If you were asked to come up with a short description of what fascism meant, you will most likely be inclined to describe it as a movement or an ideology that supports unfettered nationalism, a disdain for democracy and a disposition to promote a culture of violence.

The world first experience the awakening of fascism through Benito Mussolini’s 1922 Italy. The ‘Blackshirts’ movement was recognised as a nationalist movement that was more authoritarian than democratic merely because it accepted the idea that political power can only be attained through violence. And it is this violent political struggle that the present ruling regime tries to disseminate and sow into the minds of every citizen with maniacal desperation.

To fully understand just how such unreasonable movements can replace democracy, we need not look further than our own backyard. The socio-political strife felt by present day Malaysians are a reaction to the slow erosion of democratic values and the constant denial of constitutional rights.

The present ruling regime uses sentiments based on religious bigotry and racial supremacy by playing up our fears and insecurities - when combined, can create a massively powerful political movement that is both frightening and precarious.

A leader of this sort of movement may not necessary need a pragmatic plan to solve a country’s problem. Whatever deepening crisis the country might face is irrelevant because such leaders are too apathetic, too removed and too disconnected, therefore, they rely on scapegoats (which could be in the form of opposition leaders, dissenting activists, intellectual thinkers or even ‘golongan pendatang’ and the assurance to remove them, as a way to make this country ‘greater’.

These leaders will attempt to convince fear-ridden people that their jobs are in danger or that their safety is in jeopardy and that the only way to counter this problem is to eliminate these scapegoats from the status quo.

They will behave in a way that will make them appear strong and those who follow such doctrines will do so to compensate their own sense of social impotence and lack of sound moral judgment. It is a classic tale of the blind leading the blind while the rest of us watch in aghast at the Greek tragedy unraveling before our own eyes.

Annihilating an opponent with slander and pretense

Leaders of this ilk are skilled at the kind of labeling and name-calling that can annihilate their opponent with slander and pretense. No doubt, they will achieve substantial support but mainly from individuals who lament over the loss of ‘values’ and believe that violence and mental vulgarity are the kind of strength required to make this country ‘greater’.

The world is indeed seeing a shift to the far right. The rise of religious conservatism and social conservatism in our own country is very telling of how this phenomenon is actually a global movement. Think Dueterte and Trump - both painfully right wing bordering fascist figures; one who just recently became a leader of a country and another who has a high chance of being a leader of a country that often prides itself in being the quintessential democratic model state.

If Malaysian democracy fails, the cause for this will not be due to attacks from foreign powers rather, it will fail because we simply were too consumed by our own fear (our self induced paranoia, our cultural and religious diversity, economic uncertainties and fear of fear itself) to do anything about it.

For Malaysians, we’re getting dangerously quite accustomed and somewhat desensitised to the fear-mongering tactics laid out by the ruling regime. There are those who defiantly speak up against tyranny, those who will submissively buck down and passively allow themselves to be brainwashed by the propaganda of hate and those who chose to abstain from taking a side.

Fascism’s divide-and-conquer tactics - something Malaysians are too familiar with, will deprive us of our rights and liberties. The civility and discourse on which democracy thrives will be nothing more than a foregone conclusion. When people-power is neutralised, this will create a political vacuum which will allow fascism to move uninhibited, unchecked, and unhinged.

Upholding democracy will be this generation’s onus and our failure to respond adequately to an increasingly intolerant system will be one way for democracy to die a slow and painful death.

SYERLEENA ABDUL RASHID is DAP Wanita national assistant publicity secretary, Penang DAP assistant publicity secretary, Penang DAP Wanita political education director and MBPP councillor.