Making Fascism in Sweden and the Netherlands : Myth-Creation and Respectability, 1931-40

There was no representative fascist movement during interwar Europe and there is much to be learned from where fascism 'failed', relatively speaking. So Nathaniël D. B. Kunkeler skilfully argues in Making Fascism in Sweden and the Netherlands , the first in-depth analysis of Swedish and Dutch fascism in the English language. Focusing on two peripheral – and therefore often overlooked – fascist movements (the Swedish National Socialist Workers' Party and the Dutch National Socialist Movement), this sophisticated study de-centres contemporary fascism studies by showing how smaller movements gained political foothold in liberal, democratic regimes. From charismatic leaders and the rallies they held to propaganda apparatus and mythopoeic props seized by ordinary people, Making Fascism in Sweden and the Netherlands analyses the constructs and perceptions of fascism to highlight the variegated nature of the movement in Europe and shine a spotlight on its performative process. Drawing on a wealth of archival material and using a highly innovative methodology, Kunkeler provides a nuanced analysis of European fascism which allows readers to rediscover the experimental character of far-right politics in interwar Europe. "There was no representative fascist movement during interwar Europe and there is much to be learned from where fascism 'failed', relatively speaking. So Nathaniël Kunkeler skilfully argues in Making Fascism in Sweden and the Netherlands, the first in-depth analysis of Swedish and Dutch fascism in the English language. Focusing on two peripheral - and therefore often overlooked - fascist movements (the Swedish National Socialist Workers' Party and the Dutch National Movement), this sophisticated study de-centres contemporary fascism studies by showing how smaller movements gained political foothold in liberal, democratic regimes. From charismatic leaders and the rallies they held to propaganda apparatus and mythopoeic props seized by ordinary people, Making Fascism in Sweden and the Netherlands analyses the constructs and perceptions of fascism to highlight the variegated nature of the movement in Europe and shine a spotlight on its performative process. Drawing on a wealth of archival material and using a highly innovative methodology, Kunkeler provides a nuanced analysis of European fascism which allows readers to rediscover the experimental character of far-right politics in interwar Europe"-- Provided by publisher Cover Contents List of Illustrations Acknowledgements List of Abbreviations Introduction 1 Sweden and the Netherlands 2 Making the party: Party apparatuses and propaganda 3 Making the Leader: Party leaders and charisma 4 Making fascists: Uniforms and military subculture 5 Making fascism in Sweden: Spectacle and the 1935 årsting 6 Making fascism in the Netherlands: Spectacle and the 1935 landdag Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index List of Illustrations -- List of Abbreviations -- Introduction -- 1. Sweden and the Netherlands during the Interwar Period -- 2. Making the Party: Apparatus and Organisation -- 3. Making the Leader: Charismatic Leaders and Myth-Making Practices -- 4. Making the Fascist: Uniforms and the Rank-and-File -- 5. Making Fascism: Spectacles and the Party Conventions -- Conclusion -- Bibliography -- Index