The Birth of Fascist Ideology: From Cultural Rebellion to Political Revolution [Hardcover]

Zeev Sternhell (Author), Mario Sznajder (Author), Maia Asheri (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0691032890 | ISBN-13: 978-0691032894 | Publication Date: January 1994

When this study was originally published in 1989 in France and at the beginning of 1993 in Italy, it aroused a storm of response, positive and negative, to Zeev Sternhell's controversial interpretations. In Sternhell's view, fascism was much more than an episode in the history of Italy. He argues that it possessed a coherent ideology with deep roots in European civilization. Long before fascism became a political force, he maintains, it was a major cultural phenomenon. His book further asserts that although fascist ideology was grounded in a revolt against the Enlightenment, it was not a reactionary movement. It represented, instead, an ideological alternative to Marxism and liberalism. Sternhell argues that the conceptual framework of fascism played an important role in its development. Building on radical nationalism and an "antimaterialist" revision of Marxism, fascism sought to destroy the existing political order and to uproot its theoretical and moral foundations. At the same time, its proponents wished to preserve the achievements of modern technology and the advantages of universalism, humanism, progress, natural rights and equality. Thus, as Sternhell shows, the fascists adopted the economic aspect of liberalism but completely denied its philosophical principles and the intellectual and moral heritage of modernity.

Editorial Reviews

Review

[This book] deserves to be read and, whatever one's reservations, to be considered seriously...[It] rectifies the stereotyped and narrowly derogatory image of a movement that was as representative and influential as its more acceptable contemporaries, and more original than many. -- Eugen Weber, The New York Times Book Review



[This] work obliges us to ground any study of fascism in the particular moment toward the end of the nineteenth century when politics expanded dizzily from a gentleman's hobby to a matter of mass opinion and votes. [Sternhell] shows irrefutably that fascist doctrine had complex cultural origins, drawing not only from conservative efforts to adapt to the novel requirements of mass politics,...but also from dissent within the left against the materialism, positivism, and reformism that mainstream Marxism shared with social democracy in the 1890s. -- Robert O. Paxton, The New York Review of Books
--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: French

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Princeton Univ Pr (January 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0691032890
• ISBN-13: 978-0691032894
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #156,330 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Tumult of Truth, December 6, 2003

By 

"t_askin" (B.C. Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Birth of Fascist Ideology (Paperback)

After searching for a objective view of the development of this ideology I stumbled upon this book and was gratified by Zeev Sternhell's indepth educational coverage. The typical persistant sophistic demonizing of the philosphers and political ideologs, along with pharisee like critisism of the principles, myths and ideals of Fascism are thankfully nonexistant throughout the book. Instead Mr. Sternhell takes you from the early fomations in late nineteenth century France to the final solidification in post Great War Italy with meticulous perspicacity.

Misconceptions are dispelled--and Mr Sternhell should be thanked for his willingness to not only clearly and concisely separate Fascist principle from Nazi ideology but to also relate the surprising Italian Jewish contribution and memberships from before Fascism's move to government in 1922.

Names of philosphers and political scientists normally left out of other books on Fascism are given healthy coverage and should also be studied to fully understand why this non reactionary movement swept into popularity.

Finally I'd like to say that Mr Sternhell will convince you that parallel to Socialism and Liberalism, Fascism offered a original direction and answer to the development of European society and the problems that that development caused. It is as much the failures of Socialism and Liberalism to address and cure the problems that nineteen and twentieth century modernity created that successfully enacted the Birth of Fascist Ideology.

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Worth the Effort, July 20, 2001

By 

Frank Szakaly - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Birth of Fascist Ideology (Paperback)

I had to read this book for a class on European Nationalism, and it was amazing. It took a very long time to read, as it is a hard book and a complex one, and discusses in-depth unfamiliar ideas and especially unfamiliar people. This, however, is what makes it so good: it is completely original, to me at least and I have read a fair number of history books over my undergraduate career. It is definitely worth picking up if you have any interest in modern European history, or especially if you are teach European history, have a discussion on this one!