While Hitler often dominates the conversation, it’s Mussolini who stands as the original template of fascism, the blueprint before the brand. Long before Hitler’s rise, Mussolini laid the ideological and aesthetic foundation:
- the cult of personality
- the glorification of the state
- the merging of politics and spectacle
- the systematic dismantling of democratic norms in favor of authoritarian theatrics
If we’re going to measure modern-day strongmen, provocateurs, or would-be autocrats, Mussolini, not Hitler, should be the starting point.
Mussolini was fascism’s first architect, and his playbook remains eerily relevant.
So it’s no surprise that many have no idea why specific alliances exist, or how, less than a century ago, entire nations followed madmen into the abyss, committing some of the most unspeakable crimes against humanity.
When history is treated as optional, so too are the lessons that were paid for in blood, when the world went to war.
Instead (and now I’ve gone further than a short thought), inexplicable geopolitical theoretical buffoonery is being conjured up and applauded as revolutionary out-of-the-box thinking. Not because it is rooted in sound analysis or historical insight, but simply because it stands in contrast to the so-called “establishment.”
Disrupt the establishment long enough, loudly enough, without thought or plan, and soon you’ll find there’s no establishment left to hold the state together. Burn it all down, and eventually, you’ll be left standing in the ashes-wondering why there’s nowhere left to build.
Difference, not depth, has become the currency of credibility. And in this climate, even the most reckless propositions are praised so long as they reject what came before.
This is simply an introductory piece. What I’ve shared here has often been dismissed as overly theoretical, accused of overlooking the genuine concerns of the people. It’s significant enough to mention here, but not so central as to divert attention from the real issues faced by a Haitian-American navigating the convergence of tumultuous currents.