The Ideology of the Gilead

The Ideology of the Gilead

Kate Montemalo
St. Bonaventure University

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The Ideology of the Gilead

Fascism in the United States is a troubling thought that is avidly avoided. With that, the

question still remains, is it possible to have this type of government in America’s political

system? Margaret Atwood explores this idea with her novel The Handmaid’s Tale. In

comparison, Sinclair Lewis wrote the book It Can’t Happen Here, and has too looked at the idea

of fascism making gateway in America. Fascism has never been profound in the United States

however; it has been revealed through small parties such as the KKK or even via Donald

Trump’s controversial election and presidency. By analyzing the ideology behind the Gilead and

Lewis’ novel, it confirms what a fascist regime in the United States could potentially look like.

Fascist regimes possess certain qualities that qualify them as that type of government. In

fact, according to political scientist Dr. Lawrence Britt, there are fourteen key characteristics of

fascism. Britt examined the fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco

(Spain), Suharto (Indonesia) and Pinochet (Chili) and found that they all had fourteen features in

common. Several of these features are displayed in The Handmaid’s Tale. The first attribute of

these governments includes powerful and continuing nationalism. They all utilize patriotic

mottos, symbols, slogans and other entities to display their party. Flags are too usually seen

everywhere. Next, there is a lack of recognition of human rights. This is greatly due to fear of

enemies and it makes their regimes feel secure. Citizens are persuaded to understand that it is

“okay” to ignore human rights during this time because it will be better for their well-being.

Civilians too tend to look the other way to torture, assassinations, mass imprisonment and other

acts of violence. There is an extreme obsession with crime and punishment and police are given

almost limitless power to enforce laws. These police forces are usually a national police force

and their abuse of civil liberties is overlooked due to respecting patriotism (Dr. Britt, 2003).

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To continue, there is a large use of scapegoats, also out of fear. Fascist regimes will

create a patriotic hysteria where everyone begins to collectively eliminate a common threat.

These are usually minorities of race, religion, political party references and several others. There

is a widespread use of the military and tons of unnecessary spending to build up defenses.

Regimes like these have a large amount of sexism; they are essentially male-dominated and are

against homophobia and abortions. Controlling mass media is a crucial feature to fascist

governments. They either directly control communications, implement regulations or impose a

fear on journalists to solely produce news that makes the government seem more appealing.

There is no separation of church and state and the most common religion in that region tends to

become a tool to manipulate public opinion. Overall, Dr. Lawrence Britt’s examination of the

multiple fascist regimes throughout history is a lengthy but all extremely prevalent and crucial to

understand in order to keep a country’s democracy in check (Dr. Britt, 2003).

Margaret Atwood’s’ The Handmaid’s Tale dives into a utopian future based on

repopulating the world. The Republic of Gilead is the authoritarian regime that takes over the

United States and eerily reflects several of the qualities of fascist regimes by Dr. Britt. “Fascism

is a reactionary Ideology” (Ball, 2017, Page 219). The Gilead never refers to their regime as a

fascist ideology, however, several of the government’s characteristics are blatantly the same. To

begin, the Gilead shows signs of nationality by posting the image of “the eye” which reflects the

new militia. With that, every citizen uses the required greetings such as “Blessed be the fruit” to

keep conversations restricted to certain phrases. This promotes civilians to avoid any

conversation questioning the government. Ignoring human rights is a key aspect to the success of

the Gilead government because it keeps leaders such as the “Aunts” in check with thoroughly

executing their job of transforming woman into Handmaids (Atwood, 1986). “Consider the

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alternatives, said Aunt Lydia. You see what things used to be like?” (Atwood, 1986, p. 118). The

Gilead disguises their regime as bettering the society, similar to Hitler’s manipulation of SS

officers. The Aunt was referring to the sexist and rape culture that America was settling with

prior to the Gilead movement. When describing her novel, Atwood stated, “They must learn to

renounce their previous identities, to know their place and their duties, to understand that they

have no real rights but will be protected up to a point if they conform, and to think so poorly of

themselves that they will accept their assigned fate and not rebel or run away” (Atwood 2017).

