Against the Fascist Creep by Alexander Reid Ross

Description

“A comprehensive overview of the history and space of fascist ideologies and their current transformations.” —Marlene Laruelle, author of Russian Eurasianism: An Ideology of Empire

“The notion of ‘the fascist creep’ helps us to understand how fascist ideals migrate from left to right and right to left and how they surreptitiously slip into the heart of the body politic. This book is essential reading.” —Tamir Bar-On, author of Where Have All the Fascists Gone?

“Recent historiographical fashion has tended to portray fascism as a revolutionary form of authoritarian nationalist ideology. However, fascism’s attempt to synthesize left and right could produce conservative as well as radical mutations. Alexander Reid Ross’s book helps us understand how fascism in the contemporary era is developing in this complex way, and raises vital issues about how it differs from the rising tide of national populism.” —Roger Eatwell, author of Fascism: A History

“Crucial reading for scholars and journalists trying to understand the complex and often contradictory relationships among populism, anti-elite demagoguery, scapegoating, conspiracism, and fascism.” —Chip Berlet, co-author of Right-Wing Populism in America

“Against the Fascist Creep is a much-needed addition to the field of political extremism and will be enjoyed by both academics and the general public.” —George Michael, author of Lone Wolf Terror and the Rise of Leaderless Resistance

As the election of Donald Trump shows, fascism in all its white nationalist and “alt-right” permutations is alive and well in the United States. A terrifying tour of the history and influence of the forces that helped bring the 45th president to power, Against the Fascist Creep maps the connections and names the names. It traces today’s often-disguised forms of rightwing extremism through the decades and across the globe to show how infiltration is a conscious and clandestine program for neofascist groups that seek to co-opt and undermine both the mainstream and the new social movements of the left.

This book is a line in the sand that both identifies the creep of fascist messages, ideas, and organization throughout our society and outlines how to stop it in its tracks.  

Alexander Reid Ross is a lecturer at Portland State University, freelance journalist, and the editor of Grabbing Back: Essays Against the Global Land Grab.

With a cover illustration by the one and only N.O. Bonzo