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As We Go Marching: A Biting Indictment of the Coming of Domestic Fascism in America
A highly intelligent observer who saw the threat that the New Deal posed to traditional America.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1944
28 people are currently reading
391 people want to read
About the author
John T. Flynn
58 books21 followersAmerican journalist best known for his opposition to President Franklin D. Roosevelt and to American entry into World War II.
He started at the New Haven Register, but eventually moved to New York; there he was financial editor of the New York Globe. During the 1920s and 1930s, he wrote articles for such leading publications as The New Republic, Harper's Magazine, and Collier's Weekly. He became one of the best-known political commentators in the United States. Like Oswald Garrison Villard, another key figure in the Old Right, Flynn was a leftist with populist inclinations during this period. He supported Franklin D. Roosevelt for president but criticized the New Deal. In 1939, he predicted that Social Security would be under water by 1970, and insolvent by 1980.
During the Cold War period, Flynn continued his opposition to interventionist foreign policies and militarism. An early critic of American involvement in the affairs of Indochina, he maintained that sending US troops would "only be proving the case of the Communists against America that we are defending French imperialism."
Flynn became an early and avid supporter of Senator Joseph McCarthy. This was in part because Flynn (even in his early left-wing views) had always been firmly anticommunist and in part because McCarthy shared Flynn's dislike for the Washington/New York establishment.
In 1955, Flynn had a formal falling-out with the new generation of Cold War conservatives when William F. Buckley, Jr., rejected one of his articles for the new National Review. This submission had attacked militarism as a "job-making boondoggle." Flynn retired from public life in 1960.
He started at the New Haven Register, but eventually moved to New York; there he was financial editor of the New York Globe. During the 1920s and 1930s, he wrote articles for such leading publications as The New Republic, Harper's Magazine, and Collier's Weekly. He became one of the best-known political commentators in the United States. Like Oswald Garrison Villard, another key figure in the Old Right, Flynn was a leftist with populist inclinations during this period. He supported Franklin D. Roosevelt for president but criticized the New Deal. In 1939, he predicted that Social Security would be under water by 1970, and insolvent by 1980.
During the Cold War period, Flynn continued his opposition to interventionist foreign policies and militarism. An early critic of American involvement in the affairs of Indochina, he maintained that sending US troops would "only be proving the case of the Communists against America that we are defending French imperialism."
Flynn became an early and avid supporter of Senator Joseph McCarthy. This was in part because Flynn (even in his early left-wing views) had always been firmly anticommunist and in part because McCarthy shared Flynn's dislike for the Washington/New York establishment.
In 1955, Flynn had a formal falling-out with the new generation of Cold War conservatives when William F. Buckley, Jr., rejected one of his articles for the new National Review. This submission had attacked militarism as a "job-making boondoggle." Flynn retired from public life in 1960.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 26, 2008
A PDF of this book can be found on Mises.org
Good at defining fascism (repeatedly), clearly explains that the stage has to be set for a *political* master to step up, promise everything to everyone and grab the reigns of power. Written over 60 years ago, many indictments of America still hold true today. The fact that we are still around in our fascist "light" state I believe is a testament to the American people (though we're not headed in the right direction) and perhaps some luck. Also good at objectively looking at fascist dictators and why so many notable people admired them, instead of vilifying the dictators as pure evil incarnate. Alas the world is not so easily divided into good and evil. (As brought up in the book club - Rothbard is more accurate in describing the eternal conflict as one waged "between Liberty and Power.")
As Flynn Summarizes-
First let us restate our definition of fascism. It is, put briefly, a system of social organization in which the political state is a dictatorship supported by a political elite and in which the economic society is an autarchial capitalism, enclosed and planned, in which the government assumes responsibility for creating adequate purchasing power through the instrumentality of national debt and in which militarism is adopted as a great economic project for creating work as well as a great romantic project in the service of the imperialist state.
As a warning-
"... when fascism comes it will not be in the form of an anti-American movement... It will appear rather in the luminous robes of flaming patriotism; it will take some genuinely indigenous shape and color, and it will spread only because its leaders, ...
will know how to locate the great springs of public opinion and
desire and the streams of thought that flow from them and will
know how to attract to their banners leaders who can command the
support of the controlling minorities in American public life."
(^Talk about a run on sentence!)
