Fascism: A History

by RogerEatwell (Author)

• Used

  Hardcover
  1995

  $4.75

  Fascism is one of the most destructive and influential political movements of the century. Its imagery - of mindless crowds, mad dictators, of nihilistic violence - haunts our imaginations, and its historical legacy is almost too momentous to be understood. At the same time it is curiously elusive: how do we define fascism? What is the basis of its appeal? Is it a cogent body of ideas, or is it essentially irrational and opportunistic? Why did it take root so successfully in Germany and Italy, and not in France or Britain? This work tackles these questions and considers fascism in the round. The book draws together its different strands, in Italy, Germany, France and Britain, and traces it from its first appearance of certain key ideas in late-19th-century literature, to the latest resurgence of fascism in the 1990s. Roger Eatwell looks at the evolution of fascism up to and during World War II, and shows how it was interpreted in different countries in different ways. He also assesses post-war fascism, and examines its future in a Europe whose boundaries continue to change. Along the way, this work provides vivid portraits of Mussolini, Hitler, Oswald Mosely and other key figures within the movement.

• Used

  Paperback
  1996

  $3.36

  Many books have looked at fascism in a selective way: its impact in certain societies (eg Hitler's Germany, Mussolini's Italy) at certain times. This is the very first book to draw together the different strands of fascism and to present the larger picture: a survey of the rise of fascism in the 20th century, moving from its appearance in literature and political discourse in the late 19th century right up to neo-nazi demonstrations in the 1990s. Roger Eatwell chooses to analyse fascism not in terms of the social and economic factors which are usually called on to explain its rise, but in terms of its leaders - how their personalities and ideologies shaped a movement. There are chapters on Germany, Italy, France and Britain, and the book interweaves immensely lucid political analysis with dramatic portraits of figures such as Mussolini, Le Pen, Hitler and Oswald Mosley.