The cult of humanity leads to Comtean humanism and fascism

Evidence

And we have no right to believe that humanity is something to which we could set up a cult, after the manner of Auguste Comte. The cult of humanity ends in Comtian humanism, shut-in upon itself, and – this must be said – in Fascism. We do not want a humanism like that. — Jean-Paul Sartre, Existentialism Is a Humanism, 32

Categorization

• QUESTION: The surprising claim that the cult of humanity ends in fascism invites exploration of how Comte’s positivist humanism was received politically.
• SEED: An essay angle: how ‘humanism as cult’ curdles into totalitarian politics across Comte and beyond.
• XREF: connects to: Capitalism and formal humanism lead logically to fascism — Aimé Césaire, Discourse on Colonialism, 24; Fascist egalitarianism is repressive, not liberating — Theodor W. Adorno, The Culture Industry: Selected Essays…, 199; The abstract ideal of human equality secretly serves totalitarian homogenization — Theodor W. Adorno, Minima Moralia: Reflections from…, 117

Broader Connections

• Capitalism and formal humanism lead logically to fascism #corroborates (0.82) — Aimé Césaire, Discourse on Colonialism, 24
• The abstract ideal of human equality secretly serves totalitarian homogenization #expands (0.75) — Theodor W. Adorno, Minima Moralia, 117
• Fascist egalitarianism is repressive, not liberating #qualifies (0.72) — Theodor W. Adorno, The Culture Industry, 199