Fascism, Democracy, Trump and Clinton

"This is how fascism comes to America" is the title of a Washington Post editorial by Robert Kagan. I agree with the article, especially his description of fascism:

Fascist movements...had no coherent ideology, no clear set of prescriptions for what ailed society. “National socialism” was a bundle of contradictions, united chiefly by what, and who, it opposed; fascism in Italy was anti-liberal, anti-democratic, anti-Marxist, anti-capitalist and anti-clerical. Successful fascism was not about policies but about the strongman, the leader (Il Duce, Der Führer), in whom could be entrusted the fate of the nation. Whatever the problem, he could fix it. Whatever the threat, internal or external, he could vanquish it, and it was unnecessary for him to explain how. Today, there is Putinism, which also has nothing to do with belief or policy but is about the tough man who single-handedly defends his people against all threats, foreign and domestic.

But he does hint at something left unsaid: This is the natural historical end of democracy. Henning Webb Prentis once said this about democracy: "The historical cycle seems to be: From bondage to spiritual faith; from spiritual faith to courage; from courage to liberty; from liberty to abundance, from abundance to selfishness; from selfishness to apathy, from apathy to dependency; and from dependency back to bondage once more." We are in the middle of the dependency/welfare state stage. Are we ready to return to bondage/fascism?

As much as I support libertarianism, I would be foolish to ignore what Donald Trump means within historical context. In a country where we foolishly ignore the ramifications of being a democratic nation, even blindly taking pride in it, it almost seems like foregone conclusion that we will walk down the ever-repeated path to dictatorship, of which fascism is just one form.

To be honest, I fear for our country's democracy right now. If Trump doesn't win, who will we get in 4 years? 8 years? It feels like history breathing down our collective neck like a rabid dog, poised to strike at any time.

Don't even try and comfort me with the Hillary Clinton alternative. Progressive government is the "death by a thousand cuts" alternative, where we slowly sink into bondage by even deeper dependency. If you prefer, it could also be called the "boiling frog" style of government.

Regardless, unless Americans wake up and recognize the historical crossroad they are standing at, they are likely to jump into the same pot of warm dictatorship so many democracies have fallen into over the millenia.