‘Wake Up—John’

Abstract

Abstract This article examines the published literatures of the British proto-fascist group the British Fascists (BF). It argues that, while failing to develop a ‘fully-fledged’ fascist ideology, the organisation’s materials fostered an emotionology, or instructions on how to think and feel, that contained some fascist qualities, especially profound anxieties over the nation facing an existential threat. It draws on conceptual framings from the history of emotions to assess how the BF promoted a variegated range of views, united by deep worry and fear over Communism and profound concern over its potential to influence the future of Britain and its empire, as well as corrupting a future generation through influencing the minds of children. While the BF’s solutions often lacked the fully palingenetic vision typical of fascists, the BF helped to foster a fascist-style emotional refuge and developed this through ideological instruction as well as providing social opportunities and in principle empowerment. Finally, it concludes that the study of such emotionologies allows for deeper consideration of the overlapping political spaces of the right and processes of fascistisation.