Fascism: 100 Questions Asked and Answered

Fascism: 100 Questions by Oswald Mosley

https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R37UWLEZJSNLFK?ref=pf_ov_at_pdctrvw_srp

Mosley's British Union of Fascists (“BUF”) always seemed like a moronic idea, hard to take seriously, lampooned by Evelyn Waugh as the Blackshorts. The lampooning has stuck. Mosley seems now to be more a clown than a threat.

The reality, though, is that Mosley was an intelligent man and Fascism was a viable option in the 1930s. It was certainly as viable as Communism, albeit both were clown ideologies based on pseudo-scientific messianic lies.

This book is interesting because it presents the BUF side of the issue. We are trained to hate everything that is labeled “fascist” in an unthinking, reactive way, but Mosley's presentation is not cartoonish hysterical ranting. His writing is educated and classy. It is hard to imagine many American Democrats disagreeing with Mosley's ideas stated in this paragraph:

:35. What is the difference between Fascism and Capitalism, since both admit the system of private enterprise ? In brief definition, Capitalism is the system by which capital uses the Nation for its own purposes. Fascism is the system by which the Nation uses capital for its own purposes. Private enterprise is permitted and encouraged so long as it coincides with the national interests. Private enterprise is not permitted when it conflicts with national interests. Under Fascism private enterprise may serve but not exploit. This is secured by the Corporative System, which lays down the limits within which industry may operate, and those limits are the welfare of the Nation.

Mosley, Oswald . Fascism: 100 Questions Asked and Answered (p. 30). Kindle Edition.

There is no question that Mosley's philosophy was antisemitic. Mosley makes no bones that in his view, Jews were not Britons, that the businesses they owned were foreign capital, and that Jews in Britain had the position of resident alien.

Mosley was a Socialist before establishing his fascist movement. Mosley's example is part of the proof that fascism was a socialist phenomenon, albeit one built on nation rather than class. Mosley explains:

“For seven years in the Labour Party before founding Fascism in Britain, I fought for a National Socialist Policy in contradistinction to the International Socialism of that Party.

Mosley, Oswald . Fascism: 100 Questions Asked and Answered (p. 13). Kindle Edition.

Another difference is Mosley's embrace of the leadership principle.

“We believe everywhere in the Leadership principle and the functional differentiation which allocates definite responsibility to the individual. This principle rests on an obvious fact of human nature which Socialism ignores. Men and women are born with varying gifts and capacities.

Mosley, Oswald . Fascism: 100 Questions Asked and Answered (p. 16). Kindle Edition.

Mosley's plan involved breaking society into various corporations, each of which would be represented in Parliament. The fascist government would be given power to make such laws as they thought good, but Parliament could dissolve the government. There seems to have been quite a bit of modeling on the German constitution of the period.

I gave this review a four as a historical document. I am opposed to Statism and antisemitism in any form or any era.