In contrast to Germany, the U.S.A. had a constitution which was democratic from the start. And its ruling class managed, particularly during the imperialist era, to have the democratic forms so effectively preserved that by democratically legal means, it achieved a dictatorship of monopoly capitalism at least as firm as that which Hitler set up with tyrannic procedures. This smoothly functioning democracy, so-called, was created by the Presidential prerogative, the Supreme Court’s authority in constitutional questions, the finance monopoly over the Press, radio, etc., electioneering costs, which successfully prevented really democratic parties from springing up beside the two parties of monopoly capitalism, and lastly the use of terroristic devices (the lynching system). And this democracy could, in substance, realize everything sought by Hitler without needing to break with democracy formally. In addition, there was the incomparably broader and more solid economic basis of monopoly capitalism.

This essay and the book it draws from are brilliant. Since Prof. rockhill's work is making the rounds everyone must learn ☝️😃 (Destruction of Reason is a precursor but may be better read after Western Marxism by Losurdo & Rockhill's new cultural cold war book, also Foster has worked with him + Intl Manifesto Group / Geopol Econ FoSC etc the fellas you know)

"The final reason why the importance of ideology in fascism must be denied is the fact that it exists in more than one form. In fact, historically it has proved to have three different faces.

One “out of power" that tends almost to be revolutionary and subversive, anticapitalist and antisocialist.

One "in power but not secure” — this is the sensational aspect of fascism that we see on screen and read of in pulp novels, when the ruling class, through its instrumental regime, is able to suppress the vanguard party of the people’s and workers’ movement.

The third face of fascism exists when it is “in power and securely so.” During this phase some dissent may even be allowed."

• George L. Jackson [Blood In My Eye: Classes At War]