Why do Fascist nations / regions get so much hate?

[Flemmingburg]

I'm a relatively new player, but I know I can't be the only one wondering why in a fictional internet game where you can be as tyrannical, corrupt, and dictator-y as you want why fascists get such a bad reputation? Regions get raided and / or taken over and nations get condemned or are dis-allowed from joining some regions. I honestly don't get it. Sure fascists are bad in real life and did horrible stuff, but so have communists. Hell, almost every single ideology has done something horrible at some point. I'm not arguing in its favor, but simply that people on here should be able to truly play as the bad guys without being subject to pretentious crusading.

[Myuri]

I'm a relatively new player, but I know I can't be the only one wondering why in a fictional internet game where you can be as tyrannical, corrupt, and dictator-y as you want why fascists get such a bad reputation? Regions get raided and / or taken over and nations get condemned or are dis-allowed from joining some regions. I honestly don't get it. Sure fascists are bad in real life and did horrible stuff, but so have communists. Hell, almost every single ideology has done something horrible at some point. I'm not arguing in its favor, but simply that people on here should be able to truly play as the bad guys without being subject to pretentious crusading.

The thing to get is that there's a distinction to be made between "hey I've built a fascist nation, if I roleplay with it then I do so tastefully, and it doesn't reflect my actual views" and, in the alternative, a spectrum ranging from classic Wehraboos to modern cryptofascists who use a guise of "lol just nationbuilding/roleplay!" to launder their actual far-right viewpoints, and particularly, to build communities with sometimes dangerously far-right offsite communities. In other words, it's a problem when someone is actually drooling over/getting off on/celebrating fascism, as a player - though again, many attempt to pull a "it's just roleplay bro" card in bad faith.

For example, in Star Wars, the Empire (and variations thereof) are explicitly a fascist analogue, right down to "Stormtroopers." No one is (at least reasonably) going to get on your ass for playing along those lines. And on the far opposite "mask-off" side you have stuff like this. In between those, there's a lot of nuance that requires mature judgement to draw a line between what's closer to fangirling actual fascists and what's closer to...not.

[American Collectivism]

I'd totally refer to Miuri's excellent commentary over the issue. In short, I think it's almost funny in a way to roleplay as a fascist nation with my choice of flag and Leader name. Additionally, it seems way easier to get top 1% stats as a dystopia as opposed to making my ideal nation, which is Socialist Ancomistan (even if all of my top stats are undesirable ones like Ignorance or Weaponization). Sometimes I actually take a look at my stats and think "This would make a perfect nation if everything was reversed."

I am a leftist IRL

This is an example of two nations that are ironically fascist. I like the sense of humor behind whoever runs these accounts
https://www.nationstates.net/nation=the_stalker
https://www.nationstates.net/nation=holydia

This is an example of a nation that looks unironically fascist. If I had the endorsements, I would willingly condemn whoever is behind this account
https://www.nationstates.net/nation=con ... can_states

[Vando0sa]

I like playing around with the stats making my nation somewhat fascist but also anarchy simultaneously. I think the mafia might have taken over..

[Vleerian]

+1 to Myuri's post

Sure fascists are bad in real life and did horrible stuff, but so have communists. Hell, almost every single ideology has done something horrible at some point.

I'd be very careful about minimizing the crimes of fascism.

[The Church of Satan]

This is an example of two nations that are ironically fascist. I like the sense of humor behind whoever runs these accounts
https://www.nationstates.net/nation=the_stalker

He's not "ironically fascist." He simply themed his nation after Crowley, from the TV show "Supernatural." Which is quite appropriate given his role in Hell (the region) and Crowley's role in Hell (on Supernatural.)

I'm a relatively new player, but I know I can't be the only one wondering why in a fictional internet game where you can be as tyrannical, corrupt, and dictator-y as you want why fascists get such a bad reputation? Regions get raided and / or taken over and nations get condemned or are dis-allowed from joining some regions. I honestly don't get it. Sure fascists are bad in real life and did horrible stuff, but so have communists. Hell, almost every single ideology has done something horrible at some point. I'm not arguing in its favor, but simply that people on here should be able to truly play as the bad guys without being subject to pretentious crusading.

