Indeed, the fascists claimed to be the only force capable of blocking Bolshevik revolution and recovering those territories that had been surrendered during the war. The first fascists promised to overcome national weakness and decline by strengthening the state, subordinating the interests of individuals to those of the community at large, and purging the population of internal enemies and dissidents. They thrived among peoples that had been defeated or otherwise humiliated in World War I. And the original fascist movements, let’s remember, were responding to emergencies rather different from those of today.
Such a term is justified only if it enlarges or clarifies understanding. Yet we should hesitate before applying this most toxic of political labels to Trump. In his stump speeches, Trump is fond of deploring national decline, which he blames on foreigners and despised minorities disdaining legal norms condoning violence against dissenters and rejecting anything that smacks of internationalism, whether it be trade, institutions, or existing treaties. His dramatic arrivals by plane (a public relations tactic pioneered by Adolf Hitler) and his excited dialogues with crowds chanting simple slogans (“U.S.A.! U.S.A.!” “Lock her up!”) recall Nazi rallies of the early 1930s. Donald Trump’s bullying tone, his scowl, and his jutting jaw recall Benito Mussolini’s absurd theatrics. Robert Paxton steps in to restore sanity, with his view that fascism is not what was believed but what was done.It is powerfully tempting to call the new president of the United States a fascist. “Until now there has been no satisfying account of fascism that includes a convincing diagnostic kit for identifying its symptoms. Serves as a reminder of our power and responsibility.” – The Washington Post Book World “ helpful contribution, thoughtfully mapping out the descent of a civilized people - first the Italians, then the Germans - into a primal state (and state of being) ruled by mythology, symbol and emotion.
Historical analysis at its best." – The Economist
"A deeply intelligent and very readable book. Mussolini and Hitler were the prototypical fascist leaders, and Paxton chronicles their rise to power-and their global influence and ultimate fall-with a brilliant economy." – San Francisco Chronicle A splendid book." –The New York Times Book Review "So fair, so thorough and, in the end, so convincing, it may well become the most authoritative.
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