Good at defining fascism (repeatedly), clearly explains that the stage has to be set for a *political* master to step up, promise everything to everyone and grab the reigns of power. Written over 60 years ago, many indictments of America still hold true today. The fact that we are still around in our fascist "light" state I believe is a testament to the American people (though we're not headed in the right direction) and perhaps some luck. Also good at objectively looking at fascist dictators and why so many notable people admired them, instead of vilifying the dictators as pure evil incarnate. Alas the world is not so easily divided into good and evil. (As brought up in the book club - Rothbard is more accurate in describing the eternal conflict as one waged "between Liberty and Power.")
As Flynn Summarizes-
First let us restate our definition of fascism. It is, put briefly, a system of social organization in which the political state is a dictatorship supported by a political elite and in which the economic society is an autarchial capitalism, enclosed and planned, in which the government assumes responsibility for creating adequate purchasing power through the instrumentality of national debt and in which militarism is adopted as a great economic project for creating work as well as a great romantic project in the service of the imperialist state.
As a warning-
"... when fascism comes it will not be in the form of an anti-American movement... It will appear rather in the luminous robes of flaming patriotism; it will take some genuinely indigenous shape and color, and it will spread only because its leaders, ...
will know how to locate the great springs of public opinion and
desire and the streams of thought that flow from them and will
know how to attract to their banners leaders who can command the
support of the controlling minorities in American public life."
(^Talk about a run on sentence!)
January 21, 2016
Interesting Quote:
"Fascism will come at the hands of perfectly authentic Americans, as violently against Hitler and Mussolini as the next one, but who are convinced that the present economic system is washed up and that the present political system in America has outlived its usefulness and who wish to commit this country to the rule of the bureaucratic state; interfering in the affairs of the states and cities; taking part in the management of industry and finance and agriculture; assuming the role of great national banker and investor, borrowing billions every year and spending them on all sorts of projects through which such a government can paralyze opposition and command public support; marshaling great armies and navies at crushing costs to support the industry of war and preparation for war which will become our greatest industry; and adding to all this the most romantic adventures in global planning, regeneration, and domination all to be done under the authority of a powerfully centralized government in which the executive will hold in effect all the powers with Congress reduced to the role of a debating society. There is your fascist. And the sooner America realizes this dreadful fact the sooner it will arm itself to make an end of American fascism masquerading under the guise of the champion of democracy."
-John Flynn, As We Go Marching, 1944
"Fascism will come at the hands of perfectly authentic Americans, as violently against Hitler and Mussolini as the next one, but who are convinced that the present economic system is washed up and that the present political system in America has outlived its usefulness and who wish to commit this country to the rule of the bureaucratic state; interfering in the affairs of the states and cities; taking part in the management of industry and finance and agriculture; assuming the role of great national banker and investor, borrowing billions every year and spending them on all sorts of projects through which such a government can paralyze opposition and command public support; marshaling great armies and navies at crushing costs to support the industry of war and preparation for war which will become our greatest industry; and adding to all this the most romantic adventures in global planning, regeneration, and domination all to be done under the authority of a powerfully centralized government in which the executive will hold in effect all the powers with Congress reduced to the role of a debating society. There is your fascist. And the sooner America realizes this dreadful fact the sooner it will arm itself to make an end of American fascism masquerading under the guise of the champion of democracy."
-John Flynn, As We Go Marching, 1944
October 25, 2019
As We Go Marching provides a detailed portrait of how Mussolini, Hitler, and Roosevelt transformed their country's political structure in response to the Great Depression. In each case the trend led to far more controlling central governments: Fascism in Italy, National Socialism in Germany, and the New Deal in the United States. Author John Flynn, an early Roosevelt supporter, grew critical of him because of the New Deal structural changes and his shift toward militarism and intervention in the European War. The book was published in 1944, then republished in 1973 with a preface by Ronald Radosh. This is the edition I read. Radosh gives a useful overview of Flynn's changing positions over time. Flynn eventually became strongly anti-Communist, and a supporter of the views of Senator Joe McCarthy.
Flynn catalogs the steps each leader took in his nation leading to a fascist government of varying degree, starting with Italy in the Nineteen-Twenties. He catalogs the eight elements of fascism as: (1) the government acknowledges no restraint upon its powers; (2) this unrestrained government is managed by a dictator; (3) the government is organized to operate the capitalist system under an immense bureaucracy; (4) the economic society is organized on the syndicalist model; (5) the government and the syndicalist organizations operate the capitalist society on the planned, autarchial principle; (6) the government provides the nation with adequate purchasing power by public spending and borrowing: (7) militarism is used as a conscious mechanism of government spending; and (8) imperialism is included as a policy inevitably flowing from militarism as well as other elements of fascism. (These are somewhat abbreviated versions of Flynn's original text.)
