Fascism, socialism are close

I am afraid Nancy Runyan (“Conservatives need mirror” – Jan. 15) does not know her history or politics.

Fascism is not the polar opposite of socialism. It is its twin brother, and in all relevant aspects. The wrong-headed idea that fascism is somehow to the far right of communism was promoted by none other than Josef Stalin. He was trying to distinguish his workers-of-the-world dictatorship from the National Socialist dictatorship of Hitler.

The real polar opposite of this evil set of twins is the free-market libertarian who adheres to the belief that the only moral function of government is to provide an army for international protection, a police force for fraud and other crime, and a system of courts. Some libertarians would also include a bureau of standards for weights and measures. That’s it.

No mechanism of government for corporate cronies would even exist. For a mind-blowing education, I would encourage the reading of Jonah Goldberg’s excellent book “Liberal Fascism.”

Dave Barker

Greenacres