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An international bestseller, this “excellent” (Timothy Snyder, author of On Tyranny), urgent book outlines how fascism has returned to the mainstream—and how we can stop it
Fascism is back. This time no swastikas, Nazi flags, or deadly bureaucracy, but MAGA hats, right-wing extremist memes, and a triumphant fist held high. For the first time in modern history, far right parties in some European countries have won a larger share of the votes than the Conservatives and the SocialDemocrats. Fascism hollows out democracies from within. It starts with language, not tanks. With democratic elections, not a coup. But how do fascists mobilize citizens? How has fascism become normalized again? Here, we learn the fascist playbook and how history repeats—unless we stop it.
“This book is a distress signal. Rosan Smits makes it crystal clear how fascism is being normalized at alarming speed. Think it can't happen in Western democracies? Then read this book—because it already is.”—Rutger Bregman, author of Moral Ambition and Humankind
“A masterful and chilling dissection of the modern ideology of hate.”—Paul Mason, author of How to Stop Fascism
“After a decade of debate about the nature of the global far right, Rosan Smits amasses the evidence and the competing analyses to produce a definitive judgment: This Is Fascism. A necessary read to understand the challenge we face now from the xenophobic ideology destroying democracies across the west. We cannot act unless we know what we face and with this work Rosan Smits has settled that question.”—Jason Stanley, author of the New York Times-bestselling How Fascism Works
“An excellent read.”—Timothy Snyder, author of On Tyranny
“Few journalists address the major issues of our time. Rosan Smits does. She explains clearly and convincingly what fascism is and why we need to use the word now. A necessary book.”—Simon Kuper, Financial Times journalist
“This book is a mirror. And we would be foolish not to look.”—Carice van Houten, award-winning Game of Thrones actress