Flynn, an economist, deals knowingly with the economic and financial aspects of the Great Depression and the efforts to stabilize heavily damaged societies. He gives the reader names of participants, legislation, references to commentators of the era. He offers observations and insights based on living through the experience, not only from research. Those are the significant plusses of this book. The minuses are stylistic; his style is often wordy, meandering, and repetitive. Sometimes it is a drag to get back to the action. He moves into speculations abut the motivations of some of his subjects, both individuals and organizations. Nonetheless, a reader will gain a more informed sense of the period and the politics that prevailed.
The book came to my attention from reading Wolfgang Schivelbusch's book, Three New Deals. That book follows Flynn's organization scheme of detailing the depression-era experience of the Italian, German, and American nations. His writing style, however, is more direct. It also is insightful and informative, but without the stylistic burden Flynn imposes.
Flynn expresses great concern that the concentration of power in the executive office would continue after the war. He notes the comments of many of Roosevelt's "Brain Trust," and others, of the necessity of such a continuation. This raised the question of why it did not continue as feared, or as planned, by these opposing perspectives. It would seem that replacement of the strongly leftist Henry Wallace as Vice-President by down-home Harry Truman in Roosevelt's last election may have been of immense political consequence. The changing in-crowd around Truman, favoring poker players over political architects, perhaps played a major role in the Truman agenda. The strong anti-Communist mood was a big change from those who had looked favorably on the economic policies--if not the persons-- of Mussolini and Hitler and, in some cases, Stalin. More reading to be done, it seems.
Obviously, this book is recommended for those with an interest in history and politics. Interestingly, the book is dealing with some of the same differences expressed in advance of the 2020 election. Strong Roosevelt supporters may be put off by some of the details Flynn presents on that administration and on the subservience of the Congress to the President. In that regard, a real shocker was learning that Congress in 1933 granted the President $3.3 billion to spend as he wished on whatever new agencies and programs he cared to develop. That does not seem quite the separation of powers envisioned by the Founding Fathers. All in all, it makes fascinating, if sometimes turgid, reading.
Flynn catalogs the steps each leader took in his nation leading to a fascist government of varying degree, starting with Italy in the Nineteen-Twenties. He catalogs the eight elements of fascism as: (1) the government acknowledges no restraint upon its powers; (2) this unrestrained government is managed by a dictator; (3) the government is organized to operate the capitalist system under an immense bureaucracy; (4) the economic society is organized on the syndicalist model; (5) the government and the syndicalist organizations operate the capitalist society on the planned, autarchial principle; (6) the government provides the nation with adequate purchasing power by public spending and borrowing: (7) militarism is used as a conscious mechanism of government spending; and (8) imperialism is included as a policy inevitably flowing from militarism as well as other elements of fascism. (These are somewhat abbreviated versions of Flynn's original text.)
Flynn, an economist, deals knowingly with the economic and financial aspects of the Great Depression and the efforts to stabilize heavily damaged societies. He gives the reader names of participants, legislation, references to commentators of the era. He offers observations and insights based on living through the experience, not only from research. Those are the significant plusses of this book. The minuses are stylistic; his style is often wordy, meandering, and repetitive. Sometimes it is a drag to get back to the action. He moves into speculations abut the motivations of some of his subjects, both individuals and organizations. Nonetheless, a reader will gain a more informed sense of the period and the politics that prevailed.
The book came to my attention from reading Wolfgang Schivelbusch's book, Three New Deals. That book follows Flynn's organization scheme of detailing the depression-era experience of the Italian, German, and American nations. His writing style, however, is more direct. It also is insightful and informative, but without the stylistic burden Flynn imposes.
Flynn expresses great concern that the concentration of power in the executive office would continue after the war. He notes the comments of many of Roosevelt's "Brain Trust," and others, of the necessity of such a continuation. This raised the question of why it did not continue as feared, or as planned, by these opposing perspectives. It would seem that replacement of the strongly leftist Henry Wallace as Vice-President by down-home Harry Truman in Roosevelt's last election may have been of immense political consequence. The changing in-crowd around Truman, favoring poker players over political architects, perhaps played a major role in the Truman agenda. The strong anti-Communist mood was a big change from those who had looked favorably on the economic policies--if not the persons-- of Mussolini and Hitler and, in some cases, Stalin. More reading to be done, it seems.
