Michael John Schmidt: The slow slide towards authoritarinism

Benito Mussolini, a pivotal figure in 20th-century history, emerged from post-WWI Italy to become a polarising leader. Born in 1883, Mussolini initially embraced socialism before founding the Fascist movement in 1919. Exploiting social and economic upheaval, he seized power in 1922 and instituted authoritarian rule1… but how did he do this?

At the core of Mussolini’s doctrine lay the concept of corporatism, wherein the state and corporate interests converge to form a symbiotic relationship aimed at achieving national objectives2. Central to this ideology is the notion of hierarchical control, wherein the state assumes a dominant role in coordinating societal functions through collaboration with corporate entities. This fusion of state and corporate power enables the establishment of a centralised authority capable of exerting influence over every facet of public life. In tandem with the consolidation of state and corporate power, Mussolini underscored the significance of media manipulation in shaping public perception and stifling dissent3.

• At the recent World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, representatives of the top 100 global corporations were attracted along with the representatives of many states (countries). This was reported to us in both a fawning and curated manner by mainstream media (MSM)4.

Thus the media serve as a propaganda tool to disseminate narratives that align with the interests of those in power while suppressing alternative viewpoints. By controlling the flow of information and the shaping of public discourse, the regime reinforces its authority and cultivates a sense of national (or global) unity predicated on conformity and obedience.

The emergence of fascism is predicated on the interplay between the state, corporates and the media, each reinforcing the other in a reciprocal cycle of control.

The state leverages its authority to co-opt corporate interests, while corporates, in turn, bolster the regime through financial support and ideological alignment, e.g. ESG. Simultaneously, the media apparatus amplifies the regime’s messaging while fostering a climate of fear and conformity that quashes dissent and consolidates power in the hands of the ruling elite.

• The recent propagandising of a ‘fifth wave’ of Covid5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, etc is an example of this, as is the popularisation of the ‘existential threats’ of “Disease X”12, etc and ‘Climate Change’13, etc (References are numerous hence the etc)

Notably, Mussolini’s conceptualisation of fascism elucidates how economic crises, migration14, 15, social unrest and political instability can create fertile ground for its ascent. In times of uncertainty individuals may gravitate towards authoritarian solutions that promise stability and order and thereby enable the consolidation of power by authoritarian regimes. By exploiting societal anxieties and capitalising on discontent, fascist leaders can harness popular support and legitimise their authoritarian rule.

• Currently there is a drive to consolidate the efforts to address issues, such as another pandemic or climate change or migration, into the hands of ‘the few’, eg WHO and their “Pandemic Treaty”, and the United Nations Environment Programme has proposed the creation of a new international body called the World Environment Organisation to address environmental issues, including climate change. The WEF has also started its own $3 trillion/annum fund to address such issues: “Giving to Amplify Earth Action” (GAEA)16. Regarding migration, the UN has created an organisation with the purpose of managing the “Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration” and the “International Organization for Migration”17 (an organisation suspiciously absent from the US southern border).

Benito Mussolini’s vision of fascism and authoritarianism offers valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying its emergence and illustrates how we can learn valuable lessons from history. So much so that it is not enough for those involved to simply cast the assertion that these ideas are a ‘conspiracy theory’, as there is historical precedence. More than once bitten, more than twice shy. We can now identify the warning signs of authoritarianism and work to safeguard against its insidious encroachment on democratic norms and values.

To address the slow drift of NZ into authoritarianism, it is important to recognise that, in a democratic society, an independent media and ‘free speech’ serve as crucial checks on governmental power by holding public officials accountable and facilitating informed and civilised public discourse.

• Recently (and continuing) there have been payments to media by many governments, eg in NZ, Canada, UK and Australia, to proselytise the state’s point of view and often a WEF perspective (RNZ is a good example18).

