Book Description

Discussing Italian Fascism, scholars start with the year 1922, not just the last years of the system, including the 1938-1943 racial laws. It appears that it takes some time for a fascist system to establish itself (Lyttelton, 2004). Therefore, it is essential to recognise the early warning signs of fascism to avoid its emergence in full bloom.Clerical fascism is a specific type of fascism. It is a nationalistic political system rejecting liberal democracy considered hostile to the 'Christian tradition', social changes, including women's rights and sexual liberalism, and a notion of 'restoring' Western culture (Pollard, 2007, p. 434).This publication argues why it is justifiable to consider the Poland of Andrzej Duda and Law and Justice as a multi-party clerical fascist state, where many parties exist, creating an impression of pluralism, but the ruling parties are ideologically identical in practical terms. Establishing what the system is and how it works will help to address the source of the problems and the outcomes it produces, e.g. through internal awareness of the situation and pressure from the international community.It also attempts to present a brief case study of a modern fascist state and how it operates. It explores various aspects of the state, particularly the troika of crucial actors: the far-right propagandists, the powerholders, and the Roman Catholic Church. While religious fundamentalism and authoritarianism is important, money also plays an important part in the regime, including lucrative contracts and prestigious jobs.The timescale examined in this publication is the recent past, from 2015 until the date of publication. The language is simplified for the purpose of accessibility. Sources are of highest possible quality.The publication also calls for more research on modern fascism. It also serves as a warning to democracies to keep and create safeguards protecting people and institutions from abuse of power.