Obviously, this book is recommended for those with an interest in history and politics. Interestingly, the book is dealing with some of the same differences expressed in advance of the 2020 election. Strong Roosevelt supporters may be put off by some of the details Flynn presents on that administration and on the subservience of the Congress to the President. In that regard, a real shocker was learning that Congress in 1933 granted the President $3.3 billion to spend as he wished on whatever new agencies and programs he cared to develop. That does not seem quite the separation of powers envisioned by the Founding Fathers. All in all, it makes fascinating, if sometimes turgid, reading.
February 8, 2024
Stunning piece of history, both for its scope and its value as a primary source living in the moment it was critiquing. Flynn draws parallels from over a 100 years of Italian, German, and American history, revealing the similar courses taken by each toward what he calls “fascism” but more generally be called a bureaucratic oligarchy. Incredible critiques of the “cosmic men” who prop up imperalistic endeavours on poetic and philosophical grounds.
Lastly, as someone who’s growing tired of the “esoteric Hitlerist” trend on twitter, a book like this reveals not only that FDR was like Hitler, but that Hitler was like FDR: a democrat through and through, completely beholden to the small but influential minority factions that made up his support coalition. All 3 countries inevitably created massive bureaucracy that stifled individual liberties, created wars out of thin air, and instituted political patronage networks that still remain today.
Lastly, as someone who’s growing tired of the “esoteric Hitlerist” trend on twitter, a book like this reveals not only that FDR was like Hitler, but that Hitler was like FDR: a democrat through and through, completely beholden to the small but influential minority factions that made up his support coalition. All 3 countries inevitably created massive bureaucracy that stifled individual liberties, created wars out of thin air, and instituted political patronage networks that still remain today.
November 14, 2014
It is written in 1944 but it sounds like he is making current commentary. Very disturbing.
The appeal of this book is the historical context it provides. If you've ever wondered what the minority view/opponents of these early 20th century policies were thinking this book is for you. Seeing how little things have changed in certain areas of public discourse helps puts things into perspective also.
The appeal of this book is the historical context it provides. If you've ever wondered what the minority view/opponents of these early 20th century policies were thinking this book is for you. Seeing how little things have changed in certain areas of public discourse helps puts things into perspective also.
July 26, 2008
Eye-opening review of fascism and a great historical perspective on Germany, Italy, and American in the first half of the 20th Century.
February 29, 2020
Incisive, nuanced analysis of the origins of fascism in Italy and Germany, as well as New Deal America’s disturbing parallels to these regimes.
Some interesting takeaways:
-While Mussolini was influenced by syndicalism- where “economic borders” replace political borders and society is restructured into guilds and worker cooperatives- and socialism was an influence in the German Workers’ party and the National Socialist party’s original 25-point program, fascism morphed into something distinctly different from its original stated goals
-For Flynn, anti-semitism is not a defining feature of fascism, as their were other fascist regimes in Europe at the time that were not particularly anti-Semitic. The features of fascism he defines include: 1. profligate government spending, financed by excessive borrowing; 2. Government planning society and economy, with private (though nominal) ownership of the means of production; 3. Militarism (conscription + military as a means of employing the entire population and providing the major economic industry); 4. Imperialism (invasion and control of foreign countries for economic purposes, but with offered ethical and moral justifications); and 5. totalitarian dictatorship (all effective power vested in a single institution, with that institution being one person)
-Contrary to popular explanations of the day, like that Hitler, Mussolini, or their peoples were evil due to something unique about their characters or those of their people, Flynn concludes that the only ingredient missing for the creation of their fascist regimes was totalitarian dictatorship, as previous regimes in those countries had already put the other features of fascism in place. Flynn sees this idea as a product of the deeply-ingrained American mentality that something like fascism or communism could never happen in the USA.
Overall, the book is a bit slow moving, as Flynn chronicles fascism’s rise in very detailed fashion, but worth the effort. I highly recommend this book for its novel analysis of fascism that is at least somewhat different (and I think more compelling) than standard narratives.
