I’ve heard the critique that Dutt’s thesis (fascism is the “death rattle” of “capitalism in decay”) is mistaken and dated. This was from a very interesting essay on redsails that noted primitive accumulation is basis for capital, not capitalism, therefore making it an ongoing process.1 With this understanding:
Overall I find this conclusion more much sound than ideas like fascism being just a particular petty bourgeois movement emerging from the conditions of interwar Europe. The history of the west is deeply fascist.
- Indigenous land displacement, debt traps, and data harvesting, for instance
P.S. I haven’t gone deeply into the book and apologize if there’s some misunderstandings on my part.
Not heard of the other one, honestly. How well does it cover fascism and in what ways? Part of why I like Blackshirts and Reds, in spite of its drawbacks, is that I’d say it’s sort of an easing in to “AES states did some good actually” for people who were raised thinking they were terrible and evil, while also covering the anti-communist argument of “commies were opportunists” in its way, by talking about actual rightist opportunists (Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy) who took advantage of working class energy as a contrast to actually existing socialism. So it’s got some good entry-level material in there for deprogramming from anti-communism.
But there is probably better if someone is not working from anti-communist upbringing. I could do with knowing more about what all material is best for what audience.
I think if I were to describe Black Shirts and Reds in a phrase, it would a reversal of the common liberal falsehood “Capitlism may have problems, but it’s better than everything else/Communism”, so:
“Communism may have it’s problems, but it’s better than Capitlism.”
Which, is a refreshing step up from the inverse statement.
Solid way to sum it up, I like it.
Another book for tbr.
