Thursday, May 08, 2008

Goldberg's Liberal Fascism

Important, extremely informative, well written book that I'd been meaning to write ever since my old college and law school roommate called Ronaldus Magnus and me fascists. I never, ever understood how "everything for the state, nothing outside the state" could be considered anything but socialist. I never understood how a limited government, pro-individual liberty position could ever be considered fascist given the extraordinary control of almost everything and everybody in German and Italian regimes. For that matter, I never understood how the National Socialists could be considered anything but, well, socialists.

For the birth of and history of the origins of fascism, well told. Links and similarities between Wilsonian (and even TR) Progressivism and Italian Fascism also well documented. The use of FDR of the various crises of the time to greatly expand government has always been well documented so that was a bit less informative.

The post JFK arguments resonated less with me. Not a truly difficult read though I did have to keep somewhat of a list of defined terms handy. For whatever reason, I think the only two books that have taken me longer to read cover to cover are the Bible and City of God.

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