Some interesting takeaways:
-While Mussolini was influenced by syndicalism- where “economic borders” replace political borders and society is restructured into guilds and worker cooperatives- and socialism was an influence in the German Workers’ party and the National Socialist party’s original 25-point program, fascism morphed into something distinctly different from its original stated goals
-For Flynn, anti-semitism is not a defining feature of fascism, as their were other fascist regimes in Europe at the time that were not particularly anti-Semitic. The features of fascism he defines include: 1. profligate government spending, financed by excessive borrowing; 2. Government planning society and economy, with private (though nominal) ownership of the means of production; 3. Militarism (conscription + military as a means of employing the entire population and providing the major economic industry); 4. Imperialism (invasion and control of foreign countries for economic purposes, but with offered ethical and moral justifications); and 5. totalitarian dictatorship (all effective power vested in a single institution, with that institution being one person)
-Contrary to popular explanations of the day, like that Hitler, Mussolini, or their peoples were evil due to something unique about their characters or those of their people, Flynn concludes that the only ingredient missing for the creation of their fascist regimes was totalitarian dictatorship, as previous regimes in those countries had already put the other features of fascism in place. Flynn sees this idea as a product of the deeply-ingrained American mentality that something like fascism or communism could never happen in the USA.
Overall, the book is a bit slow moving, as Flynn chronicles fascism’s rise in very detailed fashion, but worth the effort. I highly recommend this book for its novel analysis of fascism that is at least somewhat different (and I think more compelling) than standard narratives.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 6, 2008
Flynn goes over a very detailed description of the rise of fascism in Italy and Germany, and compares these seeds to the operation of the American federal government at that time. He rails against the concentration of power in the federal government, and calls the actions of FDR the beginning of a totality, and the impotence of the Congress a consent to fascism in America. He criticizes the threat of FDR to pack the Supreme Court with poisoned justices in place of those who were over 70. He also criticizes the appropriation of funds (3.3 billion dollars) to FDR which were to be used at his discretion. Most of his discussion centers around the warning signs of socialism, fascism, and national socialism, but at the very end he mentions communism. A supporter of McCarthy after the book was written, it's interesting that he comes out and says that fascism is much more dangerous.
All in all, a great book to learn about the American condition in World War II from a viewpoint that doesn't characterize FDR as a hero, as all our mainstream history books do.
All in all, a great book to learn about the American condition in World War II from a viewpoint that doesn't characterize FDR as a hero, as all our mainstream history books do.
August 12, 2008
The comparisons of Italian and German fascism to then-current US trends were alarming when this book was written in 1942. The comparisons today are even more ominous.
November 19, 2024
I came to As We Go Marching in the lead up to the most recent American presidential election, when I was a journey of researching where terms of our modern political lexicon come from. Reading about the modern conservative movement, to the use of liberalism throughout time, and landed on the question of could I define what a fascist is? This lead me to Flynn's haunting work.
Flynn does an excellent job of defining what fascism is and how liberal democracies get subsumed by the fascist cuurent. One cannot read his analysis and leave without seeing how far down the road to facism America has come, in fact I do not believe there is an American today that has known an America not in the grip of the fascist state. For a century our Republic has engaged in similar core policies to that of the fascist European states; policy brought to our shores by those who claim to be crusaders of democracy, champions of the underclasses, red blooded patriots who would rebuke the fascist label.
Even if we were to pull back from some aspects of the facist state, it seems impossible from my currrent vantage point that we as a society could give up the heady drug of militarism, and its bedfellow of imperialism. As Flynn pointed out in 1944, how many millions are taken out of the labor market in service of the great military machine? How many more millions make their living keeping that awesome beast clothed, fed, and well equipped with the armaments of the day? What industry could come even close to replacing the perpetual war machine?
Is America unique in its brand of fascism? We tend to view our nation as unique, incomparable to anyone save our self. Perhaps we have perfected the fascist state, by abandoning the notion of a dictator and having a government run by faceless bureacrats, along with emerging as the sole hegemon of the world we have avoided pitfalls of previous fascist states. I do not think its the case that by some providence we are free of the ultimate end that the deficit-spending militarist-welfare state brings; totalitarism and utter collapse.
What is our offramp from our current trajectory? Any potential solution seems unpalpable to the will of special interests that have brought us here in the first place. Perhaps the only way to make a radical shift is to champion Flynn's warning, so I will leave you with this excerpt:
Flynn does an excellent job of defining what fascism is and how liberal democracies get subsumed by the fascist cuurent. One cannot read his analysis and leave without seeing how far down the road to facism America has come, in fact I do not believe there is an American today that has known an America not in the grip of the fascist state. For a century our Republic has engaged in similar core policies to that of the fascist European states; policy brought to our shores by those who claim to be crusaders of democracy, champions of the underclasses, red blooded patriots who would rebuke the fascist label.