You gotta keep in mind that kids as young as 13 play this game. Some younger even, though they are not allowed to, and lie about their age so they don't get deleted. IRL nazis recruit on the internet from websites like this all the time. So there's that too. Of course it's not just nazis. Other fascist organizations use similar tactics. I wouldn't be surprised if a few terrorist organizations do the same.

[Banshania]

Cruel, albeit not explicitly fascist nation here. I almost feel like there should be an 'about the leader' section, where you can add a disclaimer that your nation is not a reflection of your beliefs. IRL I'm a super left socialist, but my nation is somewhere in like the top 20% of conservative nations.

[Myuri]

You gotta keep in mind that kids as young as 13 play this game. Some younger even, though they are not allowed to, and lie about their age so they don't get deleted. IRL nazis recruit on the internet from websites like this all the time. So there's that too. Of course it's not just nazis. Other fascist organizations use similar tactics. I wouldn't be surprised if a few terrorist organizations do the same.

Sometimes I wonder how long it's going to be until we roll a nat 1 and the next mass shooter's path to radicalization includes some NS region, instead of 4chan

Cruel, albeit not explicitly fascist nation here. I almost feel like there should be an 'about the leader' section, where you can add a disclaimer that your nation is not a reflection of your beliefs. IRL I'm a super left socialist, but my nation is somewhere in like the top 20% of conservative nations.

A (meta-categorized?) Dispatch would be one place to do that, thought not wholly front-and-center.

[Striagro Uspil]

I'm a relatively new player, but I know I can't be the only one wondering why in a fictional internet game where you can be as tyrannical, corrupt, and dictator-y as you want why fascists get such a bad reputation? Regions get raided and / or taken over and nations get condemned or are dis-allowed from joining some regions. I honestly don't get it. Sure fascists are bad in real life and did horrible stuff, but so have communists. Hell, almost every single ideology has done something horrible at some point. I'm not arguing in its favor, but simply that people on here should be able to truly play as the bad guys without being subject to pretentious crusading.

The reason is because Nationstates is not created in a vacuum. It's a game inhabited by individuals who live in an era when Western culture and society puts fascism under heavy and intense scrutiny while other ideologies like Communism, Socialism, and Capitalism are generally viewed with more favor (depending on who you ask). Due to this inherent bias (for better or worse) the average Nationstates player is going to be more sensitive to fascism spreading on the website rather than other ideologies spreading.

[Incel Argentina]

The issue rises when it's not comic book fascism. I believe many users fear they might actually turn others (or themselves) into fascists because they are playing a semi-realistic representation of this ideology. Fascism has become quite a curse word so when reffered to or portrayed as "Just another ideology" it gets a lot of fire compared to other, more mainstream, ideologies such as socialism and conservativism.

When it's not satirical fascism that basically says "Bad = Good" and it's outright dystopic, the issue rises to determine if the person behind the screen is actually trying to pass fascism as a "good ideology" or if they are just roleplaying.

Ironically this both has been caused by and has helped neo-fascists' quite small but solid role in modern politics. You can't talk about fascism since it's taken as an scapegoat but at the same time the fascists are allowed to promote their ideas under the veil of some other "niche" ideologies. They have become the Voldemort of politics as they cannot be named by influential people without those people sounding delusional.

TLDR: I don't mind fash nations as long as the guy behind them is not a fash, like everyone else lol.

[Reploid Productions]

Sometimes I wonder how long it's going to be until we roll a nat 1 and the next mass shooter's path to radicalization includes some NS region, instead of 4chan

Honestly, I would not be surprised if we've got several FBI lurkers here and for multiple NSers to be on some sort of list somewhere. Plus we can and do report stuff to law enforcement when deemed necessary. (ex: Had a user once many years ago talking about wondering what it would be like to kill a bunch of people, like at their school, with maybe a bomb, and they'd been reading up on improvised explosives, and oh yeah they'd read/watched the blogs from the Columbine shooters.... ticked enough boxes we sent in a report to the FBI, and it must have ticked enough boxes for them because I was on the phone with an FBI agent requesting additional information in under 12 hours from submitting the report.)

