The LRB Podcast Is this fascism?
9 snips
Jun 4, 2025 Daniel Trilling, author and expert on far-right politics, delves into the resurgence of right-wing nationalism and its potential ties to fascism. He and TJ unpack the historical evolution of far-right movements, dissect complex definitions of fascism, and explore the emotional undercurrents—like resentment and fear—driving this ideology. They also discuss how climate crisis anxieties are being manipulated by far-right thinkers and the consequences for national identity, wrapping up with insights into Poland's women's rights movement in the face of such threats.
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Distinguishing Current Threats
- Current far-right dangers should not be dismissed even if they aren't strictly fascism.
- Existing authoritarianism, like EU detention camps, poses real threats independent of fascism debates.
Golden Dawn & Greek Crisis Example
- Daniel recounts reporting in Greece when neo-Nazi Golden Dawn rose amid austerity, openly violent unlike UK far-right.
- Some Greeks blamed EU austerity as the real fascism, highlighting tensions in identifying threats.
Far Right Fueled By Resentment
- Far-right support links to economic and cultural factors but cannot be reduced solely to economic despair.
- Richard Seymour argues that resentment, not just poverty, fuels far-right backing.