Discussing the Handmaids, she is referring to the complete change in identity that they are

tricked into. During the beginning stages of the new government, it was outlawed for women to

hold anything personal such as a job or a bank account. Further, into the process, women were

then forced to change their names completely (Atwood, 1986). Atwood explained that each name

begins with “of” which is a play on words like “de” which means belonging to and this is

followed by a man’s name such as “Glen” (Atwood, 2017). To continue, in relation to Nazi

Germany, each handmaid is identified by her unique fashion. As the Jews were forced to identify

and seclude themselves with the Star of David pinned to their clothing, handmaids must wear

their red cloak and white bonnet to identify themselves to society. Tearing away ones identity

through change of clothes, change of hairstyle or name change completely rips apart their right to

individuality and degrades them (Atwood, 1986).

A key idea that the Gilead has that aligns with fascist ideals is the creation of their militia,

which they call “the eye.” This threatening police force poses as always “listening” and

“watching.” They spread propaganda across the state as a tactic to scare individuals into keeping

order (Atwood, 1986). To justify the new state, scapegoats are utilized in the Gilead. As Britt

explained, people are rallied together to group shame the scapegoat in regimes. For example,

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Jews were able to either convert to the Gilead’s preferred religion or emigrate to Israel. There

were raids of the homes of Jews for all of their belongings that reflected the religion such as

Torahs. The Catholics were hung as well, and of course any woman who cannot reproduce is

shamed for it. One way the Gilead accuses scapegoats is with “the wall,” a place where executes

are hung to become an example for other individuals. To continue, they eliminate the treat of

scapegoats through rallies that handmaids and commander wives attend. Here, they witness

public hangings of the individuals prior to their placement on the wall. The Aunts host this event

and publicly shame the individuals by describing the crimes they have committed prior to their

death (Atwood, 1986).

Next, rampant sexism is a clear attribute to the success of the Gilead. Again, women are

completely stripped of their identities through the authoritarian power. However, with that, the

handmaids are forced into “ceremonies” to become impregnated by the Commanders. Their sole

niche in this new world is to simply become a carrier of a child. This ideal of a woman’s place is

one manner that aligns with Puritan values. In relation to intertwining religion and government,

“In the book, the Constitution and Congress are no longer: The Republic of Gilead is built on a

foundation of the 17th century Puritan roots that have always lain beneath the modern-day

America we thought we knew” (Atwood, 2017). Prior to each ceremony, the Commander reads

from Genesis, every individual is dressed traditionally and again people were forced to convert

or they would be hung (Atwood, 1986). Separating church and state is an ideology that

implements fear into civilians, which is plausible why every fascist regime utilizes it. For one,

there is the use of a holy book as a code of conduct. Historically the morals stated in holy books

should be followed and are followed by a “good person.” To add, there is the fear of is there a

true deity and will one be actually punished if not to follow the words of their deity.

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To continue, there is a censorship of mass media and the arts. For example, it is outlawed

for handmaids to read and write. The Gilead goes as far as replacing signs on stores to a simple

picture. “Our first stop is at a store with another wooden sign: three eggs, a bee, a cow. Milk and

Honey” (Atwood, 1986, p 25). Here, Offred is describing her encounter with one of the stores.

To continue, the Bible used for ceremonies is kept under lock and key. It is not allowed to be

read by any individual other than the commanders. This symbolizes the man’s superiority over

women. As if they have something to hide that women cannot know or be involved in. This

censorship is a cruel tactic to keeping the Gilead’s control over these women. With control of

what these women do and do not know, they are able to continue to evolving this government

with no argument or rebellion.

Although not completely described thoroughly in the novel, the position of labor is poked

at. Due to the novel being Offred’s recount of her life it is plausible why she does not know

much about the labor but she describes what she does. Like any society, there are clear classes in

the Gilead. To begin, at the bottom of the hierarchy is the “unwoman.” These women are either

the elderly, or women whom cannot reproduce. There are supposedly places that “unwoman” are

assigned to where they are forced into labor such as cleaning up radioactive waste. Next,

“Marthas” are subjected to simply the cooking and cleaning in the homes of the Commanders

and their wives. On the other hand, the men required to be in the labor force are referred to as