On topic, add my +1 to Myuri's excellent explanation. While NS caters to players of all ages from 13 (... and probably younger) clear up into 60+, on average the player base skews younger and more left-leaning, at least on social issues (racism, sexism, homophobia and transphobia, etc.) Fascism has a very bad track record regarding those social issues, further worsened by the fact a great many unironic Nazi types will claim fascism as a sort of "Nazi-with-the-serial-numbers-filed-off," and the vast majority of the NS community despises Nazis of any flavor. Given NS has quite a large number of LGBTQIA+ individuals in its ranks, they and allies will view unironic fascism as an existential threat. Evidence shows that deplatforming such views is effective at slowing or stopping the spread of those ideologies, and in terms of NS game mechanics, deplatforming translates to politically isolating regions supporting or enabling those ideologies and when possible invading and destroying them.

Over time, regional communities subjected to this do shrink because every time they have to move to a new region they lose less-active members. A fascist community that this happens to enough times can potentially be shrunk down if not entirely out of existence, then to such a reduced level that they can't promote their ideology effectively anymore. Seen it happen to regions that were absolutely "Nazi trying not to look TOO Nazi" that kept losing their founders to deletion for rulebreaking; invariably the rest of the GP community would come knocking to destroy the region, the survivors would have to set up a new region (losing less-active users in the transition,) the new region's founder would get themselves nuked for rulebreaking, GP comes knocking, rinse and repeat.

[Catholic America]

They get alot of hate because this is a pretty politically left community, and fascist ideology has done awful things in the past. Im not saying others haven't, but fascists committed espescially horrendous crimes. Hope that answers your questions.

[3rd level of hell]

They get alot of hate because this is a pretty politically left community, and fascist ideology has done awful things in the past. Im not saying others haven't, but fascists committed espescially horrendous crimes. Hope that answers your questions.

Fascist ideology (as an theoretic ideology) is not worse than other ideologies; it´s the people, that call themself 'fascist' (but often have/had no real cue, what fascism as ideology means), that commited this 'awful crimes'; and one thing´s for sure : fascism attracts mainly a special kind of individuum(s), like any other authoritarian structure.
By the way, since you´re running a 'catholic' nation : imo the catholic church is the most fascist structure in existence, and has been from her beginning; and when looking at history (but also at present day), her 'horrendous crimes' and 'awful things' seem to back me up on this, I´d say.

[Of crazed]

We're just treating them like they deserve, regardless if they are roleplaying or not. If you want to roleplay an ideology everyone hates, it shouldn't be a problem that everyone hates you.

[The Orwell Society]

We're just treating them like they deserve, regardless if they are roleplaying or not. If you want to roleplay an ideology everyone hates, it shouldn't be a problem that everyone hates you.

That's just not fair. I roleplay a fascist nation, so do you hate me? Roleplay would be extremely boring without bad guys. So can it, will you?

[Of crazed]

We're just treating them like they deserve, regardless if they are roleplaying or not. If you want to roleplay an ideology everyone hates, it shouldn't be a problem that everyone hates you.

That's just not fair. I roleplay a fascist nation, so do you hate me? Roleplay would be extremely boring without bad guys. So can it, will you?

I do not hate you as a person. But in game, not only would I not care that that any of the "hate" listed in the OP happened to your nation, I would encourage it. (Regions get raided and / or taken over and nations get condemned or are dis-allowed from joining some regions). I think everything listed in the OP is what makes NationStates a great game.

You don't need to tell me that the game needs bad guys, I agree with you. But if you want to be a big, tough bad guy, the absolute minimum you have to do is be able to take the heat when you set the fire.

[Jewish Underground State]

I'm a relatively new player, but I know I can't be the only one wondering why in a fictional internet game where you can be as tyrannical, corrupt, and dictator-y as you want why fascists get such a bad reputation? Regions get raided and / or taken over and nations get condemned or are dis-allowed from joining some regions. I honestly don't get it. Sure fascists are bad in real life and did horrible stuff, but so have communists. Hell, almost every single ideology has done something horrible at some point. I'm not arguing in its favor, but simply that people on here should be able to truly play as the bad guys without being subject to pretentious crusading.

