The ‘Fascist’ Ad Hominem As an Act of Projection
A definition of “projection” is when one baselessly accuses others of doing something unsavory, immoral, or illegal that he is actually doing. For example, a thief who, without proof, accuses others of being thieves. This is what socialists do when they call their intellectual and political opponents “fascists” or compare them to Hitler. Fascism is socialism, as Lew Rockwell recently reminded us in an essay entitled “National Socialism Was Socialist.” Socialists calling opponents of socialism fascists and Hitler-like is a classic example of projection.
Socialists started out claiming that their goal was forced egalitarianism with the means being government ownership of the means of production. Then, according to Ludwig von Mises, it also came to be defined as government control of the private means of production through pervasive government regulation, controls, and regimentation. The ostensible goal was still egalitarianism but the means were different. In the 1976 edition of The Road to Serfdom F. A. Hayek wrote that by that time socialism also meant the pursuit of egalitarianism by yet another means – income redistribution through the institutions of the welfare state and the progressive income tax.
Today socialism is defined by its self-described “woke” practitioners as “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI), a synonym for egalitarianism, along with comprehensive central planning through regulation in the name of “fighting climate change” (i.e., the “Green New Deal”). What these definitions of socialism have in common is that they would all require totalitarian governmental power and the further abolition of property rights, the rule of law, civil liberties, constitutionalism, and economic freedom in general, all in the name of “equity,” the new buzz word for socialist egalitarianism.
Today’s socialists see Donald Trump and his political followes as their main obstacle, so naturally they relentlessly label them as fascists and Hitler-like. A typical Washington Post headline was “How Trump’s Rhetoric Compares with Hitler’s.” Another one was “Yes, It’s OK to Compare Trump to Hitler.” National Public Radio’s web site had a headline announcing that “Donald Trump Used
Article from LewRockwell
LewRockwell.com is a libertarian website that publishes articles, essays, and blog posts advocating for minimal government, free markets, and individual liberty. The site was founded by Lew Rockwell, an American libertarian political commentator, activist, and former congressional staffer. The website often features content that is critical of mainstream politics, state intervention, and foreign policy, among other topics. It is a platform frequently used to disseminate Austrian economics, a school of economic thought that is popular among some libertarians.