The Ghost of Fascism and in the Post-truth Era

In this chapter, Henry Giroux discusses how the architects and managers of extreme capitalism have used the crisis of economic inequality and its “manifestly brutal and exploitative arrangements” to sow social divisions and resurrect the discourse of racial cleansing and white supremacy. Giroux shows how neoliberalism is actually a set of values, ideologies, and practices that are actively recreating America today—for the worse. He forewarns and forecasts the looming and insidious plot of neo-fascism. Of course, CNN, the presidential elections, and the never-ending war in Iraq have proven that the political and economic reality of democracy in the United States has changed. He calls on academics to act and provide an indispensable service to society by reframing the purpose of education from “job training” to critical thinking and action. In addition, he argues that neoliberalism and fascism conjoin and advance in a comfortable and mutually compatible project and movement that connects the exploitative values and cruel austerity policies of casino capitalism with fascist ideals.