Eurofascism by Øyvind Strømmen (ISBN 978-1-4303-1356-4)Following on from my post on Sorel and Social Scission, Øyvind was kind enough to forward a copy of his book for me to review. Here goes...
Eurofascism is a well written and despite the labyrinthine nature of the subject, lucid account of nationalist politics today. Its thesis is simple and supported by a fine collection of sources. Fascists have not disappeared, rather they have 'evolved', seeking new forms in which to enact their ideology. These developments, from a Leninist vanguard conception of the 'Political Soldier' to the NER's move towards meta-politics and a Gramscian 'war of position' do not particularly change the nature of the beast. They remain incidental, clothing for the wolves. What remains constant is their 'Strong focus on the 'nation', on 'ethnicity' and in some cases
also on race' and 'An understanding of a certain European unity, mostly expressed in the division into Europeans and non-Europeans' (pg. 17).
Strømmen thus traces the roots in both shared ideas, political platforms and personnel between the myriad of groups and groupuscles. In these web like connections, he details a increasingly adept movement, one that is seeking and gaining respectability and legitimacy whilst continuing to be wedded to extremism. The threat of Jihadi terrorism or militant Islamism has become its core mystical mode of energising support. Islam becomes a perfect other, alien, dangerous and the engine behind devious plots. Eurabia, the protocols of the 'The Elders of Mecca' (pg. 49) has been taken on by Eurofascists as a prime motor for gaining votes, members and just as importantly legitimacy. And as he points out, this concentration on Muslims in no way prejudices the long held hatred of Jews. Similarly, in looking at the henotheistic nature of the new 'Fascist' international of the NRA and the Eurofascists, he detects the intrinsic violence within such weltanschuung. As a primer to the nationalist right of today, Eurofascism is a fine work.
Whilst I enjoyed the book and it has some great vignettes of the internal craziness of the far right, it misses a few tricks. Whilst Strømmen is more carefully than some in defining fascism, quoting the eminant Stanley Paine, other related definitions might have allowed a deeper understanding. One of the central planks of fascist ideology is the notion of rebirth and temporality. Time and again, the quotes Strømmen uses mention rebirth, regeneration, new eras and new men. This obsession with decay then rebirth is one of the grand motifs of the fascist mindset, one acknowledged by a considerable number of specialists in the field. The Kali Yuga (age of vice) of the post war age, where stability rather than crisis ruled the liberal world is to these fascists a terrible time of anomie and mediocrity. Without considering the fascist consideration of time and temporality, the bizarre lust for upheaval is near impossible to analyse properly.
Similarly I would have like more on the nature of the Eurabian myth and how it manifests itself as well as the nature of larger far right movements such as the 'reformed' FN, the Alleanza Nazionale and the Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs. One of the main developments within the far right is to base an ethno-centric conception of society within a liberal framework. These 'ethno-cratic Liberalism 'respects' and 'defends' the rights of liberal society but excludes 'the other' from this gesellschaft. Here lies a far wider danger.
However, the book is remarkably readable and remains a fine investigation of a troubling phenomena. Whilst there might of been more meat to the thesis, it remains a fine addition. Hats off, Øyvind....and sorry for being such a pedant :)
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