Fascism in the Middle East

Fascism in the Middle East
The Taliban consistently demonstrate qualities of a Fascist group. They are similar in many ways to a Fascist regime. The differences between the Taliban and a Fascist regime are miniscule and insignificant. The similarities in the way that the Taliban conduct their business with that of a Fascist regime are the reason that the Taliban can be classified as Fascist.
The first reason that the Taliban is a fascist group is the way they use religion to unite people. For the Taliban, religion is the focus and following Shariah law is the goal, so in society religion is everywhere. This is similar in other fascist regimes. Benito Mussolini embraced the Catholic Church as a way to incorporate religion into society as well as use it to draw more followers and to create an expected role for men and women, the way that the Taliban and Fascist groups treated woman. In Shariah Law women are not seen as equals and are forced to do things that depict them as unequal to men, in Fascist regimes women were not seen as equals either.
The second reason that the Taliban is a fascist group is because it is very violent. The Taliban employ fear in the same way that a fascist regime does. The Taliban are notorious for public beatings and gruesome executions; Fascist regimes are notorious for much of the same. For example, in Mussolini’s rise to power in Italy, his opponents were forced to drink castor oil. Both used fear to scare people into obedience. Also, both have violent tendencies. A fascist regime wants to expand through conquest and is typically bellicose. The Taliban are equally as violent as they believe that war is justified if it is jihad.
Lastly, the Taliban are a Fascist regime because they seek to control everything. The Taliban’s main objective is to make all Muslims live their life by Shariah Law; Shariah Law is a very strict interpretation of Islam that commands Muslims to live a very modest, simple life. Shariah Law affects all parts of life, the way you dress, the food you eat, the jobs you are allowed to take and so on. Fascist regimes also seek to control all aspects of life. Hitler’s rise to power is a great example of how fascist regimes control all aspects of life. Once Hitler got to power, he took command of every aspect of a German citizens life.
Overall, It is clear that the similarities between the Taliban and Fascist groups are not a coincidence. The Taliban incorporate fascist ideas and strategies into their philosophy and actions, which cements their title as a fascist regime.