I researched every attempt to stop fascism in history. The success rate is 0%.

[JBTaurus83]

In 1933, German conservatives thought they could control Hitler. Two years later, they were being executed in their own homes. I spent weeks researching this question, desperately looking for counter-examples, for hope, for any time in history where people successfully stopped fascists after they started winning elections.

Here's what I found: Once fascists win power democratically, they have never been removed democratically. Not once. Ever.

I know that sounds impossible. I kept digging, thinking surely someone, somewhere, stopped them. The actual record is so much worse than you think.

Let's start with Germany because everyone thinks they know this story. Franz von Papen, the conservative politician who convinced President Hindenburg to make Hitler Chancellor, said "We've hired him" in January 1933. He thought he was so clever. Within 18 months, the Nazis were machine-gunning von Papen's allies in their homes during the Night of Long Knives. Von Papen himself barely escaped to Austria with his life. Every single conservative who thought they could "control" or "moderate" Hitler was either dead, in exile, or groveling for survival by 1934.

Italy was even dumber, if that's possible. October 1922, Mussolini announces he's marching on Rome with 30,000 blackshirts. Except here's the thing: they were poorly armed, disorganized, and the Italian military could have crushed them in about three hours. The King had his generals ready. He had martial law papers drawn up. The military was waiting for the order. Instead, he invited Mussolini to form a government. Just handed him power. Twenty-three years later, partisans hung Mussolini's corpse upside down at a gas station while crowds beat it with sticks. The king died in exile. Hundreds of thousands of Italians died for that moment of cowardice.


https://cmarmitage.substack.com/p/i-researched-every-attempt-to-stop

[ImNotGod]

1. Once fascism gets a foothold it's very unlikely that anything short of a revolution or war will break that foothold. nt

[NCDem47]

2. Fascists are in it to win it at all costs.

And they will do anything to maintain their grip. It's hell going through it, but eventually there is always an uprising.

[PatSeg]

4. Yes, once they get the power,

there is no way they are going to let go. They know what the repercussions would be if they lose power.

[-misanthroptimist]

3. There's a first time for everything.

[PatSeg]

5. Maybe the U.S. will be the exception to the rule

I don't know if I believe that, but we have beat the odds so many times in history.

[-misanthroptimist]

7. I don't know if I believe it...

...but as you say, it wouldn't be the first time we've beaten the odds.

[PatSeg]

8. The optimist in me is quickly shrinking

But there is still a little bit lingering for now.

[Paul-EM]

6. failed fascist takeovers

I suppose that it depends how one defines fascism, but I think that there have been failed attempts at fascist takeovers. In the UK, Oswald Mosley's British Union of Fascists failed. In France, Charles Maurras's Action Francaise failed, as well as Colonel Francois de La Rocque's Croix de Feu. Romania's Iron Guard fascist movement failed. Recently, South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeo's takeover attempt failed. Jair Bolsonaro's attempted fascist takeover in Brazil failed. I suppose that there is a possibility that fascists could succeed in grabbing power in the US, but I think that there is still hope for us.

[valleyrogue]

9. The point is they ALL eventually fail.

It doesn't matter how fascism ends.