Contempt for the Weak

### Commentary

"10. Elitism is a typical aspect of any reactionary ideology, insofar as it is fundamentally aristocratic, and aristocratic and militaristic elitism cruelly implies *contempt for the weak*. Ur-Fascism can only advocate a *popular elitism*. Every citizen belongs to the best people of the world, the members of the party are the best among the citizens, every citizen can (or ought to) become a member of the party. But there cannot be patricians without plebeians. In fact, the Leader, knowing that his power was not delegated to him democratically but was conquered by force, also knows that his force is based upon the weakness of the masses; they are so weak as to need and deserve a ruler. Since the group is hierarchically organized (according to a military model), every subordinate leader despises his own underlings, and each of them despises his inferiors. This reinforces the sense of mass elitism."

I'd gloss this as the internal version of "Enemies are at the same time too strong and too weak." It applies to the "us" as well as to the "them."

Like in more benign conservatism, there's an obsession with natural hierarchy. Those at the top of the hierarchy are there due to some virtue. In fascism, the virtue is strength (or Will, see: Triumph of the Will). Not wealth, not smarts, not heredity.

America has long associated business success with will or drive. In the recent discussions of founder mode , there was a noticeable drift from talking about things the Founder *does* to things he *has*, like a "relentless drive to take a company from zero to reality."

And there's been a decided shift toward contempt for their employees.

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In The Timid and Bold President, I have some commentary on whether the modern President is more like a fascist leader than someone whose job is to "faithfully execute the law." I say, yeah, it looks like it's getting that way.

That analysis is based on virtues Thomas Jefferson thinks a President should have and those that the Roberts Supreme Court doesn't think matters . The increasing treatment of the President as Leader seems pretty widespread.

What I don't know is whether Americans reserve automatic deference to just the tippy-top leader, or does it extend to the person just above you in the hierarchy? Has the classic "I'm as good as any man and better than most" American stereotype vanished in general, or just in particular?

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Do Americans generally have contempt for those beneath them, for the Volk (as distinct from the enemy). Seems to be a fair amount of that from the political elites. Examples of Elite Contempt