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Fascism: Past, Present, Future
Mussolini's march on Rome; Hitler's speeches before waves of goose-stepping storm troopers; the horrors of the Holocaust; burning crosses and neo-Nazi skinhead hooligans. Few words are as evocative, and even fewer ideologies as pernicious, as fascism. And yet, the world continues to witness the success of political parties in countries such as Italy, France, Austria, Russia, and elsewhere resembling in various ways historical fascism. Why, despite its past, are people still attracted to fascism? Will it ever again be a major political force in the world? Where in the world is it most likely to erupt next?
In Past, Present, and Future , renowned historian Walter Laqueur illuminates the fascist phenomenon, from the emergence of Hitler and Mussolini, to Vladimir Zhirinovsky and his cohorts, to fascism's not so distant future. Laqueur describes how fascism's early achievements--the rise of Germany and Italy as leading powers in Europe, a reputation for being concerned about the fate of common people, the creation of more leisure for workers--won many converts. But what successes early fascist parties can claim, Laqueur points out, are certainly overwhelmed by its Hitler may have built the Autobahnen , but he also launched the war that destroyed them. Nevertheless, despite the Axis defeat, fascism was not Laqueur tellingly uncovers contemporary adaptations of fascist tactics and strategies in the French ultra-nationalist Le Pen, the rise of skinheads and right-wing extremism, and Holocaust denial. He shows how single issues--such as immigrants and, more
remarkably, the environment--have proven fruitful rallying points for neo-fascist protest movements. But he also reveals that European fascism has failed to attract broad and sustained support. Indeed, while skinhead bands like the "Klansman" and magazines such as "Zyklon B" grab headlines, fascism bereft of military force and war is at most fascism on the defense, promising to save Europe from an invasion of foreigners without offering a concrete future. Laqueur warns, however, that an increase in "clerical" fascism--such as the confluence of fascism and radical, Islamic fundamentalism--may come to dominate in parts of the Middle East and North Africa. The reason has little to do with "Underneath the 'Holy Rage' is frustration and old-fashioned class struggle." Fascism was always a movement of protest and discontent, and there is in the contemporary world a great reservoir of protest. Among the likely candidates, Laqueur singles out certain parts of Eastern Europe and the
Third World.
In carefully plotting fascism's past, present, and future, Walter Laqueur offers a riveting, if sometimes disturbing, account of one of the twentieth century's most baneful political ideas, in a book that is both a masterly survey of the roots, the ideas, and the practices of fascism and an assessment of its prospects in the contemporary world.
In Past, Present, and Future , renowned historian Walter Laqueur illuminates the fascist phenomenon, from the emergence of Hitler and Mussolini, to Vladimir Zhirinovsky and his cohorts, to fascism's not so distant future. Laqueur describes how fascism's early achievements--the rise of Germany and Italy as leading powers in Europe, a reputation for being concerned about the fate of common people, the creation of more leisure for workers--won many converts. But what successes early fascist parties can claim, Laqueur points out, are certainly overwhelmed by its Hitler may have built the Autobahnen , but he also launched the war that destroyed them. Nevertheless, despite the Axis defeat, fascism was not Laqueur tellingly uncovers contemporary adaptations of fascist tactics and strategies in the French ultra-nationalist Le Pen, the rise of skinheads and right-wing extremism, and Holocaust denial. He shows how single issues--such as immigrants and, more
remarkably, the environment--have proven fruitful rallying points for neo-fascist protest movements. But he also reveals that European fascism has failed to attract broad and sustained support. Indeed, while skinhead bands like the "Klansman" and magazines such as "Zyklon B" grab headlines, fascism bereft of military force and war is at most fascism on the defense, promising to save Europe from an invasion of foreigners without offering a concrete future. Laqueur warns, however, that an increase in "clerical" fascism--such as the confluence of fascism and radical, Islamic fundamentalism--may come to dominate in parts of the Middle East and North Africa. The reason has little to do with "Underneath the 'Holy Rage' is frustration and old-fashioned class struggle." Fascism was always a movement of protest and discontent, and there is in the contemporary world a great reservoir of protest. Among the likely candidates, Laqueur singles out certain parts of Eastern Europe and the
Third World.
In carefully plotting fascism's past, present, and future, Walter Laqueur offers a riveting, if sometimes disturbing, account of one of the twentieth century's most baneful political ideas, in a book that is both a masterly survey of the roots, the ideas, and the practices of fascism and an assessment of its prospects in the contemporary world.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
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About the author
Walter Laqueur
141 books46 followersWalter Ze'ev Laqueur was an American historian, journalist and political commentator. Laqueur was born in Breslau, Lower Silesia, Prussia (modern Wrocław, Poland), into a Jewish family. In 1938, he left Germany for the British Mandate of Palestine. His parents, who were unable to leave, became victims of the Holocaust.
Laqueur lived in Israel from 1938 to 1953. After one year at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, he joined a Kibbutz and worked as an agricultural laborer from 1939 to 1944. In 1944, he moved to Jerusalem, where he worked as a journalist until 1953, covering Palestine and other countries in the Middle East.
Since 1955 Laqueur has lived in London. He was founder and editor, with George Mosse, of the Journal of Contemporary History and of Survey from 1956 to 1964. He was also founding editor of The Washington Papers. He was Director of the Institute of Contemporary History and the Wiener Library in London from 1965 to 1994. From 1969 he was a member, and later Chairman (until 2000), of the International Research Council of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington. He was Professor of the History of Ideas at Brandeis University from 1968 to 1972, and University Professor at Georgetown University from 1976 to 1988. He has also been a visiting professor of history and government at Harvard, the University of Chicago, Tel Aviv University and Johns Hopkins University.
