Fascism is one of the most destructive and influential political movements of the century. Its imagery - of mindless crowds, mad dictators, of 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? 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? This work tackles these questions and considers fascism in the round. The book draws together its different strands, in Italy, Germany, France and Britain, and traces it from its first appearance of certain key ideas in late-19th-century literature, to the latest resurgence of fascism in the 1990s. Roger Eatwell 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 examines its future in a Europe whose boundaries continue to change. Along the way, this work provides vivid portraits of Mussolini, Hitler, Oswald Mosely and other key figures within the movement.

A solid...history of the movement in Italy and Germany, where it took root, and France and Britain, where it failed to flourish. -- The Guardian From the Trade Paperback edition.