Il Fascismo Eterno

It is a tiny essay, read in about an hour, that lays out key points of fascism and similar movements.

Here are the points; I would say he was quite prescient. I expected a longer book; it ended abruptly.

1. Cult of tradition and of the past, often interpreted syncretically.
2. Rejection of modernism, also as a consequence of the first point, and of the Enlightenment spirit.
3. Irrationalism and a cult of action for its own sake. Distrust of culture.
4. Rejection of criticism and of the critical spirit.
5. Fear of diversity. One consequence is racism.
6. Frustration of the middle classes (petty bourgeoisie) due to economic crises or political pressures.
7. Obsession with conspiracies, including of an international kind.
8. Perception of excessive strength in external enemies, who are nonetheless thought to be beatable. This contradiction typically leads to misjudging opponents and, in the end, to losing confrontations.
9. Idea of permanent war and opposition to pacifism. Final peace will come only after the ultimate victory. A huge contradiction, since peace cannot exist then.
10. Mass elitism and contempt for the weak: therefore, contempt by each stratum for the one below it.
11. Mass heroism and a desire to sacrifice oneself for the common cause, but more often to sacrifice others.
12. Machismo, easier to handle than heroism.
13. “Qualitative populism.” Given the denial of individual rights, “the people” are seen as a single entity whose will must be interpreted by the leader.
14. Use of a Newspeak, characterized by elementary syntax and enforcing a necessarily limited critical reasoning.