Why protests fail against fascists
This post adds to chapter 4. It expands on why fascist and authoritarian regimes do not depend on public approval the way liberal democracies do. They depend on control. We will provide historical and current examples of the four areas they control. Under each of the four areas we will provide first historical examples and current examples. Our hope is you will clearly see the pattern. Lastly, in each of the four areas listed, there are actions you can take to dismantle that area.
Historical Control of courts
Adolf Hitler’s path to absolute control over Germany did not begin with overt dictatorship, but rather with calculated legal maneuvers that exploited the weaknesses of the Weimar Constitution and manipulated the existing judiciary. Upon his appointment as Chancellor on January 30, 1933, Hitler lacked the full legal authority to reshape the state in his image. However, he moved rapidly to erode democratic norms through legislative and executive action. Thus controlling the courts breaks the rule of law. This feature happened in fascist Italy, Russia and during the middle ages in England, France and Spain.
Hitler first took over the government judicial system which coexisted with the arbitrary power of Hitler and the police. Yet, like most areas of public life after the Nazi rise to power in 1933, the German system of justice underwent “coordination” (alignment with Nazi goals). All of the professional associations involved with the administration of justice were merged into the National Socialist League of German Jurists in April 1933. Next, came the armed forces and the government bureaucracy.
In history, controlling the legal courts occurred more than a few times in England. Charles I king of England believed in the divine right of Kings. This did not end well for him. The English Civil War put an end to him. Charles quarreled with the English Parliament, which sought to curb his royal prerogative. He was determined to govern according to his own conscience. He had taken over the courts and attacked those who opposed his new rules.
Current Control of courts
In the United States, currently the president rules by appointing judges to the courts. Then there is the executive orders. Currently, the courts are stopping prosecutions of the President. Thus he has taken over the courts and attacked those who opposed his new rules.
Historical Control of media
There are too many examples in the past to list about how media has been controlled by authoritarian rulers. A free and open press is one of the greatest threats to authoritarian rule, which is why dictators and autocrats have always prioritized either co-opting media institutions or shutting them down entirely.
Once in power, authoritarian leaders often remove independent journalists and replace them with loyalists who will push state propaganda.
- Nazi Germany — Joseph Goebbels, Hitler’s chief propagandist, took control of newspapers, radio stations, and film studios, ensuring that only pro-Nazi content was disseminated.
- Russia under Putin — Independent media outlets have been systematically dismantled, with major networks now acting as extensions of the Kremlin.
Current Control of the media by use of Legal Crackdowns and Censorship
Governments use laws to restrict press freedoms, criminalizing dissent under vague national security or defamation laws.
- China’s Great Firewall — The Chinese Communist Party has created a vast system of internet censorship, blocking foreign news and social media platforms.
- Turkey under Erdoğan — Journalists critical of the government have been arrested on terrorism charges, and independent outlets have been seized by the state.
- Weaponizing State Media for Propaganda, Once independent voices are silenced, authoritarian regimes use state-controlled media to spread propaganda, manipulating public perception.
- In the US lawsuits for defamation have been used to stop broadcasting and print news media.
Historical Control of Money
When Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in 1933, he introduced policies aimed at improving the economy. The changes included privatization of state-owned industries, tariffs, and an attempt to achieve autarky (national economic self-sufficiency). However, Workers were forced to work longer hours and this sucked up their energy.
The Nazi government developed a partnership with leading German business interests, who supported the goals of the regime and its war effort in exchange for advantageous contracts, subsidies, and the suppression of the trade union movements. The state took over the control of banks.
Current Control of Money
Currently, Trump has been attempting to take over the Federal Reserve system. He has had his minions create crypto currencies.
Historical Control of Violence
From the brown shirts (SA) in Germany and the fascism ideology of Mussolini. Fascism’s main characteristics include a cult of the leader, opposition to parliamentary democracy, the exaltation of violence. Approximately 25,000 “blackshirts” (fascists wore these as their distinctive uniform) organized paramilitary marches. Non-fascist political organizations in government disappeared by being dissolved. Mussolini took away freedom of the press and organized a secret police force to monitor and repressing opponents. Mussolini had opponents beaten up or killed.
Current Control of Violence
We are seeing ICE beating up and using gas attacks on protesters. We are seeing protesters murdered. What are seeing a development of secret police force charged with monitoring and repressing opponents in the United States.
Thus
Protests that does not threaten any of those pillars is no threat at all. It is a pressure release valve. It is the opiate of the opposition.
So how do we fight this increase in terror in the United States?
A quick review:
Individual effort:
- Stop oversharing online and start building trust offline.
- Learn how systems you rely on actually work.
- Notice how you are exploited to support the ruling class, and start blocking that.
- Make yourself harder to pressure, fire, silence, or isolate
- Withdraw voluntary compliance wherever it is safe and strategic
Goals for groups:
- organize inside workplaces, not just outside buildings
- build mutual aid that replaces dependence, not supplements it
- coordinate economic pressure deliberately, not symbolically
- create redundancy so no single leader or platform can be taken out
Targets for movements:
- focus less on visibility and more on leverage
- protect participants from burnout and exposure
- plan for repression instead of being shocked by it
- measure success by concessions gained, not photos taken
Our Losses and no Gains
Lastly, so far there have been no concessions. We are seeing some but not many in the Republican party change. Our leaders in the democratic party did not plan for repression. The protests have not gained leverage. No businesses are effected that support Trump and MAGA. The news channels suffer repression.
Pull a Micheal Wolff, he has created a law suit to counter a threat by Trump. We need more of these.