Fascism: The Story of an Idea (An Origin Story Book) (Paperback) - Ian Dunt

From the creators of the chart-topping podcast Origin Story , a series of short books telling the stories of popular - but often misunderstood - political terms

AN ORIGIN STORY BOOK

'Provides clarity, scholarship, wit and essential insight into why our world is the way it is' Adam Rutherford
'I wish I could make Ian and Dorian's work mandatory' Sathnam Sanghera

Why is 'fascist' used to describe everyone from dictators to parking wardens? Does the word 'fascism' describe a historical movement or an enduring ideology? And could we see it rise again today, in an age of populism?

Unlike most major political ideologies, fascism has no clear-cut intellectual foundation. It appeals to some of the very darkest instincts in human nature: the hatred of difference, the desire to control, the delight in violence. The story of fascism shows us what happens when these instincts consume entire nations.

In Fascism: The Story of an Idea, Ian Dunt and Dorian Lynskey lay out in clear and accessible terms the origins of fascism: what happened, how it happened and why. It is only by understanding fascism's beginnings that we can start to understand what it means today - and guard against those who seek its return.

About the Author

Ian Dunt spent many years working in the heart of Westminster as editor of Politics.co.uk. He is a columnist for the i newspaper, the UK correspondent for ABC's Late Night Live and regularly appears as a political pundit on TV and radio. He is the author of Brexit: What the Hell Happens Now, How to be a Liberal and How Westminster Works.

Dorian Lynskey has been writing about music, politics, film and books for over twenty years for publications including the Guardian, Observer, Spectator, New Statesman and GQ. He is the author of 33 Revolutions Per Minute: A History of Protest Songs and The Ministry of Truth: A Biography of George Orwell's 1984.