Fascism: A History

Fascism is one of the most destructive and influential political movements of the twentieth century. Its imagery—of mad dictators and 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? Why did it take root so successfully in Germany and Italy, and not in France or Britain?

Fascism—a sweeping, enthralling study—tackles these questions, and considers fascism in the round. It draws together its different strands, in Italy, Germany, France, and Britain, looking at its evolution up to and during World War II; and it assesses post-war fascism, and examines its future in a Europe whose boundaries continue to change. Along the way, Fascism provides vivid portraits of Mussolini, Hitler, Oswald Mosley, and other key figures within the movement. Lucid, dramatic, and challenging, Fascism is a definitive book of its kind.