“Guardians.” These are men that could not become Commanders, most likely due to their

position in society prior to the authoritarian rule, that have the basic job of keeping organized the

outside of the house. This includes washing the car, taking care of the plants and chauffeuring

the Commander. Stabilizing a clear hierarchy of labor is the foundation of the Gilead as it plays a

role in the ideology of most fascist states. From the Commander down to the “unwoman” every

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person knows their place and is aware of punishment if they step out of line. The class structure

is as much of a form of control as outlawing the right to read and write. In sum, the ideology of

the Gilead stems from the classic Puritan roots. A seemingly utopia but has the personality of a

fascist regime. Margaret Atwood did not add a demagogue to her novel, but drew God as the

figure to worship and fear in this state.

Lewis Sinclair’s book creates an alternate world in 1936 where a man (“Buzz” Windrip)

beats Franklin Roosevelt in the 1936 United States elections. The new American government and

characteristics draws several similarities to the Gilead’s government. Once elected, Windrip

comes up with fifteen main points that he wishes to bring upon America to change it for the

better. Most of which, follow along the same characteristics as the Gilead and historically fascist

countries. Finance is the first concern of most Americans and thus the first point that Windrip

raises. This point declared that the government will control all banking (Lewis, 1935).

Regulation of banks is attractive to the middle class because people of this standard are usually

more likely to vote parties that put more regulations on economic markets so that their small

businesses will be protected. There is too a cap of the annual income of every person, a populist

appeal in such that it applies security to anyone worried of the extensive wage gap. (Lewis,

1935). In relation to the Gilead, banking is regulated by freezing every woman’s accounts. To

add, a characteristic of fascism concerns religion and an amount of established patriotism across

the country. This regime of course, bans several religions leaving solely certain ones that unify

the country and eliminate any “threats.” There is too a demand for there to be a commitment to

the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag as every persons civil responsibility and an

incentive to radically increase the size of the military and navy.

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Like the Gilead’s “eye”, Windrip uses a national police force called the Minute Men to

“help” the authorities control any threats. It began as a few men who sought it as a way to help,

but the hunger for power grew over them and the small tactics of simple arrestment lead to

lynching with a metal rod. The discrimination in this novel is similar to fascist regimes and the

Gilead. Women are expected to quit their jobs and revert back to their traditional roles of taking

care of the family and their husbands. African American’s, Jews, and other minorities have to

fear for their lives and are limited in their rights such as voting.. Like the Nazi’s and Gilead, the

minute men stripped the men and woman in the society of their identities. To avoid any teaching

of “false information,” Windrip’s corpus regime establishes two universities with the same

curriculum similar to the Aunt’s education. By 1935, each had more than thirty thousand

students, “the enrollment was probably helped by the fact that anyone could enter upon

presenting a certificate showing that he had completed two years in a high school or business

college, and a recommendation from a corpo commissioner” (Lewis 1935). Berzelius Windrip’s

way of coercing an entire democratic country into a fascist regime constituted of manipulation

and an implementation of fear. Like the majority of fascist governments, Windrip’s ultimately

failed; however, it is the troubling fact that he was able to finesse this entire operation in an

extremely short time.

Overall, the question remains: can a dictator overthrow the over two-hundred-year-old

American democracy? America’s ideology has always been based on freedom, individuality and

rights. The American dream constitutes of individuals fulfilling their unique dreams and

pursuing happiness. However, in Trump’s America, some individuals are questioning present

day American ideologies. The textbook acknowledges President Trump’s controversial election

in 2016. To begin he tweeted, “it is better to live one day as a lion than 100 years as a sheep.”

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Here, Donald Trump quoted infamous fascist leader, Benito Mussolini, alarming many

Americans. To continue, the Ku Klux Klan notoriously endorsed Trump for his anti-Mexican,

anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant stances. With that, fascism does sneak its way into America in

disguised, small doses. People like William Pierce have written fiction such as The Turner

Diaries, without punishment. The first amendment of course gives these individuals the right to

think and speak this way. However, it in turn encourages some individuals to reveal their true

beliefs that can eventually lead (or has leaded) to a fascist leader becoming the leader of the

United States.

