1939 Revisited
Dion Giles | 01.08.2001 14:11
1939: Germany and Italy in the grip of fascism. Chamberlain of England bent on constructive engagement. Encouraged, fascism was soon threatening to engulf the world.
But even before that, it was not unknown for British and other foreign visitors to fascist countries to get worked over by fascist thugs, and it was totally unknown for the British collaborationist government to stand up for its own citizens.
Now we have open fascism in its original home, Italy. British citizens in Genoa get bashed by fascist thugs. As in Germany and Italy before the war, the thugs are encouraged by the state or are part of the state. As in Britain before the war, the British Prime Minister applauds the bashers and condemns the bashed (who were not breaking any laws). Toothless nothings from Jack Straw (the man who decreed impunity for the murderer Augusto Pinochet -- indeed a man of straw). The pattern's the same in other European countries. Embarrassed by the open ferocity of the Italian goons, bent on finding a formula for retaining governmental (and especially trade) relations with the fascist government in Italy, governments and most news media seek to cover up and minimise the fascist menace that surfaced in the police mayhem.
The difference from before the war is global resistance.
Before the war fascism took root in well separated stages, resisted with great heroism in each. First there was Italy. Resistance was almost exclusively Italian. Then there was Germany. Resistance was mainly German but concern was spreading outside Germany's borders. Then Spain. By then resistance became extensively internationalised with the International Brigade, but it was too late for victory: the finger had appeared under the door a dozen years earlier.
Today we are much more able to resist fascism globally and effectively. To globalise resistance we have the Internet, and we also now know what happens when fascism is allowed to gather momentum. It can be defeated provided we focus on what it is that we are defending, and from what we are defending it.
But even before that, it was not unknown for British and other foreign visitors to fascist countries to get worked over by fascist thugs, and it was totally unknown for the British collaborationist government to stand up for its own citizens.
Now we have open fascism in its original home, Italy. British citizens in Genoa get bashed by fascist thugs. As in Germany and Italy before the war, the thugs are encouraged by the state or are part of the state. As in Britain before the war, the British Prime Minister applauds the bashers and condemns the bashed (who were not breaking any laws). Toothless nothings from Jack Straw (the man who decreed impunity for the murderer Augusto Pinochet -- indeed a man of straw). The pattern's the same in other European countries. Embarrassed by the open ferocity of the Italian goons, bent on finding a formula for retaining governmental (and especially trade) relations with the fascist government in Italy, governments and most news media seek to cover up and minimise the fascist menace that surfaced in the police mayhem.
The difference from before the war is global resistance.
Before the war fascism took root in well separated stages, resisted with great heroism in each. First there was Italy. Resistance was almost exclusively Italian. Then there was Germany. Resistance was mainly German but concern was spreading outside Germany's borders. Then Spain. By then resistance became extensively internationalised with the International Brigade, but it was too late for victory: the finger had appeared under the door a dozen years earlier.
Today we are much more able to resist fascism globally and effectively. To globalise resistance we have the Internet, and we also now know what happens when fascism is allowed to gather momentum. It can be defeated provided we focus on what it is that we are defending, and from what we are defending it.
Dion Giles
e-mail:
dgiles@central.murdoch.edu.au
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