The Rise of End Times Fascism: Klein and Taylor’s Warning for a Fractured World

By Mohamad Hammoud

Lebanon – In their provocative Guardian article, "The Rise of End Times Fascism," Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor deliver a searing critique of a new, dangerous ideology gripping the global far right. They argue that "end times fascism," a blend of apocalyptic survivalism, supremacist politics, and billionaire escapism-has moved from the fringes into the heart of political power in the United States and beyond. What was once the paranoid fantasy of isolated preppers is now a full-blown political program championed by tech magnates, Christian nationalists and authoritarian populists. Klein and Taylor warn that this ideology poses not only a threat to democracy but to the future of the planet itself.

Defining "End Times Fascism"

Klein and Taylor define "end times fascism" as a nihilistic belief system that assumes societal collapse is inevitable. Unlike classic fascist movements, which promised a purified future after conflict, today's far-right envisions a world where collapse is not only expected but embraced. In this worldview, the wealthy prepare for disaster by building high-tech bunkers, "freedom cities," or even planning space colonies. Meanwhile, governments transform into militarized "bunker nations," hoarding resources and brutalizing marginalized groups. The authors argue that this ideology is "genocidal at its core," as it prioritizes elite survival over planetary stewardship and social solidarity.

Corporate Secession, "Freedom Cities," and the Role of "Israel"

The article traces how the once-fringe idea of corporate secession-where elites create their own tax-free enclaves-has become mainstream. For example, Peter Thiel and Elon Musk advocate for autonomous city-states like Honduras' Próspera or even Mars colonization, framing these as escapes from climate chaos and democratic oversight. The Trump administration's push for "freedom cities," corporate-run enclaves on federal land, reflects a vision of the U.S. as a fortress for the chosen few, reinforced by policies of mass deportation and deregulation.

Christian Zionism also plays a key role. Figures such as Mike Huckabee and Russell Vought intertwine evangelical end-times theology with state power, viewing "Israel's" expansionism as a prophetic sign. In this narrative, violence in the Middle East is not a crisis to be solved but a necessary step toward the Rapture. Klein and Taylor note that both religious and secular versions of this logic are equally dangerous- whether it's Musk's secular salvation through space colonization or Christian nationalists' embrace of biblical apocalypse.

Profiting from Crisis, Abandoning Solidarity

Klein and Taylor highlight a disturbing feedback loop: the very actors fueling climate collapse, social inequality, and political instability also sell the solutions- if you can afford them. Musk's ventures, from SpaceX to Tesla, depend on extractive industries that worsen ecological breakdown, even as he markets Mars as a backup plan. Similarly, Trump-era deregulation, justified as "efficiency," intensifies systemic risks while enriching tech oligarchs.

This fatalism permeates right-wing media as well. Steve Bannon's podcast, for instance, stokes fear of collapse to sell survivalist products, gold bars, freeze-dried food, and weapons to a base conditioned to expect breakdown. These consumer-grade "affordable arks" offer the illusion of safety and superiority, even as they solidify allegiance to a regime that promises protection only for a select few. Meanwhile, government cruelty-such as ICE's Amazon Prime-style deportations-signals a rejection of collective responsibility, reducing human lives to commodities in a dystopian marketplace.

The Bunker Nation

Klein and Taylor describe this worldview as a "bunker mentality," a militarized, insular nationalism that turns rich nations into armed fortresses while expelling the vulnerable. It is, they argue, the modern version of fascism's "Armageddon complex." Yet where 20th-century fascists promised a new world after conquest, today's ideologues offer only isolation and domination. There is no golden age-just the continued suffering of others as a spectacle.

Vice President J.D. Vance's invocation of ordo amoris (ordered love) captures this ethical framework: care only for those within one's narrow circle and let the rest fend for themselves or perish.

The Moral Imperative of Resistance

One of the essay's most powerful insights is how "end times fascism" is sold to ordinary citizens, not just elites. The logic of supremacy is democratized through consumer products, conspiracy theories, and digital platforms. The authors call this a "mass movement of destruction," where even those excluded from elite survival plans are given symbolic roles in defending a collapsing order.

Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor are well-suited to dissect this moment. Klein's work on disaster capitalism and Taylor's philosophical critiques of democracy converge here in a compelling, urgent narrative. Together, they expose not just the outlines of a new authoritarianism but its spiritual and psychological core.

Conclusion: Choosing Solidarity Over Collapse

"The Rise of End Times Fascism" is not just a journalistic exposé but a manifesto for resistance. Klein and Taylor call for a spiritual and political movement rooted in solidarity and ecological stewardship to combat the nihilism of the right. They argue that allowing the rich and powerful to build their bunkers while the planet burns is not just a political failure but a moral one. The crises of our time-climate change, inequality, war and technological disruption require not escapism but a renewed commitment to the common good. The choice, they insist, is still ours: we can refuse to let fascists, whether religious or secular, define our future as inevitable collapse.