European Right: A Historical Profile

by Eugen Weber and (Editors) Rogger, Hans and Weber, Eugen

Book Overview

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0520010809
• Release Date: October 1974
• Publisher: University of California Press
• Weight: 1.35 lbs.

Customer Reviews

A Complex Study of European "Rightists" Whatever that Term Means

THE EUROPEAN RIGHT is a collection of essays dealing with radical political situation in both Western and Eastern Europe. The editors, Hans Rogger and Eugene Weber,wrote some of the essays and included those of others to explain "rightist" pollitical movements and the problems that existed in Europe espcially after World War I. Yet, these essays deal with the origins of some of the political movements that had their origins prior to World War I. This book needs to be read carefully The first essay dealt with the British Fascist movement called the British Union of Fascists lead by Oswald Mosley. However, Mosley's protests began before he was well known. During the second half of the 19th. century, there were political differences in Great Britain over the British Empire and the question of Irish independence. Some of the more "radical" British poltical commentaries feared that any break in the British Empire or concession to Irish independence would cause political and social collapse. The "radicals" saw British liberalism as corruption, and they complained that the British Parliamentarians were more concerned with politcal interests than "national interests" whatever that phrase means at any given time. World War I and thereafter accelerated the complaints of the "righists" especially when Irish political independence was granted in 1923. What may have alarmed some political activists was, though readily apparent, the decline of the British Empire. While Mosley was held in detention during W.W. II, he was never charged for any crime. The British were at least honest enough not to try Mosley which they may have figured could have made Mosley a political martyr and enhanced his popularity. Readers should note that some of Mosleys political associates were British officers during World War II. A similar "rightist" movement emerged in France in the 20th. century. However, the French "rightist" movement began with the Dreyfus Affair. As readers may know Dreyfus was charged for treason and passing French military secrets to the Germans. After bitter political disputes, Dreyfus was aquitted of the charges. The French "right" lost this poltical battle which was a temporary embarrassment to the French "Right" which included the French officer corps, the French clergy, and what was left of the French aristocracy. One of those who carefully observed these events was Charles Mauras who edited a "rightist" journal titled ACTION FRANCAISE. The French were divided politically between the Dreyfusards and the Anti-Dreyfusards. The "leftists" were usually socialists and were sympathetic to the Germans. The French Right is classified above and very anti-German. All this change c. 1933 when the French "leftists" were opposed to Fascism, and the French Right became sympathetic to Fascism and the Germans. It took World War II to eliminate the French Right. The diagnosis of the French Right was one of the better essays in this book. What may surprise readers is