One of the brilliant aspects of teaching AP English is the rare opportunity to take a minute to discuss rhetoric at its most basic levels. This occurs when two people of the same language discuss the meaning of a word both people know, but have different understandings as to the meaning of the word.
This morning, a student averred that Stalin was not Fascist.
I averred he was. A third party agreed with the student and the research began.
On Apple Computers, “Fascism” is defined on the dashboard as a
“noun, an authoritarian and nationalistic right-wing system of government and social organization. In general use extreme right-wing, authoritarian, or intolerant views or practice.”
The third party added that “Fascism” was representative of an economic structure.
Arguing this, the Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language (517) states that fascism is “(sometimes cap.) a governmental system led by a dictator having complete power, forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism, regimenting all industry, commerce, etc., and emphasizing an aggressive nationalism and often racism. [The second definition reads] (sometimes cap.) the philosophy, principles, or methods of fascism.” The third definition has to do with Musselini in Italy 1922 to 1943.
By this definition, Stalin is an example of a Fascist.
The Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language (517) however also states that a fascist is “anyone who believes in or sympathizes with fascism . . . , a member of a fascist movement or party, esp. in Italy . . . [or] anyone who is dictatorial.” To one reader, this may still apply to Stalin. To others, the economic system of Italy would determine whether or not the leader was Fascist.
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