I have this idea (not fleshed out enough nor evidence based enough to be a theory) that part of the slide into fascism is a long term sclerosis in policy that makes it appear simply aesthetic, which spreads as a meme to the society as a whole. Basically alienation leading to aestheticization.
This in turn gives the afflicted the idea that action is pointless because deep change is inconceivable, and renders all politics aesthetic and value neutral. I think of it as a potential mechanism by which all meaning is stripped out of society.
This does not, however, render them immune to the effects, obviously, but simply blunts reactive capacity. A sort of social and cultural stiffness, if you will.