even when they lose legitimate elections.

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With civic freedom facing internal and external threats, Umberto Eco gives policymakers and consumers alike in modern democracies the pattern recognition that is needed to respond before the vulnerabilities of unrest harden into outright….....

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"Why Understanding Fascism Is Important For Americans Today", 12 December 2023, Accessed.5 May. 2024,
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/understanding-fascism-important-americans-2180392