The Anti-Enlightenment Tradition as a Common Framework of Fascism and the Contemporary Far Right

Tamas Dezso Ziegler

doi:10.1163/22116257-10010001

Abstract

Abstract The relationship between far-right political streams and fascism is a recurring topic in scientific literature. However, we find a low number of academic publications which try to create a framework for their similarities. This article uses Zeev Sternhell’s theory of fascism as a tool to measure different interpretations of fascism and the far right. According to its basic statement, there exists an anti-Enlightenment tradition in the Western world, which could serve as a substratum of these streams. This proves two points. Firstly, that there are several political groups which share a very similar political vision, even if their levels of aggression and radicalism are different. This is the reason why many neo-fascist, post-fascist, ‘populist’ and conservative parties have interchangeable rhetorical clichés and ideological patterns. Second, it shows that Western countries could successfully fight the rise of upcoming anti-democratic forces through strengthening the values of the Enlightenment-tradition.

Highlights

Once again, in public debates, politicians and intellectuals belonging to the far right are regularly being labelled as ‘fascists’
According to Paxton, even though Trump uses fascist-like rhetoric, exploits racial prejudices and tries to represent force, he is not a fascist: what we can see is the rise of a businessman who believes that ideas such as inciting xenophobia could be more beneficial for him than explaining the details of tax reforms or other regulatory questions
I grant that ‘Trump Is a Radical Right-Wing Populist’ has less of a ring as a headline than ‘Trump Is a Fascist’ and lends itself to less funny cartoons, but that is what he is. He wants America to be great again, but not to be reborn in a totalitarian new order, let alone force its Robert Kagan, ‘This is how Fascism comes to America,’ The Washington Post, May 18, 2016

Summary

Introduction

Once again, in public debates, politicians and intellectuals belonging to the far right are regularly being labelled as ‘fascists’. Via free access far right such incidents, regarding Trump’s election, Robert Kagan, a notable scholar of international relations, wrote an article for the Washington Post telling us that ‘this is how fascism comes to America’.1. I grant that ‘Trump Is a Radical Right-Wing Populist’ has less of a (populist) ring as a headline than ‘Trump Is a Fascist’ and lends itself to less funny cartoons, but that is what he is. He wants America to be great again, but not to be reborn in a totalitarian new order, let alone force its Robert Kagan, ‘This is how Fascism comes to America,’ The Washington Post, May 18, 2016

Objectives

Findings

Conclusion