ANTONIO DE OLIVEIRA SALAZAR

These three concepts have in one way or another been made state virtues in right wing dictatorships in religious nations. Ironically, the same can be said about conservative factions and parties in democracies. They include two groups: Those who feel that these are important civic virtues and that the dictators often hijack the virtues to support their dictatorship. The other group are themselves would be fascists who are trying to emulate the dictators of the 20th century. Left wing parties in modern democracies also value these virtues but tend not to use them in slogans as many associate the language with Salazar and other dictators. Some Fascist governments were anti religious such as Nazi Germany, and others were strong religious advocates which co-opt the established church such as Salazar and Franco of Spain.

This is another example of a common practice amongst dictators and extremists of the Right and the Left. First they define “Patriotic” as accepting and following their norms, politics, regulations or laws. Then they define out any dissidents as not bona fide citizens of the nation. In the next step, the lack of citizenship and patriotism allows imprisonment, torture and even death at times. It is one thing to accuse dissidents as being citizens in opposition to the existing government; it is quite another to define them as no longer a citizen who is entitled to the respect or rights of a citizen. This was typical of both Soviet Communism in the 1950s and the followers of Senator Joseph p. McCarthy in the United States.

This is another example of a common practice amongst dictators and extremists of the Right and the Left. First they define “Patriotic” as accepting and following their norms, politics, regulations or laws. Then they define out any dissidents as not bona fide citizens of the nation. In the next step, the lack of citizenship and patriotism allows imprisonment, torture and even death at times. It is one thing to accuse dissidents as being citizens in opposition to the existing government; it is quite another to define them as no longer a citizen who is entitled to the respect or rights of a citizen. This was typical of both Soviet Communism in the 1950s and the followers of Senator Joseph p. McCarthy in the United States.

These three concepts have in one way or another been made state virtues in right wing dictatorships in religious nations. Ironically, the same can be said about conservative factions and parties in democracies. They include two groups: Those who feel that these are important civic virtues and that the dictators often hijack the virtues to support their dictatorship. The other group are themselves would be fascists who are trying to emulate the dictators of the 20th century. Left wing parties in modern democracies also value these virtues but tend not to use them in slogans as many associate the language with Salazar and other dictators. Some Fascist governments were anti religious such as Nazi Germany, and others were strong religious advocates which co-opt the established church such as Salazar and Franco of Spain.