It can’t happen here, probably
Fascism is not taking root in the United States as it did in Europe’s fertile ground in the 1930s, but the ascendance of President Donald Trump and the early actions of his administration may move the United States in an authoritarian direction, a panel of historians told a Harvard audience Tuesday. During a forum at the Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies, the speakers dismissed direct comparisons between the fascist ideology that once swept parts of Europe, a movement that they called specific to that era. But they said the U.S. administration’s attacks on traditional institutions, targeting of Muslims from some countries, and other actions are unsettling signs. Charles Maier, the Leverett Saltonstall Professor of History, said that fascist leaders “arrived in power in Europe based on paramilitary models and with militias.” He said that type of movement is not present today. “Nonetheless, a lot of bad things can happen without attributing...