Description
Book SynopsisThe Nature of Fascism draws on the history of ideas as well as on political, social and psychological theory to produce a synthesis of ideas and approaches that will be invaluable for students.
Roger Griffin locates the driving force of fascism in a distinctive form of utopian myth, that of the regenerated national community, destined to rise up from the ashes of a decadent society. He lays bare the structural affinity that relates fascism not only to Nazism, but to the many failed fascist movements that surfaced in inter-war Europe and elsewhere, and traces the unabated proliferation of virulent (but thus far successfully marginalized) fascist activism since 1945.
Trade Review'This is an excellent book. Ambitious in scope, though the author is commendably modest in his pretensions, it sets out to provide a new definition of fascism as a generic term... A short review cannot do justice to the subtlety of arguments employed...[those] arguments are invariably stimulating, the insights perceptive. Griffin has an enviable grasp of the literature and discusses all the major issues of fascist historiography in the light of his own theory. Last but not least, he writes with admirable lucidity and lightness of touch. His book succeeds in its aim of being of use to the specialist and student/general reader alike.' - Jeremy Noakes, Political Studies
Table of ContentsPreface Acknowldgements 1. The 'Nature' of Generic Facsism 2. A New Ideal Type of Generic Facsism 3. Italisan Fascism 4. German Fascism 5. Abortive Fascist Movements in Inter-war Europe 6. Non-European and Post-war Fascisms 7. The Psycho-historical Bases of Generic Fascism 8. Socio-political Determinants of Fascism's Success Postscript Index Glossary
