Swastika (Hakenkreuz) Ancient Symbol
Used in America for Luck, Love & Life
The hated swastika (Hakenkreuz-Bent Cross in German) was freely used in America until 1941. The above good luck card (circa. 1916) was very popular. This is poorly understood today because of the distortions of public education. In fact, America’s leadership in pioneering fascism has been lost or conflated with Nazi Germany.
“For as he (man) thinketh in his heart, so is he…” should guide our understanding of fascism (Pr 23:7). Our last post sought to lay the historical origins of fascism as a reaction against communism (Fascism: Early Weapon Against Communism). This post will discuss how pseudo-sciences strongly contributed to fascism, survived fascism and dominate empirical science today.
American Aircraft WWI Sported
Swastika While Fighting Germany
The French Revolution began a process that continued through the 19th century culminating in the Soviet Revolution (Billington, James. Fire in the Minds of Men. Basic Books Inc. 1980.). One of the offshoots of the Revolution was the development of sociology (Comte 1838). Though it began with a positive view of man’s society it quickly was converted to a negative view by Karl Marx in his writings (Father of Communism). Sociology sought to use the empirical scientific methodology to define and direct the development of human society. Science based on measurability and repeatability neither of these are applicable to societies. Hence, it laid the foundation for what I call the pseudosciences {studies that masquerade as science but are not empirical (measurable); sometimes called soft sciences}. This gave men the illusion that they could control and direct societies to desired outcomes.
Evolution as promulgated by Charles Darwin {Darwinism} furthered this illusion claiming life arose spontaneously through random {ever upward so not random} mutations. Coupled with Mendel’s scientific study of plant genetics man gained the false impression that human development on the individual and societal levels could be controlled. This conflation of genetics, sociology and Darwinism gave rise to what became known as Social Darwinism, the application of controlled changes directing societies toward desired goals. This unholy alliance was joined by psychology {psychoanalysis as it was first known} (1879). Finally, educational theory was developed to direct children in the way that man thinks they should go (Pr 22:6). These imaginings of prideful, sinful men found fertile ground breeding the seeds of 20th century wars.
Sinful men believed they could overcome evil {sin} through science {pseudosciences} by eliminating evil {inferior} persons. Who were considered inferior? This depended on the society in question. In America those of African and Spanish descent were considered inferior compared to northern European people {English and German}. England had similar feelings of superiority over darker skinned peoples. Germany felt superior those of Slavic and Jewish descent. And the list goes onward. It was during this period that race began to take on the rigid, negative connotation known as racism. It was not considered a negative word until after WWII when images of malnourished, mangled bodies were revealed in German camps.
Populism was the fertile breeding ground from which sprang fascism. Due to the growing middle class from industrialization and universal {male} suffrage the electorate became powerful if poorly educated. This was true in America after the Civil War and in Europe after the revolutions of 1848 and the development of new nations in 1870s. The key to mobilizing the vote was not through discussions of the various issues but through the charisma of a champion of one’s perceived causes. William Jennings Bryant was such a figure in America. Also, due to the larger impact of economic downturns on the population, who could now vote, politicians became vulnerable for forces beyond their control. Nationalism was seen as one solution to prevent these negative issues; that is, the control of immigration of undesirables who would weaken one’s cultural strength. The growth of mass communications via print and electronic accentuated the overwhelming sense of doom sweeping Western societies during and after WWI.
How the Pledge of Allegiance Looked
in American Classrooms before WWII
Though one would like to blame the Frankfurt School academia assault via university classrooms for the growth of communism one realistically has to accuse them of copying early socialists who took a nationalistic turn into fascism. Mr. Baden-Powell developed Boy Scouts, which was later imitated for girls {Girl Scouts}, as a means of propagating military socialism. This flourished in America as a paramilitary organization, peaceful pursuits, which was copied by European fascist nations. American classrooms adopted the Bellamy pledge and salute indoctrinating nearly every school child into national socialism {Youtube}. Between the world wars America, and every other Western power was developing its citizenry for war. Thus, when war came communism did not find fertile ground among the middle class, as Marx predicted, for they had been indoctrinated into national socialism. Communism could only find adherents among the poorest peasants. The Frankfurt School sought to make inroads into the middle class masses via national {public} educational systems as had the nationalists. They succeeded also.
Why did fascism succeed? Large populist disenfranchised middle class who no longer trusted in established governments. When Mr. Bryant was defeated the populist movement felt betrayed by the Eastern urban financiers {gold standard}. This was further solidified with the establishment of the Federal Reserve to tightly control the federal currency. The growth of global communism which threatened national cultures. The “perfect storm” for 20th century fascism: free market capitalism with its up and downs appeared out of control bent on destroying national cultures; immigration of different ethnicities diluting the approved ethnicity of one’s culture; man’s reliance on pseudosciences justifying racial purity and the rise of charismatic personalities telling people the solutions that their respective governments could provide if they were elected.
World War II was not about stopping Fascism for each of the belligerents practiced nationalistic socialism to some degree. It was about controlling the nationalism of certain countries while further one’s own nationalism. Today, America, the winner of WWII, is the most socialistic, militaristic and dominating power. The birthplace of national socialism dominates all other nations through fascism while denying fascism (America’s Unique Fascism). Even Christians and Christendom are enlisted in national socialism versus communism verses immigration. The mainline Christendom religions and Roman Catholicism aligned themselves with globalistic communism and immigration while evangelical Christianity align themselves with national socialism {under the guise of promoting democracy and free enterprise}.
I began this small series believing fascism was a false name to use against the supporters of President Trump only to discover I was ignorant of the history of national socialism. Though the Progressives are as guilty of socialism as those they hurl the epithets against, they are correct in their terminology. America denies the racism of the 20th century movement and rebukes the trappings it once embraced but this does not refute its policies, even under President Trump. The worship of the power organs of government, police and military, are as fascist as Nazi Germany or Imperial Japan. Christians should not agitate for governments but for the Gospel which crosses societal, cultural lines promoting Christ and His salvation. Paul demonstrated this throughout his ministry yet Christians align themselves with nationalistic socialism which will devour them once they are no longer needed.
In our final installment of fascism we will see how both communism and immigration {including Islam}, thinking they are establishing themselves, are being used to further fascism.