Fascism in Sci-Fi

Status
Not open for further replies.

ReaverReject

Active Member
It's interesting that many mainstream dystopian sci-fi films and TV shows revolve around a fascist society, because fascism or its more benign cousin, federalism, have become the blueprints for a futuristic dystopia. And by "fascism," let me clarify the main components: militarism, collectivism (anti-capitalism), & atheism.

I can throw so many examples your way:

Brazil
GATTACA
Star Wars
Equilibrium
Aeon Flux
Logan's Run
Fahrenheit 451
V for Vendetta
Dr. Who
Starship Troopers
Planet of the Apes
Star Trek
Firefly/Serenity


...the list goes on.

I'd love to hear what everybody thinks about this topic, or even dispute my contention that some of the above titles are fascist at all. By all means add your own! :)

Cheers!

RR
 
It's interesting of course that Lucas' fascist empire was based partly on, uh, the Americans in Vietnam. I mean, that was the starting point for him... And then there's the paraphrasing of Bush in the Sith film. Lucas the Leftist, anyone? I don't know, is this already too political?
 
I had to look up Capitalism and Collectivism, so I won't embarrass myself by commenting on those.

Atheism - To some extent.
Firefly still has elements of religion and spirituality. So too does SW, Planet Of the Apes and Dr. Who, that I know of.

Militarism... Maybe.
We don't have much in the way of Martial Law in the Western World, but there have been instances where it's been employed to some extent, both East and West.
Typically the military are called in to resolve the problem and bugger off once it's been ended (note I say ended, but not neccesarily resolved).

Tian'anmen Square, Northern Ireland and The Iranian Embassy Siege I suppose would be a few classic examples of the military being brought in to deal with 'problematic civilians'.

I daresay a lot of these have also influenced Films in general - Art immitating life and so on. If things happen enough in life, they get worked in to fiction... and occasionally vice versa.
 
How are they fascist, when the whole point of many of those movies is the fight AGAINST such systems?

I think that was his point - The good guys often seem to be fighting against a fascist system.

Why a fascist system?
Why not some other?
Is it easier or more PC to use a system that the winning side fought against in a real life conflict?


Actually, those are my questions (sorry Reaver :$) - Reaver just stated that he thinks fascism as the typical fictional dystopian society is quite a common portrayal and invited us to share our opinions...
 
The movie Starship Troopers was truly a gross misinterpretation and mockery of the book. Verhoeven said as much himself as I recall.

I don't know what the proper term for what is depicted in the book would be but the concept was based entirely on individuals taking personal responsibility for the well being of others in society - being willing to give up everything for the sake of your fellow man. Maybe it has roots in an idealized form of federalism or communism... Of course, the "ideal" version is never what you get in reality though it's nice to enjoy the idealized concept in fiction and wish it were actually possible to achieve.

So in that sense, I don't view the novel Starship Troopers as fascist in the least. The movie is, certainly, because Verhoeven made an absolute mockery of the book... I'd grant that the form of government in Heinlein's Starship Troopers is certainly unrealistic but then so is the the government in Star Trek and most other scifi works.
 
To hell with the plotical strife in the future. You want to survive in the future, you open yourself a Wilsons Leather/Modells super-store.

If I've learned one thing from every "life sucks ass" movie about the future - everyone wears leather and football pads, regardless of the political infrastructure.

-Fred
 
First I'll point out that this thread is political, and therefore against forum rules.

Next I'll note that your statement about fascism being "anti-capitalist" and "collectivist" is nonsensical. You seem to be saying that "fascism is communism", which is nonsensical. Fascism is an extreme right-wing, corporatist ideology.

Lastly atheism is not part of the definition of fascism. The communist Soviet Union was atheis, for example. The United States is officially atheist, since it bans the esstablishment of a state religion.
 
How are they fascist, when the whole point of many of those movies is the fight AGAINST such systems?

From the ones I've seen on that list, only Starship Troopers seems fascist, where there's no one fighting the regime, but actually applaud it. But that movie was made as a farce on fascism.

It also butchers much of the book.
 
First I'll point out that this thread is political, and therefore against forum rules.

Next I'll note that your statement about fascism being "anti-capitalist" and "collectivist" is nonsensical. You seem to be saying that "fascism is communism", which is nonsensical. Fascism is an extreme right-wing, corporatist ideology.

Lastly atheism is not part of the definition of fascism. The communist Soviet Union was atheis, for example. The United States is officially atheist, since it bans the esstablishment of a state religion.

Banning the establishment of a state religion in no makes the United States "officially athiest". No country or government can't be "athiest" any more than it can be "Christian". Individuals can, but not a country.

And facism can be equally left-wing or right-wing.

Scott
 
Banning the establishment of a state religion in no makes the United States "officially athiest". No country or government can't be "athiest" any more than it can be "Christian". Individuals can, but not a country.

And facism can be equally left-wing or right-wing.

Scott

I fail to understand your statement, Scott. "Atheist" simply means "without religion". Why the term would apply to individuals and not counntries is not clear. And certainly a state can declare itself officially Christian or what have you.

Also my understanding is that fascism is right-wing and communism is left-wing. There are no "Commi-Nazis" as McBain would say. :lol

k
 
What it comes down too is that a lot of people use popular labels without really understanding what they mean.
 
Considering that World War II was fought to defeat Fascism, you'd think people would bother to learn what it is. :lol
 
I fail to understand your statement, Scott. "Atheist" simply means "without religion". Why the term would apply to individuals and not counntries is not clear. And certainly a state can declare itself officially Christian or what have you.

Also my understanding is that fascism is right-wing and communism is left-wing. There are no "Commi-Nazis" as McBain would say. :lol

k

"Atheism" is the disbelief in the existence of God, per the dictionary definition. America as a country or government doesn't take this position. A country can't "believe" or "disbelieve" in anything.

Fascism has many broad definitions, and while its manifestations in Nazi Germany are classified as "right-wing", there's nothing preventing it from being implemented as a left-wing entity.

Scott
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top