Edward Torsney presents art from the front lines in the fight against fascism. The Art of Resistance is a live archive of cultural defiance.
Background
Fascism is on the rise across the world because the prevailing ideology of neoliberalism has focused its political and cultural hegemony on stamping out “the left”. The British equitable society of collectivism, tolerance and fraternity built after WWII wasn’t profitable for the US capitalists, so they set about dismantling it. Free market capitalism, a form of corporate fascism is replacing our culture.
Our public services, utilities, health service and education systems were all attacked and diminished by US investors and privateers looking to make a quick buck. The left campaigned tirelessly to fight this onslaught, but the capitalist ideology of individual greed spread through mass media indoctrination and the promise of short term financial gain, like a plague of locusts on our caring society.
Neoliberalism has cultivated the far right and weaponised it against the left. In America, Britain, Germany, France and elsewhere we’re seeing extremist neo-Nazi and proto-fascist groups organising and crossing over into mainstream political parties. In the UK there are government-backed initiatives which support right wing extremism at the cost of our rights and liberties.
Neoliberalism leads to fascism
We have government-backed sectarian militia working hand in hand with our police services to stamp out dissent. We have increasingly authoritarian governments whose economic choices are designed to make ordinary people worse off, whilst bolstering the profits of billionaire businesses. The recent Labour government cuts to pensioners’ winter fuel payments will kill at least 4000 pensioners per year. That is according to the Labour government’s own research data. This £4bn cut is made instead of raising taxes on energy companies and whilst committing £3bn per year to the openly Neo-Nazi Ukrainian government/dictatorship. Only a fascist government would knowingly choose to kill their own citizens to fund Neo-Nazi regimes.
Our western governments are sponsoring genocide in Palestine and our mainstream media are looking the other way. We can’t deny now that all these indicators paint a grotesque picture. This is fascism and it’s on the rise in mainstream politics, led in no small part by US imperialism.
Assimilated and diminished
Wars are raging globally and millions of ordinary people are paying the price. Fascism destroys communities and cultures. It aims to assimilate or kill everything in its path. Have you noticed how everyone looks American? Have you noticed all our music, lifestyles & media are all American or based on American popular culture? The UK is full of baseball caps and puffer jackets. Sweatshirts or hoodies emblazoned with the names of American universities are everywhere we look. Are we all Americans on our day off from work? Edward Torsney certainly isn’t! But British culture doesn’t exist anymore. The foundations of our equitable post war plan have been destroyed by the march of American-style fascism. Our voices aren’t allowed in the mainstream media unless we’re singing their song. We’ve been assimilated!
In our mimicry of the cultural and economic hegemon, we tacitly offer up our allegiance and unquestioning devotion to their geopolitical aspirations. We support their wars, their grudges, their theft of resources and their oppression of communities and creeds. In the past 40 years, without seeing it coming, we’ve become fascists – just like them. Don’t you find that unacceptable? Edward Torsney does.
Digital dissent
We can fight the crimes against humanity committed in our names by using creativity. In our increasingly connected world, people are taking to social media platforms and creating art, poetry, music, video and writing. Ordinary people are sharing their voices and fighting back against fascism.
That’s what this site is about. Edward Torsney believes in the power of creativity and anti fascist voices. The Art of Resistance showcases creative work from around the globe. In the current climate, anti fascism has become an act of cultural defiance. We want to remind people that it doesn’t have to be this way. Imagine what the world could be like without fascism. Let’s build a better world where tolerance, compassion and the celebration of cultural difference are central to humanity. Creativity and The Art of Resistance can play a part in helping this world thrive.
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