The Wannabe Fascists: A Guide to Understanding the Greatest Threat to Democracy

Meet 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.

Table of Contents:
Contents Introduction: How Populism Is Turning into Wannabe Fascism  1. Violence and the Militarization of Politics  2. Fascist Lies and Propaganda  3. The Politics of Xenophobia  4. Dictatorship  Epilogue  Acknowledgments  Notes  Index 

About the Author :
Federico Finchelstein is a world-renowned expert on fascism, populism, and dictatorship and is Professor of History at the New School for Social Research and Eugene Lang College in New York City. His previous books include From Fascism to Populism in History and A Brief History of Fascist Lies.

Review :
"An important book about the most significant threat to global democracy." "Exploring the histories and ideologies of fascism and populism, The Wannabe Fascists exposes a new political force on the rise that blends the two—a danger to democracy everywhere." "It is Finchelstein’s parallel definitions—that is, of outlining what makes one a populist, rather than a fascist outright—that sets The Wannabe Fascists apart from the mountains of previous Trump-related analysis. Finchelstein’s efforts at tracing the arcs and outlines of not just fascism but also populism present the book’s most successful intervention." "As Finchelstein ably argues, it’s only in properly defining Trump—and properly understanding his historical context, American and otherwise—that we can truly understand the threat he poses and navigate the world he’s ushered in." "Finchelstein is a scholar of populism as well as fascism, and he offers useful historical background for understanding the difference between the two. . . . Finchelstein presents four criteria to evaluate where a country sits on the fascist spectrum: political violence, propaganda and misinformation, xenophobia, and dictatorship. It is, to put it mildly, disconcerting to see where the United States now finds itself on that spectrum." “Finchelstein’s book is stimulating and provocative. Its comparative approach draws attention to ‘similar impulse[s]’, ‘echoes’ and common ‘patterns’ of twentieth-century fascism and modern right-wing populists.” “Masterful. . . Finchelstein compellingly portrays these current developments by showing how in American politics Trump and his factions are actively and purposefully promoting the extremist dimensions of classic fascism, all the while ascribing these to their enemies” "Finchelstein argues that the populists believe a leader can personify a nation’s wishes, adhere to democratic procedures and electoral representation (not dictatorship), and vilify (but not eliminate) their enemies (identified by national allegiance, not identity). The fascism of the wannabes is more aspirational, much less capacious in the definition of who is a citizen (including ethnic, racial, and religious discrimination), and yet incapable of taking the next step toward dictatorship, which, for the author, does not make the ideology any less dangerous."