Many books have looked at fascism in a selective way: its impact in certain societies (eg Hitler's Germany, Mussolini's Italy) at certain times. This is the very first book to draw together the different strands of fascism and to present the larger picture: a survey of the rise of fascism in the 20th century, moving from its appearance in literature and political discourse in the late 19th century right up to neo-nazi demonstrations in the 1990s. Roger Eatwell chooses to analyse fascism not in terms of the social and economic factors which are usually called on to explain its rise, but in terms of its leaders - how their personalities and ideologies shaped a movement. There are chapters on Germany, Italy, France and Britain, and the book interweaves immensely lucid political analysis with dramatic portraits of figures such as Mussolini, Le Pen, Hitler and Oswald Mosley.