Fascism, Populism and American Democracy

Leonard Weinberg is Foundation Professor Emeritus at the University of Nevada. Over the course of his career he has served as a visiting professor at King’s College, University of London, University of Haifa and as a visiting scholar at the University of Florence, and UCLA. He has also been the recipient of both Fulbright and Guggenheim research awards. Weinberg has been the author or editor of some twenty books, the most recent one being The Role of Terrorism in Twenty-First Warfare (2016) co-authored with Susanne Martin.

‘Fascism, Populism and American Democracy finally offers genuine insights and considered analysis to those eager to understand the complex relationship to actual fascism of the populist movement of support that Trump has whipped up with his rhetoric, rather than join in the public slanging match about it. Highly readable, but profound, the book gives intelligent readers the chance to regain a foothold on the terra firma of Enlightenment values based not on mythic thinking and visceral emotions, but on research-based knowledge and argument.’ – Roger Griffin, Professor of Modern History, Oxford Brookes University‘Weinberg, a preeminent scholar of radicalism after World War II, portrays an important and thought-provoking picture of the challenges that the populist right poses to the democracy in America. This excellent book is a must read.’ - Ami Pedahzur, Arnold S. Chaplik Professor in Israel and Diaspora Studies, The University of Texas at Austin.‘Leonard Weinberg proves again that he is one of the most lucid and intriguing voices among scholars of political extremism, as he provides an innovative and comprehensive analysis of the factors shaping the rise of far-right populism in the United States. A must read for anyone striving to comprehend the impact of far-right ideology on the contemporary American political landscape’. - Arie Perliger, Professor, School of Criminology and Justice Studies, University of Massachusetts Lowell

• Chapter 1 - IntroductionChapter 2 – What Could Go Wrong?Chapter 3 – Why the United States has come under Right-Wing Domination: The BackgroundChapter 4 – Political DecayChapter 5 -Trump and The Alt-RightChapter 6 – Fascism and PopulismChapter 7 – Final Observations