Brexit, Fascism and the Future

Merriam-Webster defines fascism as “a political philosophy, movement, or regime (…) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition.” I think that it is important to define the true meaning of fascism because it is far too often used to attack political opponents. By using the word too lightly and frequently it both undermines your argument, but more importantly it demeans the word. 

Throughout the Brexit debate both sides of the division have been labelled as fascists by the other. This is unhelpful for our political discourse because the connotations that derive from the term lead to further polarisation and hostility. However, I believe that there is a certain element in British society that is, while not truly fascist, express views that could mutate into fascism…

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