Chapter 34 Chapter 5 Defend against powerful enemies together 8

8 The defeat of the Axis powers—more precisely, the defeat of Germany and Japan—was an outcome that many wanted to see.Only the foolish and loyal German and Japanese people fought to the end with the highest efficiency for many years, but now they can only feel sad for the defeat of the motherland.But from the beginning to the end, the power that fascism can mobilize is only limited to its core countries.As far as the periphery is concerned, at most they can only sporadically recruit a few elements of the extreme right in terms of ideology, and the latter are often not popular in their own countries, and they are only marginal figures in politics.Among them were nationalist groups who hoped to achieve their own goals through the alliance with Germany, and many were requisitioned as lackeys by the Nazi occupation forces under the war aggression.As for Japan, the resources it can mobilize are even more pitiful. At most, it has only briefly aroused a feeling of sympathy among the yellow race.However, the European fascist approach has won great support among the conservative rich, because it provides the most powerful defense against the working class, socialism, communism, and the menacing attack of Moscow, the head of crime.In addition, the support of fascism by big business is naturally motivated by practical considerations and has nothing to do with ideological principles.Now that fascism has been defeated, it has lost its effectiveness.All in all, National Socialism has spread across Europe for 12 years, and the only aftereffect left today is that a large part of European land has become a stage at the mercy of the Bolsheviks.

As a result, the fascist army was defeated like a mountain, like a clod thrown into a river, it quickly disintegrated, and immediately disappeared into ashes, disappearing from the political arena forever.Only in Italy, where a neo-fascist movement—the Movimento Sociale Italiano—has been playing a humble supporting role in Italian politics for years, has Mussolini as its master.The fascist forces have disappeared from the political circle not only because their former protagonists have been permanently excluded (in fact, many people still have a foot in public office and public life, and are even more active in economic activities), and the German and Japanese It has nothing to do with the trauma and disillusionment of the hearts of the Chinese people in the past.The external and moral world of these people had been destroyed at the same time in 1945, so for them, the continued allegiance to the past beliefs had adverse effects on practical life.Now that the Allied forces have come, they have brought their systems and methods and imposed them on the people of the defeated country. The former laid down the tracks, and the latter's trains can only go in this direction.So I had to adjust myself and face this new life that was very confusing and incomprehensible at the beginning.If you just cling to the old thoughts of the past, not only will it not help, but it will only increase your troubles.The old dream of National Socialism served Germany after 1945 nothing but memories.Therefore, even in Austria, which was once an important city in Hitler's Greater Germany, the political situation after the war immediately returned to its old appearance and returned to the pre-1933 democratic regime.The only difference from before is that it now has a slightly left-leaning flavor (strange to say, in the complex international politics, Austria, which was originally a Nazi, is included as one of the innocent victimized countries).Fascism, which was invincible at one time, dissipated like the remaining clouds under the wind. It was born because of the troubled times, but now it is destroyed because of the peace.After all, it has never been a worldwide political movement, even in theory.

At the same time, on the other hand, however heterogeneous the anti-fascist coalition and however ephemeral the combined nature of the mobilization, the forces united under its banner were enormous in scope.What's more, this combination has a positive meaning, and in some respects, it is more durable to continue life.In terms of ideology, the spirit of anti-fascism is founded on the values ​​and hopes shared by all, that is, the meaning of the Age of Enlightenment and the Age of Revolution: to create progress for mankind through reason and science; universal education and elected government; not hereditary, Everyone is born equal; don't love tradition, build a forward-looking society.Various concepts and methods may not be consistent in the understanding and practice of various countries, but many countries that are far from Western democratic ideas have also chosen to use "democracy" or "people's republic" as their names, such as Mengistu (Mengistu). ), Ethiopia under Siad Barre, North Korea under Kim Il Sung, Algeria and East Germany under Communist rule, etc.Although the name is not worthy of the name, its significance should not be easily dismissed.If we go back to the period between the two wars, this type of national title must be despised and condemned by fascists, totalitarians, and even traditional conservative regimes in various countries.

Looking at other aspects, the common expectation of everyone is not far from the shared reality.Whether it is Western-style constitutional capitalism, communism, or the countries of the third world, they are equally committed to equality between race and gender.Although everyone is beyond their capabilities, and there is still some distance from the common ideal level, their practices are similar.The governments of all countries are secular regimes with the separation of church and state. What's more worth mentioning is that almost all countries intentionally and voluntarily gave up the absolute superiority of the market economy and switched to the route of actively managing the plan by the state.In today's era when "neo-liberal economic theology" is prevalent, it is hard for us to imagine going back to the early 1940s, and until the 1970s, the most prestigious economic masters who always advocated "the theory of total market freedom", such as Hayek ( Friedrich von Hayek and others once claimed to be prophets and spoke out loudly, warning that if Western capitalism rashly deviates from the planned economic road, it would be tantamount to embarking on the dangerous path of "the road to slavery" (Hayek 1944).In reality, however, capitalism leapt onto the highway of economic miracles (see Chapter 9).The capitalist countries firmly believe that if the government does not intervene, the world economy will inevitably fall into the interwar catastrophe again. Only in this way can the people be prevented from taking risks and radically adopting the political risk of communism-like At one point they would have chosen Hitler in general.The third world countries are even more convinced that the only way to get rid of the backward and dependent economic status is to rely on the state.Inspired by the Soviet model, only socialism is the bright road in the eyes of the former colonies.And the big brother of the Soviet Union itself, and other new members who have recently joined its big family, believe in nothing but the boundless power of central planning.As a result, both the East and the West, as well as the third world, have jumped into the new post-war world with the same belief: that is, through iron and blood, through political mobilization, and through revolutionary means, they will finally be able to win the war. The final victory of the Axis forces is now opening a new era of social transformation and change for mankind.

In a sense, this thinking is correct.Because since ancient times, the appearance of society and human life has never experienced the huge changes that occurred after the two mushroom clouds of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.But for thousands of years, the trajectory of historical change and evolution has often not followed human will.Even the ideas and propositions of those who formulate national policies can't determine the course of history in the slightest.The transformation and changes that have actually taken place in human society in this generation are neither determined nor desired by man.In spite of all its plans during the war, the post-war world immediately faced the first unplanned accident: that is, the great wartime alliance formed by anti-fascism immediately disintegrated as soon as the flames of war ceased.Once the common enemy does not exist, there will be no reunification of all wills.As a result, capitalism and communism parted ways again, and once again returned to the sworn enemies that were incompatible with each other.