Antifa and the Radical Left

Eamon Doyle

Greenhaven Publishing LLC, Dec 15, 2018 - Young Adult Nonfiction - 176 pages

Antifa has received public attention since the election of President Trump. To some, this was believed to represent the rise of white supremacy and authoritarianism in the United States, which Antifa made it a point to combat at any cost. What exactly is the Antifa movement? Are its militant, sometimes violent attempts to combat fascism justified, or are they just as morally reprehensible as what they are reacting against? This volume looks at Antifa's place in American and international history, as well as its organization, goals, and ethical implications, offering a clearer look at this enigmatic movement.

Contents

• Foreword: 11
• Introduction: 14
• Does Antifa Endorse a Specific Positive Political Ideology?: 18
• The Complicated History of Antifa Groups: 19
• Antifa Is Based on a Rejection of Fascism but Its Factions Also Embrace Specific Positive Goals: 32
• Antifas Decentralized Structure Contributes to the Movements Ideological Diversity: 35
• The Political Network Known as Antifa Is Organized Around Reactionary Ideals but That Is Not the End of the Story: 39
• Antifas Posture of Resistance Is Deliberate and Part of Its Effectiveness: 46
• Antifa Lacks a Distinct Positive Political Vision: 53
• In Order to Remain Relevant Antifa Needs to Settle on a Clear Set of Political Goals: 57
• Is the Threat of Fascism Enough to Justify Antifas Aggressive Tactics?: 61
• The Specter of Fascism in American Life: 62
• The Right Is Prepared for Violence and the Left Should Be Too: 72
• The Psychology of Right Wing Authoritarianism: 81
• When Political Institutions Fail to Contain Fascist and Far Right Movements Aggressive Opposition Becomes a Moral Necessity: 85
• Authoritarianism Is a Threat to America and Decentralized Movements Are Necessary to Defeat It: 93
• The American Left Is Degrading Itself by Engaging in Violent Tactics: 97
• Left Wing Violence Is Out of Control in the United States: 100
• The United States Is Experiencing a Major Political Crisis and Antifa Is Making Things Worse: 103
• Antifa Is Undermining the Efforts of Peaceful Activists on the Left: 110
• Does the Antifa Model Provide a Constructive Blueprint for the Future of the Left?: 113
• Antifas Impact on Contemporary American Politics: 114
• Antifas SmallScale Violence Pales Next to the LargeScale Threat of Fascist and Far Right Movements: 118
• The Left Is Aimless and in Need of a New More Assertive Direction: 127
• To Accuse Antifa of Opposing Free Speech Is to Entirely Miss the Point: 130
• History and Social Science Are Not on Antifas Side: 138
• Antifas Tactics Play Directly into the Hands of Right Wing Ideologues: 146
• AntifaStyle Activism Will Not Stop the Wave of Reactionary Populism Currently Sweeping the Globe: 154
• Like the Radicals of the 1960s Antifa Groups Will Fade Into Irrelevancy: 158
• Organizations to Contact: 166
• Bibliography: 170
• Index: 174
• Back Cover: 177

Bibliographic information

• Title: Antifa and the Radical Left; Current Controversies
• Editor: Eamon Doyle
• Publisher: Greenhaven Publishing LLC, 2018
• ISBN: 1534503846, 9781534503847
• Length: 176 pages
• Subjects: Young Adult Nonfiction / Social Science / Politics & Government