Fascism (book)
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Fascism is a 1995 book edited by Roger Griffin. It is a reader, in the Oxford Readers series, which assembles the writings of various authors on the topic of fascism and the far-right. It serves as a seminal English-language source book to introduce readers to pre-fascist anti-liberalism, interwar fascism in Italy and Germany, as well as associated international variants of fascism from Argentina to Japan.
The book attempts a comprehensive survey of the far-right throughout the 20th century, including topics as diverse as radical ecologism, neo-paganism, ultra-nationalism, and fanatical racism. This wide field of authors includes an eclectic mix of philosophers, politicians, poets, agitators, and social critics, ranging from the fairly benign pessimistic poet-scholars of Weimar Germany (such as Stefan George, Ernst Juenger, and Martin Heidegger) to the terrifying vitriol of genocidal racists such as Heinrich Himmler and American white supremacist, William Pierce.
The book principally examines interwar Italian Fascism and German National Socialism, with political and historiographical analysis by contemporary and post-war liberals, Marxists, and conservatives. Students of 20th century intellectual history and historiography should enjoy comparing and analyzing the exceptionally eclectic diversity of fascist and far-right writers, whilst joining the continual debate concerning the definition of fascism, the cause of its interwar and marginal continued popularity, as well as the historical assessment of its consequences and contemporary relevance. The editor compiles a lengthy list of diverse authors, whilst making sure to interject with comments of disgust and dismay concerning the most egregious, while expressing grudging admiration for the most erudite and sophisticated. While this source book cannot be expected to offer a comprehensive analysis or presentation of any particular author or intellectual tradition, it adequately serves its stated purpose of informing English-language readers of the multifaceted international permutations of 20th century fascism and the far right.
It was published by Oxford University Press in 1995 as a 410-page paperback (ISBN 0-19-289249-5).
[edit] External links
- Bed Time Book of Famous Beasts, a review by Vasiili E. Molodiakov in The Scorpion.
