|
It's interesting that this discussion of fascism has barely touched on one of the major components of fascism as practiced by both Mussolini and our own government, and that is corporatism, or the collusion of government with corporate interests. This is an understandable omission in that corporatism is so ingrained in the political mindset of liberal and conservative Americans alike that we accept it as part and parcel of our sociopolitical system.
For example, we seldom question whether stimulating economic growth is a proper function of government, or whether the gross domestic product or some similar economic index is a valid indicator of the country's well-being. Similarly, such things as industry lobbying and corporate campaign donations - not to mention outright cronyism among government officials and their friends in the corporate sector - are taken in stride by persons of every political stripe. In cases where corporate interests come into conflict with environmental concerns, big business invariably wins. And how often do the people get a say in whether a new product should be introduced into our culture, or whether decisions made by some board of directors reflect the public interest?
I submit that corporations, and not government, are the real policy makers in America, and that the only people whose votes count are those who own a substantial amount of stock in those corporations. And since we all toe the corporatist party line, so to speak, when we succumb to the constant bombardment of corporatist propaganda in the form of advertisement and buy their products in an attempt to correct some deficiency in our lives, lifestyle, or self-image that the corporations themselves have thoughtfully invented for us without questioning whether we really need them in order to be healthy or happy, or to get along in society, we are tacitly consenting to be governed by them.
In effect, most of our partisan and ideological disagreements are rather pointless when viewed from a distance because we are all devout adherents to the one state religion, which we may variously call capitalism, corporatism, or consumerism depending on which aspect you want to examine.
|