Fascism : a history

How is fascism defined? 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?

These are among the questions addressed in this book, which draws together fascism's different strands, in Italy, Germany, France and Britain, and traces it from the first appearance of certain key ideas in late-19th-century literature, to the resurgence of fascism in the 1990s.The author 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 considers its future in a Europe whose boundaries continue to change.

Along the way, the book provides portraits of Mussolini, Hitler, Mosley, Le Pen and other significant figures within the movement.