No, Antifa Is Not Synonymous with “Anti-fascism”

“So, in the same way that a country with the word ‘democratic’ in its name tends to be anything but, Antifa appears overwhelmingly to be anti-fascist in name only.”

When President Donald Trump announced on May 31st that the United States would be “designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization,” it caused an international outcry. From what I could tell, much of the criticism came from those who took Antifa, a loosely organized radical movement known for its militancy, mob mentality, and far-left agenda, to be synonymous with anti-fascism—and this is despite the fact that Antifa appears bent on undermining the most effective bulwark against fascism ever devised: the liberal democratic order.

In fact, collectivism, intolerance, and intimidation are characteristics of fascism.

Most people understand that opposition to fascism does not imply a far-left ideology, nor does it require the violent suppression of contrary systems of thought. In fact, collectivism, intolerance, and intimidation are characteristics of fascism. Blind to this irony, Antifa engages in militant tactics that violate fundamental liberal principles such as freedom of speech, political and ideological pluralism, and the right to life, limb, and property. These are all, of course, staples of a free and open society. So, in the same way that a country with the word “democratic” in its name tends to be anything but, Antifa appears overwhelmingly to be anti-fascist in name only.

There are historical precedents for this. As the economist and social philosopher F.A. Hayek writes in The Road to Serfdom: “By the time Hitler came to power, liberalism was dead in Germany. And it was socialism that had killed it.” Hayek goes on to say that “[t]he communists and Nazis clashed more frequently with each other than with other parties simply because they competed for the same type of mind.” Antifa, however, operates on the premise that anti-fascism necessarily implies leftism, creating a false dichotomy. Thus, anyone who is not on the left can be labeled a fascist, which explains why conservatives and libertarians are routinely targeted by Antifa. It also solves a supply-and-demand problem: There are apparently not enough genuine fascists to go around.

I recall witnessing an incident in Linz, Austria in 2012 in which self-proclaimed “anti-fascists” chased down and assaulted members of a conservative Catholic student union. When I pointed out that those people were not fascists, an attacker shrugged and said something to the effect of “close enough.” He then gave the following rationale: “These people will end up in positions of power, and that’s not good for us, so they must be put in their place.” This reflects the view, prevalent among Antifa radicals, that fascism is systemic in our society. Conclusive evidence for that claim has yet to emerge.