Fascists

Abstract

Fascists presents a theory of fascism based on intensive analysis of the men and women who became fascists. It covers the six European countries in which fascism became most dominant - Italy, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania and Spain. It is a comprehensive analysis of who fascists actually were, what beliefs they held and what actions they committed. The book suggests that fascism was essentially a product of post World War I conditions in Europe and is unlikely to re-appear in its classic garb in the future. Nonetheless, elements of its ideology remain relevant to modern conditions and are now re-appearing, though mainly in different parts of the world.

Civil Society, Party Institutionalization, and Democratic Breakdown in the Interwar Period

“…In interwar East-Central Europe, where civil societies were notoriously weak, we thus encounter vicious circles of political crisis, often met by undemocratic acts of government which were passively accepted by the citizens, all of which in a context were undemocratic political movements were able to gather substantial support and threathen the democratic system from the inside (Mann 2004). In Latin America we also find political systems repeatedly being toppled by crisis and extremist demands, without it provoking reactions in the form of substantial mobilization in order to defend the democratic system (Bulmer-Thomas 1987; Drake 2009).…”

¿Fascismo en las instituciones del “Nuevo Estado”? Personal político, cultura política y participación en el franquismo (1936-1951)

“…Es este un aspecto clave para calibrar el grado de fascistización de la dictadura y de sus instituciones. Porque si obviamos la cultura política y nos limitamos a analizar la clase social de los apoyos sociales para explicar el franquismo -y el fascismo-correremos el peligro de reflexionar sobre el mismo desde fuera, sin tratar de entenderlo desde dentro 46 .…”

Workers and the Radical Right in Poland

“…5 As Michael Mann notes, both Italian Fascists and German National Socialists "began more leftist than they later became." 6 PiS, of course, does things quite differently from how they were done in the past. For now, it respects market rules, and can afford to.…”