TUESDAY
4 March
2025
7.00--9.00pm
Online
Is Trumpism Fascism?
The re-election of Donald J. Trump late last year has re-ignited long-standing debates about the nature of the movement he heads, the electoral coalition that he forged, and the general political direction of the USA.
Trump’s second presidency has caused alarm and concern across the political spectrum, from the radical left to conservatives, but there was little agreement on how to define Trump and the ‘Make America Great Again’ (MAGA) movement that formed around him. MAGA has been described as right-wing populism, radical conservatism, authoritarianism, and neo-fascism - amongst other things.
How, then, are we to define it? Is it a new form of fascism, as some have claimed? Does this definition of ‘Trumpism’ obscure the special features of the man, the movement, and the social-economic and cultural contexts from which they have emerged? In any case, what difference does it make what we call it? Does this affect how we respond to such a political movement and the regime it might attempt to create?
Aims of the Session
In taking part in the discussion, you should be able to confidently...
Explain the nature of Trumpism in the context of wider debates about Fascism and authoritarianism.
Discuss the practical, political consequences that follow from these different understandings.
Develop our discussion into further ideas and arguments that we can use to meet the challenge of Trumpism.
Join us to explore these questions and more. This is an online FREE event taking place via Zoom. To ensure you are able to participate, please register via EventBrite or email penscotland@gmail.com to reserve your place.
Seminar
Readings
Jackson, P.N. (2021) ‘Debate: Donald Trump and Fascism Studies’, Fascism (Leiden), 10(1), pp. 1–15.
Lyons, M. (2008). ‘Two Ways of Looking at Fascism’, Socialism and Democracy, 22:2, pp. 121-15.
The following articles and readings will help contextualise the discussions for this seminar. Please try to engage with these readings as much as possible before the seminar.
Be sure to check out the reading guide, where you can find guided reading questions to help you in the seminar. These aren't essential to answer, but it will help you to get more out of our discussion if you do!
READING GUIDE
SEMINAR GUIDE
Video
Resources
Trump doesn't need fascism, he has no opposition
Middle East Eye (21 January 2025)
In this video, political scientist Norman Finkelstein argues that fascism arose in Germany as a way to contain a powerful left that threatened capitalism. He says that in the United States today there is no one to oppose Donald Trump -- he controls all the institutions, and the powerful elites of the country have all fallen in line.
Fascist tendencies in Trump: A comparison to Hitler's rise
DW News (4 November 2024)
An unsettling question has been dominating the US presidential race: Is Donald Trump a fascist? Some have even compared him to Nazi Adolf Hitler. DW’s Washington Bureau Chief Ines Pohl sat down with Timothy Ryback, historian and author of 'Take Over: Hitler's Final Rise to Power' to discuss this question.
Dominic and Anthony Can't Agree on Whether Trump Is a Fascist or Not
The Rest is Politics (5 November 2024)
In this clip, part of a wider discussion taken from election night, Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell from The Rest Is Politics are joined by Anthony Scaramucci from The Rest Is Politics USA, Dominic Sandbrook from The Rest Is History and Marina Hyde from The Rest Is Entertainment to explore the ideological orientation of Donald Trump.
Dominic and Anthony Can't Agree on Whether Trump Is a Fascist or Not
The Rest is Politics (5 November 2024)
Robert Reich, author, lawyer and political commentator looks at five key elements that he argues defines fascism: Rejecting democracy for a strongman, stoking rage against cultural elites, nationalism based on “superior” race, glorifying strength and warriors, and disdain of women and LGBTQ+ people. These five elements, he argues, find exact expression in Donald Trump.
Lawyer: Donald Trump is NOT a Fascist
Alex O'Connor (8 April 2023)
In this video, lawyer and author David Renton speaks about the nature of fascism and the ways in which we should seek to deal with it via no-platforming. The left, he argues, has used this tactic to (wrongly, in his view) to shut down debate. He argues that while fascists should be banned from public speech, this does not apply to populist, authoritarian or alt-right viewpoints, all of which could describe Donald Trump.