Alternative (modern) ideologies

The problem is that fascism is an inherently authoritarian ideology.

It may not have the connotations of "absolute evil" from Nazism, but its not meant to be democratic or government-lite - the opposite is written into the very justification of it existing.

That's not true of Communism, whatever else one says about it - its not inherently defined by being about autocratic control by One Man.

Fair point. What I was envisioning, however, was an ideological movement which discards the totalitarian aspects of fascism and keeps others which it finds attractive. The corporate state, for instance, isn't necessarily incompatible with democracy, depending on how the corporate entities are run - even several non-fascist states have adopted some aspects of corporatism at various times. Things like romantic nationalism and camraderie as the basis of citizenship are more problematic, but I could see them coexisting (uneasily) with a democratic system provided that they aren't taken too far.

Also, and more to the point, political parties can function in a democratic system, even if they aren't fully on board with the idea of democracy, as long as they don't have a majority - Fiamma Tricolore, anyone? (Fiamma, minus the skinheads, might actually be a partial model of what a "Eurofascist" party could look like.)
 
Fair point. What I was envisioning, however, was an ideological movement which discards the totalitarian aspects of fascism and keeps others which it finds attractive. The corporate state, for instance, isn't necessarily incompatible with democracy, depending on how the corporate entities are run - even several non-fascist states have adopted some aspects of corporatism at various times. Things like romantic nationalism and camraderie as the basis of citizenship are more problematic, but I could see them coexisting (uneasily) with a democratic system provided that they aren't taken too far.
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Something like that, might, might, arise from the Rerum Novarum or reformed syndicalism.
 
I always thought that a resurgent Ottoman Empire with Balkans retained in 20th century will potentially have to face a form of fascism equivalent with violently alarmist and aggressive Islamophobia in Europe, and those bunch will might be the bad guys in that world's WW2.
 
In theory, while not democratic in the normal sense, a fascist system of the italian model could be as meritocratic and have the same degree of legitimacy as the current one party chines model. (I.E. pretty good). There is no universal rule that non-democratic systems have to be corrupt and ineffective, and there are loads of democratic one that suffers from high degrees of corruption, lacks legitimacy and are highly ineffective.

As a monarchist, I agree. I'm not sure that given the realities of fascist parties that's plausible - but that's another discussion.

If one is willing to ignore or reject the idea that democracy is the only legitimate form of government, "authoritarian" is not necessarily tied to corrupt, illegitimate, and ineffective.


jabberwoky: I'm a monarchist, saying something isn't democratic isn't calling it a bad thing.


Jonathan Edelstein: It's possible. I think it would take an idea of democracy other than what the modern world has adapted to look at it as democratic, but that's perfectly viable - Athenian "old school" democracy and romantic nationalism seem well suited to mix.
 
Some thoughts :

What do you think Menshevism would've most likely evolved into ?

And, related to that, how will a government formed by a multi-class front(including both bourgoueise and urban working classes) inspired by marxist principles, that doesn't swing democratic, will look like ? This is asked by a man with little knowledge about how things came toward Russian revolution so bare with me. I'm just intrigued by the contrasts apparent between Menshevism, Leninism and Narodnik ideology and wonder how we can experiment stuff with them.
 
well, for my ASB ATL, i basically decided that the Bolsheviks don't take power but a moderate socialist revolution takes place during the Depression (signalling Russia's transition from an autocracy to a constitional monarchy ITTL). this essentially puts the Mensheviks in power as a moderate socialist/communist party, and in a political system where they don't get absolute power like the Bolsheviks did
 
I've thought of a TL where both the Tsarist and Ottoman Empires implode in quick succession, where fiery Orthodox and Islamic clerics seize power and form two rival communist theocracies.

Commies being Commies, the *USSR and *People's Caliphate denounce each others as heretics and infidels, and straying from the divine path set by Christ/Mohammed/Marx. For Muslims in the *USSR and Christians in the *People's Caliphate, life is horrible, especially after *Stalin-like figures in both countries engage in mass deportations of undesirable minorities.

When the internal combustion engine emerges, both communist powers find a common interest in controlling oil output, their only reliable source of foreign exchange. But eventually the trust collapses after a series of proxy wars between the two powers, and the west convinces one power to increase oil production.

Years of ever-falling oil prices eventually leads to the collapse of both communist powers: one USSR-style, the other through Chinese-like economic reforms after a bloody crackdown on dissent.
 
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