In New Zealand, payments to the country’s MSM foster a perception of MSM bias and preferential treatment and have diminished public confidence in the independence and impartiality of journalistic organisations. Already, New Zealanders doubt the credibility of news reporting and suspect that media outlets prioritise agendas that are discordant with the average New Zealander’s interests.

• A first step in pushing back against the creep of authoritarianism, not only of the state but of transnational bodies like the WEF, is to diminish government support of MSM.

Arguably the NZ MSM have already demonstrated a fondness for following an authoritarian state and/or globalist leads and show no signs that they can be reformed; their censorious reporting during Covid being but one example. Since the recent loss of their ‘progressive’ benefactors, overall, the NZ MSM have been petulant toward the new coalition Government.

• A second step is for the government to be unequivocal and active in its support of ‘free speech’.

Public bodies, such as universities, institutions and city councils, who do not follow this enlightened lead should find themselves penalised and/or have their funding support reduced unless they cooperate.

This punitive measure should have been put in place years ago to counteract the proliferation of subversive ideologies growing in various institutions that have had a detrimental influence on education, ethics and performance, infecting numerous organisations and posing a challenge to free speech in all our institutions.

• The third step involves governments demonstrating support for their citizens’ primary rights, rather than allowing these rights to be subordinated to the collective powers of organisations like the WEF, the UN and other similar organisations.

Governments can do this by boycotting covens like Davos and not signing up to the outcomes of such meetings. Moreover, NZ politicians must exhibit the courage to openly oppose impractical, harmful, and/or ideologically driven suggestions or legislations promoted by organisations, for example the various proposed ‘solutions’ advocated by COP19. This includes poorly conceived restrictions on nitrous fertilisers, the concept of ‘net-zero carbon’, ‘carbon trading’ and other dubious strategies aimed at addressing ‘climate change’, particularly in a global scenario where other nations are still burgeoning fossil fuel-based economies on a massive scale.

All three strategies have the potential to support democracy in NZ and can be integrated into the coalition’s current plans to contribute and enhance the country’s political and economic resilience and bolster NZ’s confidence in the media, free speech and governance.

References
1. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Benito-Mussolini
2. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/fascism-corporations-corporatism-dictionary/
3. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-journalists-covered-rise-mussolini-hitler-180961407/
4. https://www.greenbiz.com/article/100-most-sustainable-companies-named-davos
5. https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2023/11/covid-19-new-zealand-hit-by-fifth-wave-driven-by-waning-immunity-epidemiologist-michael-baker-warns.html
6. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/nov/29/first-thing-us-could-face-fifth-wave-of-covid-as-omicron-spreads
7. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-03559-3
8. https://www.9news.com.au/national/coronavirus-update-experts-warn-about-fifth-wave-impacts/c33ed642-d1f6-42f3-8caf-efd9b6719b94
9. https://www.rfi.fr/en/france/20211123-covid-infections-explode-as-france-s-fifth-wave-starts-with-a-bang
10. https://www.dw.com/en/is-covid-back-in-germany/a-66781061
11. https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/italy/
12. https://www.sciencealert.com/disease-x-who-warns-future-outbreak-just-a-matter-of-time
13. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2024/01/everything-you-need-to-know-about-climate-and-nature-at-davos-2024/
14. https://www.jstor.org/stable/2545181
15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abyssinia_Crisis
16. https://www.weforum.org/press/2023/01/new-initiative-to-help-unlock-3-trillion-needed-a-year-for-climate-and-nature/
17. https://www.iom.int/global-compact-migration
18. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/482572/davos-2023-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-wef-on-monday
19. COP stands for the Conference of the Parties. This refers to the annual meetings where countries that are parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) come together to discuss and negotiate international efforts to address climate change. Most fly in by private plane – as would Mussolini.

Michael John Schmidt left NZ after completing postgraduate studies at Otago University (BSc, MSc) in molecular biology, virology, and immunology to work in research on human genetics in Australia. Returning to NZ has worked in business development for biotech and pharmacy retail companies and became a member of the NZ Institute of Directors. This article was first published HERE