Fascism Quote by Sinclair Lewis
““Why are you so afraid of the word ‘Fascism,’ Doremus? Just a word—just a word! And might not be so bad, with all the lazy bums we got panhandling relief nowadays, and living on my income tax and yours—not so worse to have a real Strong Man, like Hitler or Mussolini—like Napoleon or Bismarck in the good old days—and have ‘em really run the country and make it efficient and prosperous again.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: It Can't Happen Here, 1935
The speaker dismisses fear of fascism, suggesting strong authoritarian leaders could bring efficiency and prosperity despite moral costs.
In simple terms: Fear of fascism is downplayed as a harmless word, praising strong leaders.
Key Takeaway
Question the allure of authoritarian solutions.
Themes
politics
authoritarianism
morality
history
leadership
Mood
cautionary
critical
Type
political
historical
When to use this quote
- government policy
- public discourse
- historical analysis
- ethical debate
Key Concepts
totalitarianism
populism
efficiency
prosperity
Questions to Reflect On
- Is efficiency worth losing liberty?
- What are the dangers of glorifying past dictators?
A Different Perspective
Strong leadership can sacrifice freedoms for perceived order.
![“Neither Italian fascism nor German national "socialism" have anything in common with such a [Soviet socialistic] society, primarily because private ownership of factories, plants, lands, banks, means of transportation, etc., remain untouched there, and, therefore, capitalism in Germany and Italy…” quote by Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/411/joseph-stalin-1734_capitalism_neither-italian-fascism-nor-german-natio_1430.jpg)
