Progressive Labor Party (PLP) members from Brooklyn New York organized a study group about fascism on Saturday, November 16th. The purpose of the study group was to learn about how fascism has developed in the United States, and how both parties-both sets of capitalist bosses-have brought fascism on the working class. The event brought workers, teachers, and students from five different New York City high schools together to discuss what fascism is and how we can fight it. 

Spot the Fascism

While there is a lot of talk about fascism under a Trump administration, PLP believes that fascism has been growing here all along. The event began with a gallery walk. Participants viewed articles, images, and memes posted on the walls and identified the fascist element in each piece of media. The media, among many topics, included statistics about abortion restrictions, deportations under both parties, and state sanctioned punishments for speaking out against genocide. 

One political cartoon about voting read “How many women’s corpses must I step over to vote for women’s rights?”In regards to voting between Trump and Harris one student said, “False choice is no choice.” 

A teacher said that prioritizing the rights of women in imperialist countries over women in Gaza “divides the working class through dehumanization.” 

Fascism: Our Definition 

Students and teachers discussed what made each example fascist. Many people talked about division between workers through nationalism, racism, and anti-trans sexism. Others discussed the increasingly harsh limitations on free speech, and the growing anti-migrant racism. Members analyzed the PLP definition of fascism: 

“A state of late capitalism in crisis where the liberal democratic veil peels away to reveal a rotting dictatorship. The bosses use state terror to discipline their own class and enforce compliance by the working class-both essential conditions for waging global war. Fascism is marked by a more direct and centralized rule, with intensified racism, sexism, and nationalism.” 

Communists organize to fight fascism 

After the gallery walk participants read about communist fight backs against fascism throughout history. Students and teachers analyzed how communists fought against the fascists in the Spanish Civil War, the Klan in Mississippi, and genocide enablers today. Two of the articles featured PLP antifascist action: PL’ers beating up a racist shooter in Tupelo, Mississippi and a PLP teach-in at the Rutgers encampment against the Gaza genocide. In each example members noticed that the capitalist class, when push comes to shove, will side with fascism. From the “democratic” United States sending bombs to fascist Spain to liberal university bosses raiding protests against genocide, both Democrats and Republicans will tolerate fascism as long as it protects their best interests. 

Rely on the working class 

While bosses routinely sell out the working class, communists will never compromise with fascists. In each reading students and teachers noticed that communists are always committed to the fight against fascism. After the event, a few high schoolers, some of whom met at the event, gathered to discuss antiracist fight backs in New York City schools. Workers and students must rely on each other to fight fascism in our schools, our cities, and the world!