JLNobody wrote:Frank's statement that "The only people who want to think of fascism and communism as "the same thing"...are right-wingers...who have a vested interest in trying to place anything they perceive as "wrong" in the laps of the liberals" sounds right to me.
Nobody said they are the same thing, but a system that calls itself Communist can also be facist as was demonstrated by Stalin and Castro, both of whom pretended communist systems but had no qualms about quickly dispatching any in their governments who presumed to criticize or oppose them. A Communist system can operate with an authoritarian leader but does allow for consensus on government matters, and the Head of State operates by the consent of the government if not the governed.
Remember that Germany supported Lenin and helped finance the Bolshevik revolution, and Germany and Russia were allies right up to the time that Hitler invaded Russia. Even when warned, Stalin refused to believe Hitler was actually going to invade until it was already a done deal.
If you study the modus operendi of Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin, you will find very close parallels in their goals, processes, and methodology.
However, I think those who insist on making an interesting idea or concept into an insult are generally Left Wingers.
