Op-Ed: Fascism and the Taliban

When one imagines the Taliban, they might see flashing images of shootings, war, underprivileged women, and chaos in the Middle East. The Taliban love power, and are driven by an innate need to control as much territory as possible. They also accept war as a necessary part of life, and are inclined to violence. Because of these characteristics, they are often seen by outsiders as forceful, expansionist xenophobes. But are they fascist?

Fascism is a type of government focused on obtaining absolute power through dictatorship, war, and a united population. And although the Taliban share many characteristics with fascist governments, they are missing some vital parts. For example, one of the main ways fascist governments maintain power is by having a single, centralized government which is also in complete control of the country’s economy. The Taliban, however, are more unorganized and do not successfully control the entire economy of the countries they inhabit. Fascist leaders also tend to show a paternalistic tenderness towards their population. Although they are horrifically violent, and atrocities such as public punishments and executions are common, they still feel a need to take care of the people they control. The Taliban feel no such responsibility. The citizens of a Taliban-controlled state are expected to submit entirely and help the Taliban achieve their goals, not wonder what their leaders can do for their country. Fascism countries work towards the good of the country, the Taliban work towards the good of the Taliban.

One last difference between these two is that the Taliban control other states through intimidation, while fascist rulers bribe countries with images of strength and glory. Fascist subjects are usually there voluntarily, because the offers of the fascist rulers are too good to pass up. The Taliban, on the other hand, expand and conquer through force alone, spreading terror in their wake to ease their accent to power. During the fascist rule of Germany, the average German citizen was quite content with the direction their country seemed to be traveling. The government’s control over the economy and their drive to make the country “better” was a huge morale booster for many. They created more jobs and glorified German culture, both of which were exactly what Germany needed to recover from the humiliating Treaty of Versailles. If the fascist regime hadn’t started persecuting minorities, the government might have successfully helped to return Germany to power.

Although the Taliban share many qualities with fascists, they have too many fundamental differences to truly be called fascist. Perhaps the Taliban are using fascist ideals as inspiration, or maybe they are aspiring to someday create a truly fascist nation. But for the moment, Taliban and Fascists are not interchangeable words.