Index/People/Robert Paxton

Robert Paxton

British figure skater

Fact-Checks

21 results
Oct 24, 2025
Most Viewed

Can a democratically elected leader be considered a fascist?

A democratically elected leader can be described as *fascist* if their ideology and actions match scholarly definitions of fascism—authoritarian, ultranationalist, anti-pluralist, and willing to use v...

Nov 15, 2025
Most Viewed

Is Donald Trump officially fascist?

Experts, politicians and commentators disagree sharply on whether Donald Trump is “officially fascist.” Some analysts and figures—including historian Robert Paxton (cited by reporting), former Chief o...

Nov 17, 2025
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is donald trump a fascist

Debate over whether Donald Trump is a fascist is active and unresolved: historians and commentators offer competing judgments that hinge on definitions of fascism and varying readings of Trump’s rheto...

Nov 12, 2025

Trump Fascism

Scholars and commentators are deeply divided over whether Donald Trump meets historical or scholarly definitions of fascism; some argue he displays core fascist characteristics, while others call the ...

Nov 7, 2025

How do Robert O. Paxton and Zeev Sternhell define fascism?

Robert O. Paxton defines fascism primarily as a mode of political behavior driven by — an obsessive preoccupation with decline, victimhood, and the primacy of the in-group that produces cults of unity...

Nov 8, 2025

Have historians found credible evidence of fascist tendencies in Donald Trump's rhetoric?

Historians and scholars have produced credible, repeated arguments that , including exclusionary nationalism, creation of enemies, and appeals to authoritarian strength, as articulated by figures such...

Jan 7, 2026

How do scholars define fascism and how do those definitions apply to modern U.S. political movements?

Scholars treat fascism not as a single, simple label but as a contested cluster of features—violent, exclusionary nationalism, charismatic authoritarian leadership, suppression of opposition, and mass...

Dec 4, 2025

What is the blood and soil political view?

Blood and soil (German: Blut und Boden) is a nationalist, racially defined doctrine that ties "blood" (descent or race) to "soil" (territory), originating in the völkisch movement and adopted as a key...

Nov 20, 2025

What specific features define a fascist government and does the U.S. meet them today?

Scholars and commentators use multiple checklists to define fascism — common features include a cult of the “people” led by a dominant leader, aggressive nationalism, suppression of opposition, parami...

Jan 13, 2026

Who are the most influential historians studying fascism?

A compact roster of scholars dominates contemporary and historical debates about fascism: Robert Paxton, Roger Griffin, Emilio Gentile, George L. Mosse, Ian Kershaw, Ruth Ben‑Ghiat, and a cluster of h...

Nov 10, 2025

What are the core characteristics of fascism according to historians?

Historians and political theorists converge on a core cluster of traits that reliably identify 20th‑century fascist movements: to remake the polity. Scholars emphasize that fascism is best seen as a f...

Dec 9, 2025

What are the defining features of fascism and how do they apply to modern US parties?

Scholars define fascism as a set of political behaviors—obsessive nationalism, scapegoating, violent mobilization, destruction of democratic norms, and centralization of state power—distinct from but ...

Nov 18, 2025

What signs or warning indicators suggest a contemporary political movement may be veering toward fascism?

Scholars and institutions offer repeatable checklists—Laurence Britt’s 14 points and versions from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and Umberto Eco—that list traits commonly seen when movements slid...

Jan 12, 2026

How have historians of 1930s Europe assessed comparisons between Mussolini/Hitler and contemporary right‑wing movements like Trumpism?

Historians of 1930s Europe treat comparisons between Mussolini/Hitler and contemporary right‑wing movements such as Trumpism as analytically useful but contested: many identify thematic echoes—demagog...

Jan 12, 2026

How has the term fascism been used in modern politics?

The word “fascism” today lives in two registers: a well-studied historical ideology with specific traits described by scholars and encyclopedias, and a broadly deployed political epithet used across t...

Nov 11, 2025

Counterarguments against calling Donald Trump a fascist

The materials present two competing frames: one that identifies in Donald Trump’s rhetoric and movement, and another that argues he represents . Both sides rely on historical definitions of fascism, s...

Jan 2, 2026

Is trump facist

The question “Is Trump fascist?” cannot be answered with a single label without defining fascism and specifying which behaviors or policies are under scrutiny; scholars and commentators disagree, some...

Dec 16, 2025

How do political scientists define fascism and do experts agree rob reiner’s examples meet that definition?

Political scientists do not agree on a single definition of fascism, but most contemporary scholars emphasize extreme ultranationalism, authoritarianism, mass mobilization, and violence or suppression...

Nov 15, 2025

What are the core features of fascism used by scholars (1920s–present)?

Scholars from the 1920s to today treat “fascism” as a contested category but repeatedly identify a core cluster of traits: extreme nationalism and authoritarianism; anti‑liberal and anti‑communist pol...

Nov 8, 2025

What are the defining characteristics of fascism according to political scientists?

Political scientists and historians converge on a core set of traits that define fascism: , combined with violence, militarism, and suppression of opposition. Debates persist about boundaries and emph...