Review by Choice Review
Seidman (Univ. of North Carolina, Wilmington) attempts to rescue the most important yet neglected ideology of the 20th century. He persuasively argues that a major reason for the scholarly neglect of mid-century anti-fascism is because anti-fascism had two major components: revolutionary anti-fascism, best captured in Popular Front movements in Spain and France, and socialist, communist, and anarchist movements; and counterrevolutionary anti-fascism, active resistance to fascist aggression from non-revolutionary forces, such as many labor unions and many political parties. Focusing most intently on France, the UK, and the US, Seidman traces the emergence of the ideological complexity of anti-fascism with the Spanish Civil War. His detailed research into the public and private expressions of the diversity of anti-fascism reveals powerful statements from the famous to the nameless and from workers to political leaders. As can happen with many works on ideology, readers can be caught unaware with so many turns of the ideological wheel, as terms such as conservative, liberal, and moderate are sometimes used without relevant context. Nevertheless, this book is a valuable tool for understanding the diverse reactions to fascism as well as the subsequent postwar ideological divisions. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above; professionals. --Jim Rogers, Louisiana State University Alexandria
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
