ZNet interviews Richard Stallman

ProgressiveCynic writes "ZNet has just published an interview with Richard Stallman. Much of the interview will be review for Slashdot folks, intended to introduce ZNet's audience to the free software movement, but many interesting bits remain including a discussion on the outlawing of free software, patents as applied to literature, and this quote: 'I'm a Liberal, in US terms (not Canadian terms). I'm against fascism.'"

Comments

Liberals

[maggard]

For those puzzled, RMS's Liberal comment is in reference to Canada's Liberal party.

Re:Good Article but...

[a_n_d_e_r_s]

"Fascism is associated with one or more of the following characteristics: a very high degree of nationalism, economic corporatism, and, after attaining political control of a country, a powerful, dictatorial state that views the nation as superior to the individuals or groups composing it."

-- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fascism

""A system of government that exercises a dictatorship of the extreme right, typically through the merging of state and business leadership, together with belligerent nationalism."
-- American Heritage Dictionary

Even though there are no clear definition of Fascism there is definititly clear that corporatism - the merging of big business and the state - are part of Fascism.

US today are leaning more and more towards fascism. Not many likes it - but its the sad truth.

Re:Non-English speaker have a question

[John Nowak]

This definition has some holes in it, but "liberal" in the US means left-leaning (more centralized government, welfare state, etc), whereas liberal in Canada and Europe and most other places means the same thing as "conservative" means in the US (or used to mean anyway), including smaller government, lower taxes, less government control, pro-business, etc. It is even confusing in the US, with the "Libertarian" party conforming to strict conservative ideas -- conservative in the classical-US sense, not the current big government, pro-war definition. I should also note that the "left" in the US is much more like the "center" or even "right" in many other countries.

Re:Good Article but...

[node 3]

The US and other countries today are not fascist nor resemble anything like a fascist nation. Does big business run the country? Yes. Do politicians suck up to it? Yes. Is this a good thing? NO! But its NOT fascism. To call it such is at the least a bit ignorant.

Absolutely false. What you've described is, in fact, the definition of Fascism.

"Fascism should more properly be called Corporatism, because it is the merger of state and corporate power."
-- Benito Mussolini

Although the term "Fascism" is commonly met with revulsion, the ideals of Fascism are alive and well. In fact, there are people who openly support Fascism, whether they accept the title of Fascist or not.

"When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying the cross."
-- Sinclair Lewis (1935)

Vice President Henry A. Wallace warned quite often of the dangers of Fascism in America.

"With a fascist the problem is never how best to present the truth to the public but how best to use the news to deceive the public into giving the fascist and his group more money or more power."
-- US Vice President Henry A. Wallace

He also defined it in the classical, Mussolini sense:

"If we define an American fascist as one who in case of conflict puts money and power ahead of human beings, then there are undoubtedly several million fascists in the United States. There are probably several hundred thousand if we narrow the definition to include only those who in their search for money and power are ruthless and deceitful. Most American fascists are enthusiastically supporting the war effort."

-- US Vice President Henry A. Wallace, "The Danger of American Fascism," New York Times, 1944.