Fascism: Past, Present, Future

Although the mass totalitarian movements of Hitler's Germany and Mussolini's Italy may seem like historical aberrations, fascism could nevertheless make a comeback, albeit in different forms, predicts eminent historian Laqueur in this lucid, extremely useful survey. The countries of postcommunist eastern Europe, he believes, are a fertile ground for fascist political parties. He thinks that maniacal Russian ultranationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky is ""highly vulnerable"" but cautions that anarchic conditions in the former Soviet Union favor a resurgence of extremist movements. ""Clerical fascism,"" combining radical, militant Islamic fundamentalism with dictatorial government, widespread use of terror and anti-Western propaganda, as in Iran and Algeria, is ""a colossus on feet of clay,"" declares Laqueur, yet he warns that it could cause havoc for years to come. He also astutely analyzes the postwar neofascist groups of France, Britain, Italy and Austria, which he describes as marked by irrational fear of immigrants, anti-Semitism, Holocaust denial and, often, belief in a world conspiracy against a master race. (Apr.)