Allen Liao
My knowledge on Fascism prior to reading this is limited, so I cannot comment on the accuracy of Stanley's portrayal of it. However, he paints a wide and interesting picture of both the ideology of fascism and its strategies to obtaining power. Chapter 1, 5, and 6 seems to be the essential chapters to understanding the politics of Us and Them, with other chapters detailing the strategies or the societal effects of such politics.
The book is a bit confusing, as it weaves in between the ideology and strategies, and draws no clear line between conservative ideologies and fascism itself. The last chapter is a bit clearer on this distinction, but I wish it had come sooner. The book would benefit from replying to possible counter objections and dispelling any notion that fascism has a monopoly on totalitarianism, or that conservative ideologies inevitably slides to fascism (with no further qualifications)--notions that careless reading of the book would suggest. Peter Ludlow's review of this book (^1) misinterprets many aspects of Stanley's work in this way, as I have at first, but Stanley's reply (^2) made clear the project of the book and the nature of fascism. As a companion, is worth a read.
^1: http://quarterly.politicsslashletters.org/fascism-doesnt-work-like-that-a-review-of-jason-stanleys-how-fascism-works/
^2: https://bpb-us-w2.wpmucdn.com/campuspress.yale.edu/dist/7/272/files/2021/02/Reply-to-Ludlow-HFW.pdf
My knowledge on Fascism prior to reading this is limited, so I cannot comment on the accuracy of Stanley's portrayal of it. However, he paints a wide and interesting picture of both the ideology of fascism and its strategies to obtaining power. Chapter 1, 5, and 6 seems to be the essential chapters to understanding the politics of Us and Them, with other chapters detailing the strategies or the societal effects of such politics.
The book is a bit confusing, as it weaves in between the ideology and strategies, and draws no clear line between conservative ideologies and fascism itself. The last chapter is a bit clearer on this distinction, but I wish it had come sooner. The book would benefit from replying to possible counter objections and dispelling any notion that fascism has a monopoly on totalitarianism, or that conservative ideologies inevitably slides to fascism (with no further qualifications)--notions that careless reading of the book would suggest. Peter Ludlow's review of this book (^1) misinterprets many aspects of Stanley's work in this way, as I have at first, but Stanley's reply (^2) made clear the project of the book and the nature of fascism. As a companion, is worth a read.
^1: http://quarterly.politicsslashletters.org/fascism-doesnt-work-like-that-a-review-of-jason-stanleys-how-fascism-works/
^2: https://bpb-us-w2.wpmucdn.com/campuspress.yale.edu/dist/7/272/files/2021/02/Reply-to-Ludlow-HFW.pdf