Post-fascism: an analysis of the mutation of ideas and the Polish public sphere

• • 🇵🇱 Polski
Post-fascism: an analysis of the mutation of ideas and the Polish public sphere

Post-Fascism: An Ideological Mutation Rather Than a Carbon Copy

Modern post-fascism is not a return to the aesthetics of the 1930s, but a precise diagnosis of an era in which the suit has replaced the brown shirt, and the algorithm has replaced the shout from the balcony. It is a transitional category, retaining the essence of fascism (the cult of hierarchy and the enemy) but remaining fully compatible with procedural democracy. Administration instead of revolution becomes its primary method of operation; post-fascism does not require marches, but rather a quiet conquest of the state through procedures and the management of exceptions. It is an intrusion into the parlor in white gloves, where physical violence is replaced by technocratic selection.

Particularism, the Palingenetic Myth, and the Nouvelle Droite

The foundation of this mutation is particularism—the rejection of universal human rights in favor of privileges for "one's own." Gáspár Miklós Tamás warns that citizenship is currently shrinking into limited access to goods. This is fueled by the palingenetic myth—the promise of national rebirth following a supposed catastrophe. The Nouvelle Droite strategy has achieved a linguistic revolution here: biological racism has been replaced by "ethno-pluralism," and segregation by the "right to difference." Consequently, extreme ideas

Frequently Asked Questions

How does post-fascism differ from classical fascism?
Post-fascism abandons uniforms and street violence in favor of suits and algorithms. It is compatible with procedural democracy, though it retains a cult of hierarchy and hostility toward outsiders.
What role do algorithms play in the development of post-fascism?
Digital platform algorithms reward content that provokes anger and fear, which becomes a free amplifier for politicians who capitalize on polarization and emotions.
What is the mechanism of 'grievance engineering'?
This is replacing utopian projects with nostalgia and exploiting social fears (e.g., about migration or changes in customs) to build political support.
Why is post-fascism considered a transitional category?
Enzo Traverso defines it this way because it is a process of mutation in progress – we do not yet know what this system will ultimately crystallize into under the influence of crises.
How does post-fascism affect the concept of citizenship?
Post-fascism aims to ensure that citizenship ceases to be a universal status and becomes a limited privilege reserved exclusively for a select group of 'our own'.

Related Questions

Tags: Post-fascism Palingenetic ultranationalism Metapolitics Ethnopluralism Universal citizenship Deliberalization Cultural hegemony Algorithm Grief Engineering Mainstreaming The carapace of capitalism The politics of affect Fascist minimum Mutation of ideas Transitional category