To continue, society has created this image of man that makes him a woman’s protector,

observer and cultivator. The “Me too” movement has broken out in America due to the

connotation that the President acts superior to women. For example, his incident at his beauty

pageants of walking in on the girls, verbally degrading woman in a 2005 tape and his affair with

Stormi Daniels are all sexist ideals. To add, woman fear that sexism is a norm in America

because of the several accusations of actors, businessmen and politicians for committing sexual

assault. Donald Trump has even nominated a Supreme Court justice whom was accused of

sexual assault into the Supreme Court, when SCOTUS is an institution that is supposed to protect

and aid minorities. Atwood believes that “the control of women and babies has been a feature of

every repressive regime on the planet” (Atwood, 2017). The Gilead of course displays this

control over gender throughout the entire novel. Woman in America today are able to protest

their rights through rallies and again the creation of movements, but unfortunately, the Woman

of Gilead did not have a chance.

To add, the Gilead relates to Trump’s America with ideas such as control of the media.

Trump refers to any news that he disregards as “fake news.” He tries to dominate social media

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with tweets of what he believes in and he utilizes gaslighting to make the public believe what he

says. In Trump’s America, there are no signs of freezing of woman’s bank accounts but there is

still unequal pay and unequal opportunities for woman and minorities. It is plausible to critique

this accusation with the idea that President Trump is not the only president that women and

minorities have experienced discrimination and inequality under. However, in 2018, it was

revealed that children of illegal immigrants were ripped from their homes and put into camps

called “tent city” in Arizona. They have since then been brought back to their homes and the

camps have been torn down as it was an intrusion of human rights. In Trump’s America, it

continues to seem like immigrants are the scapegoat. Thus, the Gilead relates to modern day

America because of the sexism, controlling of media and use of scapegoats in both states.

According to the New York Times, Sinclair Lewis’ It Can’t Happen Here is an analogy

of President Donald Trump’s administration. “Like Trump, Windrip sells himself as the

champion of “Forgotten Men,” determined to bring dignity and prosperity back to America’s

white working class” (Gage 2017). Both men appeal to populists, whom are usually the forgotten

voters in politics. Populists usually turn up when the elite and the upper middle class begin to get

most of the attention in the political arena. To add, both Windrip and Trump promise a comeback

of a traditional America, which is attractive to the white working class. Interesting enough,

although the white working class is classified as relatively poor, they resent the lower class and

respect the elite. To add, both leaders abuse the media and use it as a gateway to advertise their

propaganda and abuse minorities as scapegoats. In sum, Windrip’s state relates to modern day

America because of the party’s leaders are extremely similar and the populist ideals that are

displayed in both Donald Trump’s presidency and Windrip’s.

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To conclude, the Gilead holds the ideology of fascism. It shows several aspects of other

fascist regimes within its own government. It is a sexist society that is ruled by the patriarchy. It

poses as a new government that will eventually help the growth of population and rebuild what

America destroyed. However, it goes about it via controlling media, naming scapegoats,

suppressing woman’s rights and an illegitimate police force. Can it happen here or can it not?

Again, there are similarities between the two utopian novels that are similar to the present day

America. I do not think that America has yet hit a full on fascist regime, however again there are

small disguises that may need to be touched on and brought back in check.

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Works Cited

Atwood, M. (1986). The Handmaid's Tale. New York, United States: Anchor Books.

Atwood, M. (2017). Margaret Atwood on What 'The Handmaid's Tale' Means in the Age of

Trump. The New York Times. Retrieved from

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/10/books/review/margaret-atwood-handmaids-tale-

age-of-trump.html

Ball, T., Dagger, R., & O'Neill, D. I. (2017). Fascism. In Political Ideologies

and the Democratic Ideal (Tenth ed., pp. 219-256). New York, NY: Routledge.

Britt, L. (2003). The 14 Characteristics of Facism. Retrieved November 18, 2018, from

ratical.org website: https://ratical.org/ratville/CAH/fasci14chars.html

Gage, B. (2017). Reading the Classic Novel That Predicted Trump. The New York Times.

Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/17/books/review/classic-novel-that-

predicted-trump-sinclar-lewis-it-cant-happen-here.html

Lewis, S. (1935). It Can't Happen Here. Doubleday.

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