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Fascism Comes to America: A Century of Obsession in Politics and Culture
A deeply relevant look at what fascism means to Americans.
From the time Mussolini took power in Italy in 1922, Americans have been obsessed with and brooded over the meaning of fascism and how it might migrate to the United States. Fascism Comes to America examines how we have viewed fascism overseas and its implications for our own country. Bruce Kuklick explores the rhetoric of politicians, who have used the language of fascism to smear opponents, and he looks at the discussions of pundits, the analyses of academics, and the displays of fascism in popular culture, including fiction, radio, TV, theater, and film. Kuklick argues that fascism has little informational meaning in the United States, but instead, it is used to denigrate or insult. For example, every political position has been besmirched as fascist. As a result, the term does not describe a phenomenon so much as it denounces what one does not like. Finally, in displaying fascism for most Americans, entertainment—and most importantly film—has been crucial in conveying to citizens what fascism is about. Fascism Comes to America has been enhanced by many illustrations that exhibit how fascism was absorbed into the US public consciousness.
From the time Mussolini took power in Italy in 1922, Americans have been obsessed with and brooded over the meaning of fascism and how it might migrate to the United States. Fascism Comes to America examines how we have viewed fascism overseas and its implications for our own country. Bruce Kuklick explores the rhetoric of politicians, who have used the language of fascism to smear opponents, and he looks at the discussions of pundits, the analyses of academics, and the displays of fascism in popular culture, including fiction, radio, TV, theater, and film. Kuklick argues that fascism has little informational meaning in the United States, but instead, it is used to denigrate or insult. For example, every political position has been besmirched as fascist. As a result, the term does not describe a phenomenon so much as it denounces what one does not like. Finally, in displaying fascism for most Americans, entertainment—and most importantly film—has been crucial in conveying to citizens what fascism is about. Fascism Comes to America has been enhanced by many illustrations that exhibit how fascism was absorbed into the US public consciousness.
264 pages, Hardcover
Published November 22, 2022
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April 10, 2026
I've heard from a number of academics and journalists online that "fascism" is a slippery word that isn't particularly useful as a descriptor. This book excavates that claims and makes a sound case for it. For me, as a non-academic, I may still use the word to evoke "right-wing authoritarianism with corporatist and militarist characteristics" or something like that.
My one critique is that I think the book takes too seriously conservative attempts to use the term "fascism" against the left by people like Alan Dershowitiz and Jonah Goldberg, which I think could could have been given less creedence, as I think most people don't buy that shit.
My one critique is that I think the book takes too seriously conservative attempts to use the term "fascism" against the left by people like Alan Dershowitiz and Jonah Goldberg, which I think could could have been given less creedence, as I think most people don't buy that shit.
Displaying 1 of 1 review