Even if we were to pull back from some aspects of the facist state, it seems impossible from my currrent vantage point that we as a society could give up the heady drug of militarism, and its bedfellow of imperialism. As Flynn pointed out in 1944, how many millions are taken out of the labor market in service of the great military machine? How many more millions make their living keeping that awesome beast clothed, fed, and well equipped with the armaments of the day? What industry could come even close to replacing the perpetual war machine?
Is America unique in its brand of fascism? We tend to view our nation as unique, incomparable to anyone save our self. Perhaps we have perfected the fascist state, by abandoning the notion of a dictator and having a government run by faceless bureacrats, along with emerging as the sole hegemon of the world we have avoided pitfalls of previous fascist states. I do not think its the case that by some providence we are free of the ultimate end that the deficit-spending militarist-welfare state brings; totalitarism and utter collapse.
What is our offramp from our current trajectory? Any potential solution seems unpalpable to the will of special interests that have brought us here in the first place. Perhaps the only way to make a radical shift is to champion Flynn's warning, so I will leave you with this excerpt:
Fascism will come at the hands of perfectly authentic Americans, as violently against Hitler and Mussolini as the next one, but who are convinced that the present economic system is washed up and that the present political system in America has outlived its usefulness and who wish to commit this country to the rule of the bureaucratic state; interfering in the affairs of the states and cities; taking part in the management of industry and finance and agriculture; assuming the role of great national banker and investor, borrowing billions every year and spending them on all sorts of projects through which such a government can paralyze opposition and command public support; marshaling great armies and navies at crushing costs to support the industry of war and preparation for war which will become our greatest industry; and adding to all this the most romantic adventures in global planning, regeneration, and domination all to be done under the authority of a powerfully centralized government in which the executive will hold in effect all the powers with Congress reduced to the role of a debating society. There is your fascist. And the sooner America realizes this dreadful fact the sooner it will arm itself to make an end of American fascism masquerading under the guise of the champion of democracy.
October 12, 2022
If you ever pondered, what, essentially, is fascism, then you should read this book. Or..., if you've ever questioned the conventional wisdom of perpetual war for perpetual peace, then you should read this book. If you value the traditional American value of liberty, then you should read this book.
As We Go Marching connects the dots between the perpetual borrow-print-spend inflationary policies of the State, nationalist policies toward autarchial capitalism, incessant militarism, hegemony and imperialism, and totalitarianism. Reflecting on the rise of fascism in Italy and Germany in the 1930's, Flynn identifies these as the essential elements of fascism.
Flynn's analysis is broken down into three parts, first analyzing the origin of fascism under Mussolini, then describing how the essentials were already in place for Hitler, and finally, what signs of fascism exist in contemporary America (1944).
While certainly dated, having been written in the midst of WWII, Flynn's analysis of the essential features of fascism is compelling. He makes clear that the outrageous command societies of 1930's and 40's Italy and Germany are the unavoidable consequence of the fascist philosophy. While most Americans to this day will claim to abhor the totalitarianism of the Hitler and Mussolini examples, Flynn demonstrates how, couched in glorious and patriotic rhetoric, the essence of this dark philosophy was broadly supported in war-time America, even as the atrocities were unfolding in Italy and Germany. Fast forward to the twenty-first century, and it becomes glaring that Americans generally no longer revere the traditional values of individualism, independence, free thinking and liberty, but unwittingly, advocate for the very fascism we fought against 80 years ago.
Today, polemicists commonly toss about incendiary labels like "fascist" without clear understanding of what this term even means. As We Go Marching makes abundantly clear the essential marks of fascism that collectively describe a broad command society where virtually every aspect of life is commanded or prohibited. Flynn states as the purpose of his book, not to outline a program of action, but rather to "...sound a warning". Even from a 1944 perspective, his warning resonates loudly in 2022 America. Beware.
As We Go Marching connects the dots between the perpetual borrow-print-spend inflationary policies of the State, nationalist policies toward autarchial capitalism, incessant militarism, hegemony and imperialism, and totalitarianism. Reflecting on the rise of fascism in Italy and Germany in the 1930's, Flynn identifies these as the essential elements of fascism.
Flynn's analysis is broken down into three parts, first analyzing the origin of fascism under Mussolini, then describing how the essentials were already in place for Hitler, and finally, what signs of fascism exist in contemporary America (1944).