Because the far left are afraid to admit that the things they blame fascist for they do themselves. They use fascist as a scapegoat which on one hand the scapegoat is true at times but on the other hand they are just making up noble causes to make themselves seem better than other regions.

However there are some real reasons why fascist regions get raided. Many of these regions take their ideology too far.

I forgot to mention that ns had a huge nazi problem back in the days before I came which explains why people don't trust fascists both real and roleplayers now

[Catholic America]

That and they decided to get all "im fascist and in your face about it".

[Cappedore]

I'm a relatively new player, but I know I can't be the only one wondering why in a fictional internet game where you can be as tyrannical, corrupt, and dictator-y as you want why fascists get such a bad reputation? Regions get raided and / or taken over and nations get condemned or are dis-allowed from joining some regions. I honestly don't get it. Sure fascists are bad in real life and did horrible stuff, but so have communists. Hell, almost every single ideology has done something horrible at some point. I'm not arguing in its favor, but simply that people on here should be able to truly play as the bad guys without being subject to pretentious crusading.

It's easy: because they're fascist.

[Jewish Underground State]

That and they decided to get all "im fascist and in your face about it".

Yeah but the communists do that too.

What makes that ok? What makes that different?

[Cappedore]

That and they decided to get all "im fascist and in your face about it".

Yeah but the communists do that too.

What makes that ok? What makes that different?

To correct you, communism in itself isn't a fundamentally hateful or discriminatory ideology - unless you're talking about Leninism or Stalinism.

[Catholic America]

That and they decided to get all "im fascist and in your face about it".

Yeah but the communists do that too.

What makes that ok? What makes that different?

Nothing. NS just has a bunch of commies who raid any region even resembling a fascist one. It used to get under my skin, but now I just ignore that aspect of the game.

[Jewish Underground State]

Yeah but the communists do that too.

What makes that ok? What makes that different?

To correct you, communism in itself isn't a fundamentally hateful or discriminatory ideology - unless you're talking about Leninism or Stalinism.

I'll make this simple to stay on topic

Trotsky who is seen as the face of true communism was willing and ordered for sending in firing squads to kill officers of other groups who wanted peace. The officers had shown up peacefully with no reason to kill yet he ordered them to die because they were from rival group even though that group wanted peace.

And don't even get me started on people like Castro and Mao.

The point is that these communist nations blaming fascists often have ideals matching real world communists. They are also real up in your face about it. These nations often push their ideals onto regions they don't like. Not all of these regions are even fascist.

[Saksoni]

I'm a relatively new player, but I know I can't be the only one wondering why in a fictional internet game where you can be as tyrannical, corrupt, and dictator-y as you want why fascists get such a bad reputation? Regions get raided and / or taken over and nations get condemned or are dis-allowed from joining some regions. I honestly don't get it. Sure fascists are bad in real life and did horrible stuff, but so have communists. Hell, almost every single ideology has done something horrible at some point. I'm not arguing in its favor, but simply that people on here should be able to truly play as the bad guys without being subject to pretentious crusading.

Its good until they ruin thousands of nation's regions

[Catholic America]

To correct you, communism in itself isn't a fundamentally hateful or discriminatory ideology - unless you're talking about Leninism or Stalinism.

I'll make this simple to stay on topic

Trotsky who is seen as the face of true communism was willing and ordered for sending in firing squads to kill officers of other groups who wanted peace. The officers had shown up peacefully with no reason to kill yet he ordered them to die because they were from rival group even though that group wanted peace.

And don't even get me started on people like Castro and Mao.

The point is that these communist nations blaming fascists often have ideals matching real world communists. They are also real up in your face about it. These nations often push their ideals onto regions they don't like. Not all of these regions are even fascist.

Yes. Yes. Thats all awful terrible stuff that goes unpunished and ignored today. Its messed up and shouldnt be how it is, but thats now it is.