Page - 339 - in Otto Bauer (1881–1938) - Thinker and Politician

the spectre of fascism 339 Indeed, theHeimwehrpreciselyconstitutedsucha force fromitsconception. Majorcapitalistsand largeestateholdersendorsed it.Thechurchalsohelped tosuppressanysymptomsofliberaltendenciesinpoliticsandtheeconomy.To protect itsowneconomicandpolitical investments, theHeimwehrsupported the ideaof the ‘corporativestate’ ascharteredbyDollfussandbecameapillar ofhisgovernmentasthefascistsystemwasfortified.The‘corporativestate’was themostextensive,butnotthesole,aspectofAustrofascistideology.Autocracy, elitism,anti-democratism,anti-Marxism,clericalismandnationalismwerefur- thercomponents.Zöllnerwrites: One has to hand it toDollfuss that the professional sector orientation was consistentwithhis actual beliefs. It didnot simply drawon fascist ideology,butratheralsodrewonasociallyconservativetraditionadopted fromSeipel–althoughDollfusswasfondofstressingitsbasicconsistence withtheideascontainedinthepapalencyclicals,RerumnovarumbyPope LeoxiiiandQuadragesimoannobyPiusxi.93 ourtranslation What this ideology sharedwith classical fascismwas the constructionof the state’s overriding rolewith respect to thenation, social groups, and individu- als. Itassumedthatthestatewas ‘omnipotent’ ineconomicandpolitical life, if notinintellectuallife.Itwasareactionary,conservativeideology,whichserved to validate government suppressionof the opposition– the sdap, kpö, and nsdap, tonamebut a fewof theorganisations thatwere subjected toperse- cution.AsStaudingerobserves, itsnationalismwas itsonlypositivecompon- ent,consideringthepoliticalbalanceofforcesinEurope.ItprotectedAustria’s politicalsovereigntyagainstGermany’sannexationpledges.94Allthesame,this aspectofAustrofascist ideologydidnotamounttoanysignificantsocial trans- formationsbecause thepopularmasseswereexcluded frompublic lifewhen parliamentwas dissolved. Therewas another reason as towhyAustrofascist nationalismcouldnotfulfil its intendedduties.AsStaudingerwrites: ThisGermanideologyof ‘Austria’wasunsuitable for reinforcingexisting Austrianpatriotictrendsintheirownranks.Thecomplicatedintellectual stylisationof thecorporative ‘Austria’ ideologyalonedidnotexactly fur- ther itsbroadreception.What ismore, its insistenceonAustria’sbelong- 93 Zöllner1979,p.514. 94 SeeStaudinger1984b,p.311.