While certainly dated, having been written in the midst of WWII, Flynn's analysis of the essential features of fascism is compelling. He makes clear that the outrageous command societies of 1930's and 40's Italy and Germany are the unavoidable consequence of the fascist philosophy. While most Americans to this day will claim to abhor the totalitarianism of the Hitler and Mussolini examples, Flynn demonstrates how, couched in glorious and patriotic rhetoric, the essence of this dark philosophy was broadly supported in war-time America, even as the atrocities were unfolding in Italy and Germany. Fast forward to the twenty-first century, and it becomes glaring that Americans generally no longer revere the traditional values of individualism, independence, free thinking and liberty, but unwittingly, advocate for the very fascism we fought against 80 years ago.
Today, polemicists commonly toss about incendiary labels like "fascist" without clear understanding of what this term even means. As We Go Marching makes abundantly clear the essential marks of fascism that collectively describe a broad command society where virtually every aspect of life is commanded or prohibited. Flynn states as the purpose of his book, not to outline a program of action, but rather to "...sound a warning". Even from a 1944 perspective, his warning resonates loudly in 2022 America. Beware.
April 20, 2024
Quite ominous, truly. This book, written in the midst of WWII, explains how America can become a fascist country not because of biases and hatred first but through the economical failings and populist policies that end up in a self-powering fall towards autocracy and dictatorship along with the rule of the unelected bureaucrats that then bring along the worst in people.
The predictions of the course of the American history after WWII Flynn made did not fulfil in the way they could, mainly due to peculiar choices of post-FDR American policy around globalisation, scientific advancements and the Cold War, but the potential of falling into the same trap Italy and Germany fell into is still there.
A lot of things are called fascist these days, but when it really comes it will be wearing a mask. It might not be talking about concentration camps and Brøderbund at first, but other, less prominently visible, but vital to fascism things like the spending and government debt based economy, unification of big business and government and concentration of decision making power towards one central authority are what would bring about more and more ugliness until the fascist regime can be established. Be wary, be cautious.
The predictions of the course of the American history after WWII Flynn made did not fulfil in the way they could, mainly due to peculiar choices of post-FDR American policy around globalisation, scientific advancements and the Cold War, but the potential of falling into the same trap Italy and Germany fell into is still there.
A lot of things are called fascist these days, but when it really comes it will be wearing a mask. It might not be talking about concentration camps and Brøderbund at first, but other, less prominently visible, but vital to fascism things like the spending and government debt based economy, unification of big business and government and concentration of decision making power towards one central authority are what would bring about more and more ugliness until the fascist regime can be established. Be wary, be cautious.
April 3, 2025
It is a book about the soil of fascism, Italy, the bad fascism in Germany and the good fascism in America. We find out how Italy taxes, borrows and spends, about how Mussolini came to power in Italy, about what is fascism, about war and Hitler. We read about the militarism and imperialism of America and about its deficits. It is a book that thought me how the US military serves the interest of Wall Street, Mussolini's first fascist manifesto which looked more like a socialist list of demands, that Mustapha Kemal was a fascist and what is a fascist state. All great learnings, and this book was close to a 5 stars. However, none of these things that I learned was about something that I can really relate with, my measure of how a book deserves 5 stars.
February 19, 2021
Profoundly thought provoking. Incredible to see the extent to which fascist policies have worked their way into the American "democracy" all while everyone runs around screaming and decrying the other side as "fascists."
While reading this book, I couldn't help but think about Ron Paul's recent statement about this past year... "When fascism comes, it will be wearing a mask."
While reading this book, I couldn't help but think about Ron Paul's recent statement about this past year... "When fascism comes, it will be wearing a mask."
June 14, 2024
A creepy book considering that it was written in 1944 and the American chapters of the book still ring true today.
March 4, 2016
Written during WWII- an indictment of hypocritical Western policy (attacking competing nations while endorsing the same economic policy as the enemy at home)
This work can be found for free @ mises.org
IT gives us clear window into the attitudes in America before they got involved in the war, but first gives a great political history of Italy and Germany. Readers should be able to pick up on the similarities of these very foreign cultures.
This work can be found for free @ mises.org
IT gives us clear window into the attitudes in America before they got involved in the war, but first gives a great political history of Italy and Germany. Readers should be able to pick up on the similarities of these very foreign cultures.
January 7, 2023
Very informative, helps one see where this country is heading
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