Towards a grammar of fascism. Nicos Poulantzas and the ghosts of structuralism

Abstract

Nicos Poulantzas’s Fascism and Dictatorship, although published more than fifty years ago, still provides highly valuable insights for understanding fascism. This is particularly the case with respect to historical fascism, which the author directly addresses, but it also offers productive avenues for examining contemporary far-right movements. The imprint of Marxism and structuralism on his work makes it both deserving of careful reading and of great scholarly interest. Issues such as the heavy theoretical framework or the role of classes in his analysis take us back to debates that, though belonging to the past, should not be considered obsolete. The central elements of Poulantzas’s work continue to shed light on the discussion of the political forms of right-wing reaction. Acknowledging both the strengths of his approach and the criticisms it has received, his contribution may help to revitalize certain dimensions of a phenomenon that is currently at the forefront of public debate.