Fascism, Nostalgia and History

Cultural Hegemony and Class War

Morning Comrades.

A comrade in Bulgaria reached out to me a little while ago to better help me understand the increasing right-wing move of their governments, in relation to their increasingly oppressive LGBTQ+ laws and i had planned to write about that within the context of what can only be described as the West’s embrace of modern day proto-fascism with a total disengagement of the liberal lie of diversity and social structures. That, however, turned into a larger thought, articulated by another friend that what we are experiencing isn’t so much a return to fascism but the abandonment of the illusion of liberalism - in other words - the abandonment of both the American Dream and the West European Social Democracy - and to speak even clearer, the understanding that the “West”, as it is lead, shaped and formed by our ruling classes is merely showing its true face.

With parts of Germany electing open fascist parties into power in yesterday’s state elections to essentially every European parliament, irrespective of the leading parties names, embracing the same ideology and more importantly, sanctioning oppressive violence against anyone that opposes them, to whatever is happening in the motherland of the capitalist empire across the Atlantic - we will take a dip into another root cause analysis, this time in regards to History, nostalgia and the mechanisms of cultural hegemony in power that manifests the embrace of white, christian ethno-fascism that now rules over us all.

Before we start, one of the most vital questions one can ask in our experience of reality is: But for what class? Please keep that in mind, not only when reading the rest, but for every day reality also.

Fascism, as a political ideology, has historically relied on the manipulation of nostalgia and the construction of a false historical narrative to gain support. This strategy involves presenting an idealized past as a lost golden age, often characterized by social order, economic stability, and cultural purity, which fascists promise to restore if given power. From a class perspective, this narrative serves to obscure the realities of class struggle, diverting discontent away from systemic critiques of capitalism and toward scapegoats like immigrants, ethnic minorities, and progressive social movements. Fascist parties leverage nostalgia to mobilize the working and middle classes by appealing to a shared sense of loss, exploiting cultural anxieties and economic insecurities.

The Function of Nostalgia in Fascist Ideology

Nostalgia is central to the fascist appeal, serving as a mechanism for uniting a disenchanted population under a mythologized vision of the past. Walter Benjamin, in his essay “Theses on the Philosophy of History,” warns of the dangers of such historical revisionism. He argues that fascism invokes a mythical past not to genuinely recover it but to reframe the present in ways that justify oppressive policies. For Benjamin, the fascist interpretation of history is a tool for halting social progress and maintaining existing power structures. The narrative of decline and loss is weaponized to blame social and economic crises on cultural and moral decay rather than systemic exploitation and class inequality.

Benjamin’s famous concept of the “Angel of History” symbolizes the way in which history is constructed not as a continuous progression but as a wreckage of the past that dominant powers attempt to reframe and glorify. Fascism, in this sense, looks backward to justify a regressive future, presenting a false continuity that ignores the struggles and oppressions of the past. For Benjamin, history is written by the victors, and fascism is an attempt to perpetuate that victory by rewriting the past to obscure the role of exploitation and conflict inherent in capitalist society.

Fascist nostalgia is selective and exclusionary, emphasizing periods of perceived national strength and purity while omitting histories of struggle, resistance, and exploitation. This constructed past often ignores the realities of colonial violence, class exploitation, and patriarchy, instead presenting a homogenous and harmonious society that never truly existed. By manipulating cultural memory, fascism seeks to align popular discontent with its agenda, diverting anger away from the capitalist system and toward fabricated enemies of the state, such as immigrants or “degenerate” cultural influences.

Cultural Marxism and the Fascist Distortion of History

The concept of "Cultural Marxism," often misrepresented and maligned by far-right ideologues, is relevant in understanding how fascism manipulates culture and history to serve its ends. Theorists like Antonio Gramsci argued that culture is a key battleground in the struggle for power. Gramsci’s theory of cultural hegemony describes how dominant classes use cultural institutions to maintain control by shaping societal values and beliefs. Fascism, in this context, has to be understood as a counter-hegemonic force that seeks to restore a reactionary form of cultural dominance by appealing to traditional values and a mythologized past.

The ruling class’s control over history and cultural institutions allows it to shape public consciousness, making certain values and beliefs appear natural and inevitable. Fascism takes advantage of this dynamic by presenting itself as a defender of “traditional” culture against the perceived encroachments of modernity, liberalism, and socialism.

This defence of "traditional" values is usually framed in terms of protecting the nation from external threats, such as immigrants or foreign influences, and internal threats, such as progressive social movements advocating for gender equality, LGBTQ+ rights, and multiculturalism. By invoking a golden age of cultural homogeneity and moral clarity, fascists attempt to reassert control over cultural narratives, positioning themselves as the saviors of a beleaguered national identity.

By controlling the narrative of the past, fascists aim to delegitimize alternative perspectives and maintain cultural hegemony. This strategy is not just about reclaiming the past but also about shaping the present and future in ways that reinforce existing hierarchies and suppress dissenting voices. In this sense, nostalgia serves as a powerful tool for ideological control, diverting attention from the realities of economic exploitation and class conflict.

Class, Ideology, and the Manipulation of Historical Memory

Fascism’s manipulation of nostalgia is also deeply intertwined with its approach to class politics. Theodor Adorno, in his critique of fascist propaganda, emphasizes how fascist movements appeal to the disaffected working and middle classes by offering simplistic explanations for complex social problems. According to Adorno, fascism thrives on the “ressentiment” or resentment in English, of individuals who feel economically and culturally alienated but are unable or unwilling to critique the capitalist system that underpins their alienation. Instead of addressing systemic exploitation, fascism redirects anger toward constructed enemies, such as Jews, communists, or feminists, presenting them as the agents responsible for societal decline.

Adorno’s analysis, particularly in works like “The Authoritarian Personality,” highlights how fascism manipulates deep-seated psychological insecurities and displaces them onto scapegoats. This approach is deeply entwined with how fascists rewrite history, emphasizing a narrative where the nation or race was once great but has been undermined by internal and external enemies. This nostalgic framing helps fascism present itself as a solution to these manufactured problems, promising to restore a supposed lost greatness by reasserting traditional social hierarchies and purging the “pollutants” of modernity.

History for Which Class?

Vladimir Lenin’s approach to historical materialism adds a crucial dimension to understanding how history is constructed and utilized by fascist movements. Lenin posed the question “for what class” when examining historical narratives, emphasizing that history is not a neutral recounting of events but a battlefield where different classes compete to define the past in ways that serve their interests. In Leninist terms, history is always written from the perspective of a particular class, and the narratives that dominate are those that serve the ruling class’s need to maintain its power.

Fascism’s manipulation of history can thus be seen as an attempt by reactionary forces to reclaim control over the narrative of the past to reinforce capitalist and nationalist ideologies. For Lenin, history is not merely about what happened but about how events are interpreted and whose interests these interpretations serve. Fascist nostalgia appeals to the working and middle classes not by addressing their material conditions but by offering them a distorted version of history that aligns their interests with the goals of the ruling elite.

Lenin’s insight helps to reveal how fascist narratives of a golden age serve the capitalist class by diverting class struggle into cultural and racial terms. By glorifying a past that never existed, fascism provides a convenient myth that obscures the systemic exploitation inherent in capitalism. The question “for what class” cuts through the romanticism of fascist propaganda, exposing the reactionary class interests behind the appeal to a mythologized history.

If you ever wondered what you would and could have done back in the 1930s and 1940s, we are here, today. Understand that whatever happens is not only made morally “right” by the manipulation of the above, but furthermore, something us workers have fought tooth and nail for centuries.

As always, thank you for your time and interest,

Yours, warmly,

V.