There are fundamental differences between bourgeois democracy and fascism. On Saturday, March 8, 2025 the Columbus, Ohio, branch of Communist Party USA (CPUSA), the Anna Hass Morgan Club, utilized space at the Upper Arlington Public Library to explore those differences in a public discussion on how fascism is defined and how it differs from bourgeois democracy. The presenter, Scott Gann, discussed common definitions of fascism used in liberal circles and how these definitions insufficiently represent fascism, citing writers such as Palmiro Togliatti, who once said, “the term fascism is often used imprecisely as a synonym for reaction, terror, etc. This is incorrect.”

Gann highlighted how both bourgeois democracy and fascism at times have elements of reaction and terror, citing both the well known atrocities of historical fascist projects, as well as the horrors of US foreign and domestic policies, carried out whilst still maintaining a bourgeois democratic state apparatus. There is a key difference between bourgeois democracy and fascism: the former gives the working class room to struggle for its needs, while fascism does not.

Gann then defined fascism precisely as “the open, terrorist dictatorship of the most reactionary, most chauvinistic, and most imperialist elements of finance capital,” citing the definition formulated by Georgi Dimitrov at the 7th World Congress of the Communist Third International in August, 1935. An example supporting this definition was then briefly discussed: the Business Plot, an attempted fascist coup during FDR’s presidency, in which the most reactionary, chauvinistic, and imperialist elements of finance capital attempted to form an open, terroristic dictatorship by overthrowing the existing bourgeois democracy. Luckily, Smedley Butler, the general chosen by finance capital to lead the coup, exposed the plot before it could materialize.

Gann emphasized that the extent of financial and political support provided to fascist Italy and Germany supports the idea that fascism is driven by the most reactionary elements of finance capital. Gann also pointed out key differences within the left’s understanding of fascism, highlighting Leon Trotsky’s downplay of the financiers of fascism, instead emphasizing that fascism is the rule of the petit bourgeois, with the lumpenproletariat and some elements of the proletariat playing a critical role as well. Other writers, like Hannah Arendt or Jan-Werner Muller, also conflate Stalinism or examples of modern autocracy with fascism, minimizing or obscuring the focus on finance capital stressed in the Communist Party’s accepted definition.

Gann then shifted to modern times, emphasizing that fascism will likely not immediately assert itself, but will instead try to maintain a modicum of legality while allowing other bourgeois parties to exist in a type of false parliamentarianism. Typically, there are several stages that facilitate the ascension towards open terroristic dictatorship. Recent attacks on voting, labor, and civil rights exemplify modern reactionary shifts towards fascism. These threats have been aided by financial supporters, including the Rockbridge Network and Chestnut Street Council, which can be described as reactionary elements of finance capital trying to push for more fascistic answers to recurrent capitalist crises.

The presentation ended with Gann discussing how working class people can fight the rise of fascism. This portion of the presentation emphasized the need for unity within the working class against the rise of fascism, as well as the need to separate fascist leaders and financiers from their material resources and means of influencing the working class. Fascism can only be thwarted when the working class is protected and the insidious influences of fascism are exposed.

The Anna Hass Morgan Club offered this discussion of fascism to locals concerned with the increasingly fascistic tendencies of the second Trump administration, concerns that have likely grown in the wake of Trump’s recent shocking suggestion that media outlets critical of him should be deemed illegal. The club has expressed the desire to host additional discussions on relevant topics in months to come.

To contact the Anna Hass Morgan Club email columbus@cpusa.org.

Images: Anna Hass Morgan Club photo.