Anti-fascism

I was hoping to get an opinion on something, I'm not sure what the normal left-communist position on this subject is. I have a strange position on this subject, and I have a feeling that I would be metaphorically crucified if I expressed this opinion elsewhere.

In any case, after a period of consideration I have come to the conlcusion that anti-fascism is, and I don't throw this around lightly, a liberal doctrine. There are a number of issues I have with it.

The first of which is that it seems to regard fascism as something that is different on a qualifiable level from other forms of capitalism(i.e. that it is more reactionary, so it should be opposed). As a communist, I see this view regarding fascism that most display seems inconsistent. We don't advance the interests of social-democracy above neo-liberalism, even if it is more "progressive"; why should it be any different with fascism?

That is my primary concern, but I've also notice other issues as well. Adherents of this doctrine tend to advocate "united fronts" with factions of the bourgeoisie, and sometimes go even further with "popular fronts" and coalitionism. I really don't see how bourgeois collaboration and the suspension of class struggle can be justified.

Fascism is bad, but I just don't see why we should treat it any differently than any other form of capitalism. It seems like it should be a pretty elementary observation, but it seems to elude most on the left. In my readings on the communist left, I don't think I have ever come across any material which mentions this subject, which prompted me to bring it up here; so I apologize if it's a dumb question.

I would say that your position is very close to that of the left communists: we are against fascism, obviously, but we reject the notion of the 'lesser evil', which means allying with liberal factions of the bourgeoisie against fascism. Fascism has to to be opposed by class struggle - as do the 'liberal' factions. Here is a classic text from the Italian left communists of the 1930s, with an intro by the ICC:
http://en.internationalism.org/ir/101_bilan.htm

Thanks for the link, Alf. I found that article to be very informative, and I can say that I agree entirely with the ideas expressed in it.

Succinct view of the ICT position is currently on top of our website (Fascist Intimidation in Bolzano) at www.leftcom.org

It should be mentioned that even though the communist left today and historically has rejected 'fronts' with factions of the bourgeoisie to fight fascism, this does not mean that we consider fascism and bourgeois democracy to be 'the same thing', or even that it is obviously preferable to be a prole exploited by Sweden than by Hitler.

The problem with anti-fascism and where it fails is where it says it is most 'realistic' by rejecting our 'sectarian principles.' The working class in an open alliance with the bourgeoisie (this front can be either 'popular' or 'united') against fascism can't guarantee the proletariat the defeat of 'totalitarianism.' The bourgeois democracy and totalitarianism are not opposed to each other, but yet it also is not two methods of beating back the proletariat. Fascism is birthed from bourgeois democracy, and vice versa. Fascism or totalitarianism in general is what is hidden by the cloak of bourgeois democracy, it is what is always hidden behind the democratic curtain. Capital's representatives will proudly commit suicide (don't read this literally!) if it means keeping the system alive.

Now obviously there will be proletarians who after feeling the boot of fascism will feel that getting rid of fascism or totalitarianism is of primary importance and may join anti-fascist fronts.

The communist left historically, contrary to the deliberate misrepresentations by other 'communists', did not wash their hands of it and say "no reason to be involved here" and left it at that. In Italy for example, while making clear that the Partisan movement was a guerrilla army of capital and imperialism, understood that many workers were joining it because they felt the pressure of fascism and felt the only way of fighting it was to join the Partisans. Real communists didn't abstain but went to these very workers and related to their struggles (many of these communists spending years in exile or in prison because of fascism) but told them that the only way to effectively fight fascism one must also fight the bourgeois democrats and capitalism as a whole. This was effective enough that the Italian Communist Party murdered two militants who had apparently been able to sow enough subversion in the ranks of the "anti-fascists" that it warranted their killings.