Monstrous nations

July 27, 2021 10:59

"When politically mobilized majorities (or politicians acting in their name) single out minorities for oppression, writers reach for historically loaded comparisons. Marine Le Pen, Viktor Orbn, Vladimir Putin, Jair Bolsonaro, Recep Erdogan, Aung San Suu Kyi, Xi Jinping, Mahinda Rajapaksa, Bashar al-Assad, Narendra Modi, Benjamin Netanyahu have all been called fascist and this is not an exhaustive list.

"The appropriateness of this label is complicated by two considerations. One, can a political tendency so closely associated with the histories of Germany, Italy and Japan between the World Wars be usefully generalized to describe other polities removed in both time and space? Two, is it accurate to describe right-wing governments in internally democratic and externally peaceful countries as fascist when the signature trait of historic fascisms like Germany's and Japan's was genocidal, warmongering violence?"

Mukul Kesavan in search of actually existing fascism. Read the column here.

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

INDIA leader will be decided after ....: Vijayan amid Cong-CPM rift

He said, during a press meet in Kannur, that during the LS polls, alliances were being formed in various states as part of the platform and its result was that the Bharatiya Janata Party was being largely isolated.

Don't expect too many high-scoring games in T20 World Cup: Miller

South Africa and Gujarat Titans' middle-order batter David Miller doesn't expect too many high-scoring matches in the upcoming T20 World Cup in the Americas as he feels the pitches there will be on the slower side.

Ladakh MP Namgyal defiant as BJP replaces him

The BJP's decision to drop Namgyal comes amid resentment towards the ruling party among a section of Buddhists in Leh.

BJP seeks CBI probe into Neha's murder, says conduct of CM raises questions

Speaking to reporters after meeting Neha's parents in Hubballi, he claimed that the statements made by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, home minister G Parameshwara and a few ministers in connection with this case are "very disturbing".

Bonmati and Djokovic win top Laureus awards

Spain's World Cup winning midfielder Aitana Bonmati was named the Sportswoman of the Year, while Serbia's Novak Djokovic captured the top men's honour at the Laureus awards ceremony on Monday.