Beth’s Books: It Can’t Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis

I decided to read this book because it was referenced in the previous book I read (and reviewed here), Christian Nation: A Novel. A quote from the Lewis book was used in Christian Nation, and I was intrigued enough that I thought I should read the Sinclair Lewis book.

Boy, am I glad I did.

While the premise of Christian Nation was that the Christian right dominionists take over our government and make America a theocracy, the premise of Lewis’s book is that the far right gains a toehold and fascists take over America. This book was originally published in 1935, when the Nazis were coming to power in Germany, so the timeline makes sense. What is frightening is that both results are eerily similar. In fact, it struck me that Christian Nation drew quite a bit on this book, modeling its theocracy on Lewis’s fascist dictatorship.

In this book, we get everything in fascist America that Nazi Germany had: rapid erosions of freedom, including free speech and freedom of assembly; roving bands of government-sanctioned militia thugs (they’re even called Minute Men...I’m looking at YOU, Arizona!); persecution of seditionists, “intellectuals,” Jews, and Negroes; execution of real and imagined political enemies, or anyone who dares to question the regime; concentration and labor camps; book confiscations and burnings; takeover of the press as part of the propaganda machine.

As in Christian Nation, I was very disturbed at how plausible it all seemed. Check out some of these passages from the book:

Why are you so afraid of the word ‘Fascism,’ Doremus? Just a word—just a word! And might not be so bad, with all the lazy bums we got panhandling relief nowadays, and living on my income tax and yours… [from one of the leaders in the new regime] 

All women now employed shall, as rapidly as possible, except in such peculiarly feminine spheres of activity as nursing and beauty parlors, be assisted to return to their incomparably sacred duties as home-makers and as mothers of strong, honorable future Citizens of the Commonwealth. [from the platform of the new president, Berzelius ‘Buzz’ Windrip] 

...one tenth of 1 per cent of the population at the top have an aggregate income equal to 42 per cent at the bottom. [from a character in the book who is a Communist] 

In the little towns, ah, there is the abiding peace that I love, and that can never be disturbed by even the noisiest Smart Alecks from these haughty megalopolises like Washington, New York, & etc. [from Buzz Windrip’s book—gee, who does that remind you of?]

Any of that sound familiar? If you’ve been paying attention to our current atmosphere in politics, it should. Remember, this was written in 1935.

All is not lost in this alternate reality America. There is a committed Underground group who works to smuggle people across to Canada and to get out the truth about what the fascist regime is doing to its citizens. The main character in the book, Doremus Jessup, begins the book as the editor of the local paper in a small Vermont town. After tragedies in his own family and eventual imprisonment, he wonders:

I am convinced that everything that is worth while in the world has been accomplished by the free, inquiring, critical spirit, and that the preservation of this spirit is more important than any social system whatsoever. But the men of ritual and the men of barbarism are capable of shutting up the men of science and of silencing them forever.

This book is very much worth reading. You might find it a little slow at the beginning, as I did, but once I got about a third of the way into it, the shit really hit the fan, and I tore through the rest of it. If you’re like me, it will make you resolved that such reactionary thinking will never be allowed to flourish in our country, at least beyond a small but vocal minority, and it will make you wonder which side you would be on. Would you go along to get along, or would you work to put an end to such obviously unconstitutional acts? Would you stand by as your colleagues are taken into “protective custody” because you fear for yourself or for your family, or would you fight such tactics in whatever way you could? Would you risk your own life to save others from death or imprisonment? What if members of your own family joined the oppressive regime?

This is a very thought-provoking and disturbing book that will make you realize that its title is a fallacy. I highly recommend it.

A brief interruption and a diametric opposition

Rabbit rabbit rabbit! Evil spirits begone!

We had some fairly strong thunderstorms come through Nutwood today, and our cable broadband was out for several hours in the afternoon. I tried to catch up as best I could, but I wasn't able to comment on every entry. Things seem to be working well now. Despite the rain, I had a window of opportunity between storms, and was able to get a little deck and reading time in!

Something has puzzled me lately. In reading various writings on Teh Interwebs, I've found a strange phenomenon from those who dislike our President and our current administration. They vacillate between two labels: fascism and socialism. Sometimes in the same entry.

I had to think back to what I learned in World History, and what I've read about it over the years, but I've always understood that fascism and socialism were at completely opposite ends of the spectrum. Fascism is far right and reactionary, and socialism is left, on the pathway to communism. The definition of fascism that I found is "a system of government marked by centralization of authority under a dictator, stringent socioeconomic controls, suppression of the opposition through terror and censorship, and typically a policy of belligerent nationalism and racism." For a fascinating article about the 14 characteristics of fascism, click on the link. I really don't think the far right needs to be bringing up fascism, because when I read those 14 points, it's not President Obama that springs to mind. I'm just sayin'!

Socialism is defined as "any of various theories or systems of social organization in which the means of producing and distributing goods is owned collectively or by a centralized government that often plans and controls the economy." If anything, this makes more sense than the former charge; our government (and all of us) now owns a portion of several companies. I feel this is limited, though, and temporary. Of all the businesses, companies, and corporations in this country, the number of those receiving bailout money is not a huge percentage. The vast majority continue to operate independently and without government intervention.

While I'm at it, I'll muddy the waters a bit by speaking of National Socialism, or Nationalsozialismus, i.e., Nazism. Although that particular movement contained the word and an element of socialism, those fascists were far removed from Socialism and Communism, and indeed, executed many communists. They were a totalitarian regime, exerting complete control over every aspect of citizens' lives, using censorship, propaganda, and hatred of "others," whether it was because of race, religion, or sexual orientation. Again...the Obama administration is not the first one I think about!

Am I missing something here? I honestly don't see how it's possible to be both fascist and socialist at the same time. When I read something that calls President Obama a socialist in one breath and a fascist in the next, it just makes me think "That makes no sense." Perhaps a fully coalesced argument might be more convincing, rather than cherry-picking pejorative terms designed to excite the excitable. Heck, might as well thrown in "grinch-like" while you're at it!