GUIDE TO THE PHILOSOPHY 1938 - 1947.pdf - Rare Books at ...

56
ETHICS AND POLITICS: TRB MODERNS
The Principle of Leadership. The beginning of the
process by which power is achieved is the emergence of a
Leader. The emergence of the Leader is mystically conceived
and described. The Leader simply appears. Like
the Thibetan Grand Lama he is immediately recognized
by his marks; but, whereas the marks of the Lama are
physical, those ofthe fascist Leader are spiritual and mental.
Having emerged, the Leader selects for office and power
the best among his followers, choosing them on the basis
of past loyalties, and binding them to him by future
promises. The principle of leadership thus established
operates from the top downwards. Those chosen by the
Leader to be his followers choose in their turn from the
best among their followers those who are to serve and to
be led by them. Thus a hierarchy is established which
extends through every phase of fascist society, through
government, industry, education and the armed forces.
Under this system authority, whose source is at the top
of the ladder, is continuously devolved by those occupying
its successive rungs upon those occupying the rungs
immediately below them. At the bottom are to be found
those "who", in Fichte'* words, "only exist for the sake
of the others" in whom the "freedom of the will has been
completely destroyed". Thus, whereas Plato envisages
two classes, the rulers and the ruled, Fascism provides for
an indefinite number, each of which derives its authority
from, and is assigned its status by, the class immediately
above it Hence, though Fascism adopts its principle of
leadership from Plato, the criteria by reference to which
leaders are selected are not those which Plato lays down.
Plato's Guardians are wise and exercise power not from
choice, but from duty; fascist rulers are strong and exercise
power because they glory in their strength. The strength
which is relevant to the exercise of power is strength not
of mind, but of will. Where Plato's Guardians overtop
their fellows in point of intellectual development, the
intellectual in fascist countries is disliked many will be
familiar with the famous Nazi mot: "Whenever I hear