Laqueur's main works deal with European history in the 19th and 20th centuries, especially Russian history and German history, as well as the history of the Middle East. The topics he has written about include the German Youth Movement, Zionism, Israeli history, the cultural history of the Weimar Republic and Russia, Communism, the Holocaust, fascism, and the diplomatic history of the Cold War. His books have been translated into many languages, and he was one of the founders of the study of political violence, guerrilla warfare and terrorism. His comments on international affairs have appeared in many American and European newspapers and periodicals.
(Wikipedia)
Laqueur lived in Israel from 1938 to 1953. After one year at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, he joined a Kibbutz and worked as an agricultural laborer from 1939 to 1944. In 1944, he moved to Jerusalem, where he worked as a journalist until 1953, covering Palestine and other countries in the Middle East.
Since 1955 Laqueur has lived in London. He was founder and editor, with George Mosse, of the Journal of Contemporary History and of Survey from 1956 to 1964. He was also founding editor of The Washington Papers. He was Director of the Institute of Contemporary History and the Wiener Library in London from 1965 to 1994. From 1969 he was a member, and later Chairman (until 2000), of the International Research Council of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington. He was Professor of the History of Ideas at Brandeis University from 1968 to 1972, and University Professor at Georgetown University from 1976 to 1988. He has also been a visiting professor of history and government at Harvard, the University of Chicago, Tel Aviv University and Johns Hopkins University.
Laqueur's main works deal with European history in the 19th and 20th centuries, especially Russian history and German history, as well as the history of the Middle East. The topics he has written about include the German Youth Movement, Zionism, Israeli history, the cultural history of the Weimar Republic and Russia, Communism, the Holocaust, fascism, and the diplomatic history of the Cold War. His books have been translated into many languages, and he was one of the founders of the study of political violence, guerrilla warfare and terrorism. His comments on international affairs have appeared in many American and European newspapers and periodicals.
(Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 16, 2021
Although an interesting analysis, it is far too stringent in its appellation of the word fascist. The author so narrowly defines it that he can only admit Italian and German fascism as such. As a consequence we are left with a myriad of words like protofascist, parafascsit, postfascist, etc. to define everything else. It doesn’t make much sense to me to have all these derivative fascisms, especially considering that even with these we cannot consider Pinochet or Franco as fascist. Interestingly, despite the narrow definition, the author finds space to label Islamic fundamentalism fascist - all this despite never giving a coherent definition or list of criteria. The most painful part though is in how he neglects to provide a geo-political and economic justification for violent movements, which of course makes left and right authoritarianism indistinguishable. This lack of analysis is endemic for the author remains wholly with thin the theoretical confines of what fascism can be, and as a result we are left no wiser than when we began. In fact, the author is so committed to the idealized aspects of fascism that he envisions a merging of communism and fascism, something that on a materialist basis (the basis of communism) is inconceivable. It is an interesting read, but not one that I would ever use for a yardstick for fascism. If anything it’s gymnastics around defining fascism seem to have more to do with avoiding a definition that would implicate his unspoken edification of capitalism.
November 9, 2011
Walter Laqueur provides one of the most concise overviews of Fascism in it is various stages. The book is divided into three pieces with the first covering the historical aspects of Fascism from the 1930's with Hitler and Mussolini. The present in the second half covers the post world war II era through the 1990's and the way that neofacist and skinhead movements changed fascism face. Finally the last part covers the evolution of fascism in post soviet republics and Middle Eastern countries. My one major complaint of the book is that it tends to focus far more on Nazi Germany and leaves out Italy's contribution to the ideology of Fascism. While the book tries to do a lot in a very short number of pages it tends to focus on Nazi Germany and then expand on the Nazi contributions to the present and fascist era. To be certain it mentions Italy many times but never really assesses Mussolini's fascism. Overall though this is an excellent overview of fascism and very well written for those interested in either a historical or a philosophical case study of this ideology.
February 23, 2022
Half the book is dedicated to what he calls "islamo-fascism," whatever that may be, which tells you quite clearly what his biases are. Also laughable is his assertion that Dugin is unimportant and will fade into irrelevance in the Russian ideological sphere.
September 23, 2022
This so called expert on fascism thinks there have only ever been two fascist regimes in power, fascist Italy and Nazi Germany.
The inclusion of those two countries but not for instance Franco’s Spain, Pinochet’s Chile, Suharto’s Indonesia is not sufficiently justified IMO. Mussolini’s Italy was more similar to Francoist Spain than Nazi germany.
But to expand the definition of fascism would require Mr Laquer to address some obvious implications which render all of his scholarship wrong. So from the pov of him not realizing he’s a fraud, 5 stars.
Presumably the book won a Hannah Ardent totalitarianism award for missing the point.
The inclusion of those two countries but not for instance Franco’s Spain, Pinochet’s Chile, Suharto’s Indonesia is not sufficiently justified IMO. Mussolini’s Italy was more similar to Francoist Spain than Nazi germany.
But to expand the definition of fascism would require Mr Laquer to address some obvious implications which render all of his scholarship wrong. So from the pov of him not realizing he’s a fraud, 5 stars.
Presumably the book won a Hannah Ardent totalitarianism award for missing the point.
September 21, 2011
I read this book on fascism with my bill of rights bookmark.
March 29, 2021
good book
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews