The Wannabe Fascists: A Guide to Understanding the Greatest Threat to DemocracyMeet today's almost fascists and learn the warning signs to intercept them on the road from populism to dictatorship. With The Wannabe Fascists, historian Federico Finchelstein offers a precise explanation of why Trumpism and similar movements across the world belong to a new political breed, the last outcome of the combined histories of fascism and populism: the wannabe fascists. This new type of populist politician is typically a legally elected leader who, unlike previous populists who were eager to distance themselves from fascism, turns to totalitarian lies, racism, and illegal means to destroy democracy from within. Drawing on almost three decades of research on the histories of fascism and populism around the world, this book lays out in clear language what the author calls the "four pillars of fascism"—xenophobia, propaganda, political violence, and ultimately dictatorship. Finchelstein carefully explains how and why wannabe fascists like Trump, Bolsonaro, and Modi embrace the first three pillars but don't quite succeed in dictatorship and total suppression of the popular vote. The Wannabe Fascists stresses the importance of preventing despots from reaching this tipping point and offers a clear warning for what's at stake. |
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anti-Semitism antidemocratic Arendt Argentina Argentine fascist argued authoritarian autocrats believe Benito Mussolini Bolsonaro Brazil Brazilian Buenos Aires Carl Schmitt cism cists civil coup created cult defined democratic destroy democracy dictator dictatorial dictatorship Donald Trump Duilio Susmel Florence Duterte Edoardo Susmel elections electoral enemies explained extreme fantasies fascism and populism fascist dictatorship fascist ideology fascist leaders Fascist Lies fascist politics fascist violence Federico Finchelstein Fenice German global Goebbels Hindu historian Hitler idea India internal Italian Italy Jason Stanley Jews Jorge Eliécer Gaitán José Juan Domingo Perón Juan Perón Kampf Khaksar Klemperer Latin American legitimacy Leopoldo Lugones liberal Mein Kampf military movement myth nation Nazi Nazism Opera omnia persecution Plínio Salgado populist populist leaders present president propaganda race racial racism radical reality regime represented revolutionary right-wing Schmitt social Susmel and Duilio theory tion totalitarian Trumpism truth University Press wannabe fascists xenophobia York