protofascist

adj, noun — 3 senses

protofascist

adj

Etymology From proto- + fascist.

1

Government, Politics Showing the beginnings of fascism.

Even Lemon, for all her protofascist beliefs, wins our sympathy.1991 August 9, Jack Helbig, “Marie and Bruce”, in Chicago Reader:
When Newt Gingrich and his protofascist comrades took over Congress in 1994, they sneeringly boasted that they intended to take the federal government back to the 1920s.2008 April 7, Adolph Reed Jr., The Nation, archived from the original on 18 Mar 2009:

protofascist

noun

Etymology From proto- + fascist.

1

Historical One whose beliefs resembled fascism before the founding of fascism in 1919.

The Social Darwinists are sometimes considered protofascists.

2

Derogatory One whose opinions or policies show the beginnings of fascism.

That congressman is a protofascist.
Along with stereotype-mongering phrases like “redneck America's life in the electronic theme park,” he occasionally reduces his countrymen to mindless proto-fascists.1989 April 30, Martha Bayles, “Taking Sitcoms Seriously”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.