Fascism Op-ed

Though the Taliban have been terrorizing the Middle East for years, they do not have the organization or maturity that is needed to become a fascist movement. However, the fact that they are not fascist does not make them any less affective striking fear into the hearts of those they terrorize.

The fascists of the past have always had a certain about them, one that the Taliban does not have. They have always been organized. Instead of going into the middle of town and killing someone to get attention, fascist regimes have taken a more calm approach of persuasion by propaganda, instead of using a fear factor to get their way. While fascists relied more on getting the persuading the government that they were the best and using that as means to get control, the Taliban focuses more on intimidating everyone until they are all so scared that they will give the Taliban what they want. And though both means are affective, they are different enough to keep the Taliban from being a fascist movement.

Although the fact the Taliban relies more on guerrilla warfare to get their point across is one keeps them from being fascist, that is not to say that fascism didn't include some element of violence in fascism. In fact, both groups share the aspect of intimidation. However, where the Taliban have big guns and impulse, Fascist movements have order and a large military. Fascist actions were judicious: every single action was thought out; they would not snap in public if one person did something to make them angry. Fascists also moved in large packs that tried to expand into other countries, where as the Taliban focuses more on gaining control of one small area. The need for expansion is a huge fascist value, one that the Taliban need if they have the urge to become fascist.

One thing that both groups do have in common is some sense of nationalism, though the Taliban does not have the nationalism that it takes to make a fascist state. Whereas in Germany where Hitler and his Nazi Party managed to convince everyone that the only way that Germany could succeed was if everyone was pure German, the Taliban only focus on very extreme Islamic ways. Nationalism can only succeed if there is a large enough group of people that can be unified. In Germany, most of the country fell into the category of perfect human that Hitler outlined, making it easier for his ideas to spread and for him to take over. The Taliban’s views are far too narrow to ever be powerful enough to band an entire country together. Plus, unlike the Germans who were centred in one area, the Taliban are much too spread out to ever be able to completely take over.

Despite both groups sharing some important characteristics in common—having traditional values, being elitist and sexist, and being aggressive—the Taliban lack some of the key ideals that Fascist movements have. So though they are affective in gaining some control of the Middle East, they do not have what it takes to become fascist.