Music, youth and international links in post-war British fascism : the transformation of extremism

Description

This book examines the domestic evolution and international connections of post-war fascists in the UK. It argues that post-war British fascism became transnational as the radicals increasingly exchanged ideas, money and culture with like-minded foreigners. Using interviews with key figures in several countries, this book traces the history of the National Front (NF) and British National Party (BNP), focusing on the political parties’ youth, music and international outreach. It explores how British fascism grew into an international movement, how fascist youth developed skinhead music as a conduit for their ideas, and how some of those key figures made international connections with people in Iraq, Libya, Syria and the United States. Moreover, it also draws from rare internal party documents, law enforcement records and membership lists to track foreign funding and the parties’ domestic electoral growth. For the first time, this book gained access to both the leadership and rank-and-file of the BNP and NF to explore its culture and international connections. In doing so, it shows the successes, failures and changes that have made British fascism a force in the international extremist subculture. Front Matter ....Pages i-x Introduction (Ryan Shaffer)....Pages 1-15 The Fascist Tradition, 1967–1977 (Ryan Shaffer)....Pages 17-59 Youth Against Tradition, 1977–1983 (Ryan Shaffer)....Pages 61-105 An International Youth Movement, 1983–1990 (Ryan Shaffer)....Pages 107-156 Building a Street Force, 1990–1999 (Ryan Shaffer)....Pages 157-219 Fascist Modernization, 1999–2005 (Ryan Shaffer)....Pages 221-271 The Fascist Peak and the Fascist Decline, 2005–2016 (Ryan Shaffer)....Pages 273-328 Conclusion (Ryan Shaffer)....Pages 329-336 Back Matter ....Pages 337-350