AIBU to think this quote sums up Tommy Robinson and his supporters?

[Gingerbreadtree]

The quote is taken from the British philosopher Bertrand Russell's essay on Fascim in 1940,

"The first step in a fascist movement is the combination under an energetic leader of a number of men who possess more than the average share of leisure, brutality, and stupidity. The next step is to fascinate fools and muzzle the intelligent, by emotional excitement on the one hand and terrorism on the other."

To me it sums them up, but it sums up a lot of the far right in general. The same could be said about Farage and many of his supporters too.

I totally agree with you. I do also think this applies to Zack. I say that as a green member.

Authoritarianism can exist on the left and the right.

I agree but this is true of the Greens equally. It's true of all populists.

Agree.

The thing I don't understand is, why is anyone at all trying to encourage the rise of fascism?

I know there's probably a very obvious answer but all that term means to me is violence, depression, pain and societal disfunction.

What are the benefits of fascism?

There is a sense of protection when you can ensure that it's not your group who suffers from the violence, depression, pain and societal dysfunction.

Absolutely agree. Also applies to Zack Polanski and his supporters.

Moderate people have lead to this though. For example, TR was talking about the rape gangs about a decade ago when everyone else preferred to look the other way.

I do not see how this applies to Polanski. Wanting an inclusive society is the opposite of fascism.

Yep. Far right and far left are twin cheeks of the same backside. Sadly that leaves the rest of us hiding in the crack until populism begins to subside.

When I first read the quote I thought of the Green Party.

It is the Labour party that is encouraging the rise by ignoring people's concerns.

it made me think of the Green Party when I read it.

How is being anti semetic inclusive?

But the 'protected group' are therefore happy to be the one's who are instigating and carrying out the suffering? Are they psychopaths? How do they sleep at night?

Humans are dispicable.

Exactly. They meet in the middle.

The Greens only wants an inclusive society for people on the 'approved' list. Blokes in frocks = goooood. Women who defend their sex based rights = baaaad.

When you say 'inclusive' what do you mean exactly? The Greens kick out anyone who knows there are 2 biological sexes.

There is a lot of money to be made in fascism. Detention centres, guards, free labour. Look at German history and you will see that German big business were huge supporters of Hitler. Companies which still operate today like Siemens got free slave labour in concentration camps. Fascism and capitalism go hand in glove, that's why money is being poured into parties like Reform.

Or maybe people are being promised a quick and easy answer that doesn't exist, by a party that's never been in power.

He has said he wants to ignore people with different views- gender critical women, people who are ' right wing' ( presumably his definition) he is charismatic and is an "energetic leader of a number of men who possess more than the average share of leisure, brutality, and stupidity . The next step is to fascinate fools and muzzle the intelligent, by emotional excitement on the one hand and terrorism on the other." This basically sums him and his cobbled together band of Islamic extremists and far Left travellers to a tee.

Locking up people for tweets, is somehow NOT fascism? Apparently.

Don't kid yourself that it's because he and his ilk care about women - they don't give a shiny shit about rape if the perpetrators are white. Tommy Robinson is top mates with sex trafficker Andrew Tate.

As others have said, the Far Left and Far Right are two cheeks of the same arse. Well run capitalism is based on liberal ideology which is centrist. Both the Far Left and Far Right are based on authoritarian ideology. One based on nationalism, one based on collectivism. Both imposed " for the good of society". Fascist ideology has many elements of economic socialism ( but just for some groups- a bit like Polanski's rights for people who think the correct way but not for others). That's why the Greens and other Leftist groups throughout history fail to see Islamo fascism. They just see the economic socialism but not the Far/hard Right religious conservatism.

Try expressing wrongthink to them, see how inclusive they are not.

The " right kind of women". A bit like " the right kind of Jew"