nthWORD– Naomi Wolf’s book, The End of America: Letter of Warning to a Young Patriot, argues that there are ten steps common to every state that has made the transition into fascism. One step is the targeting of key individuals or demographics: artists, academics, activists, civil servants, gays, Jews; the public blacklisting of those who don’t tow the party line. Another move towards fascism is the control over the press—all dictatorships and would-be dictators target journalists and make sweeping media reforms to increase their control and their ability to censor information.
Her book conveys the inklings of fascism here in America, but in a
globalized society, the West sets the tone for policy and culture that
influences the rest of the world. As Orwellian rhetoric becomes
commonplace– wars are being waged to maintain “peace” and draconian
bills that curtail civil liberties are being litigated as
“patriotic”—countries worldwide have been enacting Wolf’s ten steps,
some with more haste than others.
After decades of post-Soviet, post-Holocaust political and economic
strife, Hungary is starting to embody Orwell’s dystopian portrayal.
This April, Fidesz, Hungary’s center-right conservative party, won
2/3rds control over Parliament, putting the conservative party in power
for the first time since World War II. Moreover, Fidesz now controls
22 out of the 23 major cities in the country. This complete takeover by
one party is significant, because the Hungarian Constitution can be
effectively changed with a 2/3rds majority in Parliament, an advantage
now regularly enacted by the new party in power.
Read more about Hungary’s new nationalism at nthWORD.
Abby Martin is a freelance writer for nthWORD magazine, citizen journalist, activist and artist living in Oakland, CA. You can find more of her writing at www.MediaRoots.org and view her artwork at www.AbbyMartin.org
photo by flickr user Habeebee
Read more of Abby’s views here.