Orwell on Fascism, 1944
The pleasures of life may include having a cuppa in a Burmese teashop, downing a pint in the Red Lion in Willingdon, and admiring the pier in Wigan, all of which I have done. However when it comes to Fascism, George Orwell must speak for himself as he did in the Tribune in 1944. He wrote:
“... as used, the word ‘fascism’ is almost entirely meaningless. In conversation, of course, it is used even more wildly than in print. I have heard it applied to farmers, shopkeepers, social credit, corporal punishment, fox-hunting, bull-fighting, the 1922 Committee, the 1941 Committee, Kipling, Gandhi, Chiang Kai-Shek, homosexuality, Priestley’s broadcasts, youth hostels, astrology, women, dogs and I do not know what else.
“Fascism is also a political and economic system. Why, then, cannot we have a clear and generally accepted definition of it? Alas! We shall not get one – not yet, anyway. To say why would take too long, but basically it is because it is impossible to define Fascism satisfactorily without making admissions which neither the Fascists themselves, nor the Conservatives, nor Socialists of any colour, are willing to make. All one can do for the moment is to use the word with a certain amount of circumspection and not, as is usually done, degrade it to the level of a swearword.”
Ian Martin
