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this post was submitted on 24 Jul 2023
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It's insane that a country which suffered so much under a fascist dictatorship would want to return fascists to power.
As soon as people who remember it start dying off, the fascist apologists start coming out.
It’s like how anti-vax can grow because nobody in the young generations met anyone with polio.
Also I think that nostalgia works in a way where we remember more good times than hardships; humans are good adapting to any bullshit situation to the point we can call it comfortable and finally we look kindly to the past because old people remember mostly being young and healthy above all (despite not making this link mentally).
That's why everyone has this nostalgia for their youth, not because the 60s or 80s where a good time.
"wasn't the world so much better back before we ruined everything for everyone? Why can't we go back to those times?"
Sure, like how white conservatives in the USA want life to be like the 1950s
conservatives in the states want to return to 1850
DeSantis is already pushing propaganda in Florida schools about how much better black people had it as slaves. I'd be shocked if they didn't try to repeal the 13th amendment by the end of the decade.
Imagine if Hitler had won. That's what happened in Spain. Francisco Franco governed for 40 years, till he was too old and sick to keep doing so. He never faced any consequences and died of old age.
During all those years he indoctrinated the new generations and set a precedent, culturally. So even though more than a hundred thousand people suffered and died under his dictatorship, he still has a lot of supporters that are very vocal about it and his influence still permeates spanish society nowadays. You could look up "franquismo cultural" if you're interested.
Don't forget the right wing media and almost all politicians of the PP are members of the OPUS, as say, spokesmen of the catholic church.
Making short-sighted decisions to obtain results quickly is just human nature.
Fascists, populists and demagogues exploit this flaw in human nature to rise up. They promise big things using big words to masses of people who are uneducated, jaded, or both.
Some people in Spain, like in many other countries right now (USA, Greece, Italy...) are turning to fascism because they feel squeezed dry and let down (unemployment, Covid economic hangover, inflation, etc.) by their current governments, so they run to the people sat in the opposite (or most extreme) end of the political spectrum hoping they can turn things around.
With such a simplistic, binary mindset, coupled with a younger generation of voters who have not experienced what it's like to live in a fascist country, it's no wonder fascism and belligerent nationalism are gaining traction in the West. I just hope we can turn things around before more European countries follow on Hungary's steps.
It's not primarily the younger voters going fash though. Otherwise I mostly agree with your comment.
The younger voters are indeed pushing fascism, at least in Spain. I had also assumed ultraconservative, nationalist movements would be more popular with the older demographic in Spain but, proving my point that it's those who didn't experience Franco's dictatorship who are buying into the far-right ideals, Vox voters are on average 8 years younger than voters of other parties in the country (apologies for the link to Spanish media).
I don't know if this is any different in other countries but in Spain the people swallowing the fascist pill are very much your archetypical white, privileged, young male.
I am not familiar with the demographics of other countries, but in Spain, Vox is quite popular amongst the young people. Old people tend to be very loyal to "their" party and keep voting PP, even though they agree with Vox's main talking points.
Which is ironic, because the rights those people have, like unemployment, WILL go away if the far-right wins, and they'll be worse off.
You are mixing far-right with liberals (less regulation). In Spain there aren't liberal partys. You can check the group they belong in the EU parlament.
If you want to understand why an opposing force gains ground look at what the force in power is doing.