This Is Fascism: A Wake-Up Call to Resist

by Rosan Smits

Fascism is back. This time no swastikas, Nazi flags, or deadly bureaucracy, but MAGA hats, right-wing extremist memes, and a triumphant fist held high. For the first time in modern history, far right parties in some European countries have won a larger share of the votes than the Conservatives and the Social Democrats.

Fascism hollows out democracies from within. It starts with language, not tanks. With democratic elections, not a coup.

But how do fascists mobilise citizens? How has fascism become normalised in Europe again? And how do we stop it?

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics

192 pages, Paperback

Expected publication September 22, 2026

Reviews

[David Rush]

######NOTE###
I got this book in England, and because it has not been published in the US yet Goodreads won't let me rate it. Weird
I would have put 4 starts (I am stingy with my 5 star ratings)
#############

Broadly speaking there are three sections of the book, with the first part outlining a generic fascist playbook that applies to fascists past and present. Part two is examples of fascism today and how it might be different from fascism of the past. And finally in part three Smits offers general steps to fight back.

In the introduction she acknowledges some place may not have fascism in full bloom, but even if that is so, it is no reason to not see the evidence before us.

Granted, as long as you can openly oppose fascism, you are not living under a fascist regime – yet. But fascist movements take root long before that threshold. They start with violent language: talk of ‘invasions’ and ‘national suicide’, calls to ‘fight back’, and the creeping normalization of dehumanizing, excluding or expelling entire groups All in the name of national security. pg. 4

We also get a quick way to recognize fascism
One: Not every fascist is an autocrat, and not every autocrat is a fascist
Two: Fascism revolves around the notions that one’s own cultural group is superior, and the nation is in decline due to the conspiracy of minorities and left-wing liberal elites….a belief in a national rebirth through the victory of one’s own people, by purging outsiders and ousting a corrupt ‘corrupt’ elite..[and fascism is not an ideology, rather the actions]
Three: Fascism may change its form, but never its methods. Pg 8-9

Then we move on to the The Fascist Playbook and, for me this is what I key in on, the “hatred”

Fascism is furthermore, fueled by emotions: anger, resentment, and hatred of people seen as the enemy. Pg 15

Or, as Umberto Eco put it, in fascism, ‘there is no struggle for live but rather life is lived for struggle...This, however, brings about an Armageddon complex. Since enemies have to be defeated, there must be a final battle, after which the movement will have control of the world’. At this point fascist regimes become very violent and even genocidal, at home and abroad….Such radicalization cannot be sustained in the long term. The climax of unrestrained fascism, therefore, is not world domination but self-destruction – a society in ruins. Pg 23

This part of the Umberto Eco quote feels particularly apt, what with the the Trump wars in full swing now, and rumors of more to come. At this point fascist regimes become very violent and even genocidal, at home and abroad

For historical background Rosan has Ten instruments to mobilize ‘the people’, which she lifts from Jason Stanley’s book How Fascism Works.

1. Mythic Past
2. Propaganda
A fascist single out groups that are already relatively vulnerable
As Hitler argued: ‘All effective propaganda must be limited to a very few points and must harp on these in slogans until the last member of the public understands what you want him to understand by your slogan’
3. Anti-Intellectualism
Umberto Eco emphasizes that every fascist uses simple language reminiscent of Orwellian Newspeak, ‘an impoverished vocabulary, and an elementary syntax, in order to limit the instruments for complex and critical reasoning’. This form of language almost seems designed for the messages on social media platforms like X which in turn become the megaphone of contemporary fascism.
4. Unreality
Every fascist destroys the truth
Every fascist does this by lying brazenly and frequently – not to convince people of the lie, but of the idea there is no truth but the one he decrees
5. Victimhood [say no more]
6. Hierarchy
Every fascist establishes a new social order
7. Sexual Anxiety
Every fascist defends rigid gender roles as a pillar of their power...
Gender diversity is thus portrayed to to this supposedly natural order 29
8. Productivity
Every fascist divides people into ‘hard-working citizens’ and ‘disposable freeloaders’
9. The urban-rural divide
Every fascist pits cities against heartland
10. Law and order
Every fascist transforms the law into a weapon with which to destroy their opponents
Pgs 25-32

In Part two we get into current day examples and how they fit in the world view of facism. And course, Trumplandia has an excess of examples. In particular reminding us how slavery, Jim Crow, and other outrages in American history, tilled the cultural soil to allow TrumpFascism to sprout and thrive.

The Trump regime is not a deviation the course of American history, but the direct product of it…
The Trump regime has evolved from the historical foundations of slavery and racist Jim Crow laws that robbed black Americans of their basic human rights at the end of the nineteenth century….
The Trump regime is made up of socio-economic debris of the American Dream, under which poverty is considered a personal failure and individual success always comes at others’ expense Pg 45

And while we may not be in full blown fascism yet, it is hard to deny the rhetoric AND actions so far, do not bode well.

Promising national rebirth. Abusing Laws. Deciding who is a criminal on a whim. Declaring who is an enemy, and making them disappear. Bypassing courts with sloppy indictments. This is fascism. This is how the rule of law is demolished in the name of the law. Pg 51

Part three is the “What do we do about it” section. Below are a few of the headings

6.Politics that fight back
Avoid cooperation with the far right
Form a cross party coalition
Understand it, name it and fight it
Protect each other
Fight personal enrichment (expose corruption)
Sow hope, not hate
Intervene to protect the rule of law
Pg 117

7. Journalism: Flag perversions of meaning
Fascism always inverts the meaning of words. Stripped of their normal sense, they can be given an opposite meaning: Trump literally calls his lies ‘truths’… ‘freedom of expression’ because a weapon to censor critics, ban books, and silence scientists Pg 131

8 Society in Solidarity
Hannah Arendt stated that a society in which people become alienated from each other is the most vulnerable to authoritarianism: Totalitarian movements are mass organizations of atomized, isolated individuals. Pg135

One suggestion on how to achieve this solidarity reminds us about the non violence approach, with a quote form MLK

‘[Non violent resistance] is not unrealistic submission to evil power. It is rather a courageous confrontation of evil by the power of love’ Pg 137

Another suggestion is “Have Fun”
Fascism expert Ruth Ben-Bhait endorses this: ‘Positive emotions such as love, solidarity, and yes, joy, have been part of successful anti-authoritarian political strategies. Positive emotions motivate people to engage in politics when they might have grown apathetic or cynical about the possibility of change’ . Pg 140

Where does that leave us? All the suggestions are good, but it is so hard not to be overwhelmed by the audacity and scale, of hatred, anger, and greed that imbues the maga movement.

As a pointless side note, ever since this madness has swept the country, I feel opinion and theory and debate about who is or isn’t a fascist comes down to the violence. Once actual people are harassed, jailed, kidnapped, and killed, THAT is the line of true fascism.

Maybe we ARE already there.

[Rhys Davies · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really insightful read if you want answers about how we seem to have sleep walked into an era of populism, hate and… well, fascism.

Plenty of thought provoking research and a stark reminder of the action you can take if you want to stop the spread of authoritarianism and fascism.

[Ariadne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good introduction if you haven’t read anything on the topic, and also good for anyone who has not read about modern European fascism. It was also interesting to hear about USA fascism from a European perspective, especially in light of very recent events (2025-2026).

[Inès · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The West isn’t just where fascism was born, it is where its new variants are being incubated.”
brilliant book and a must read to understand modern day fascism, what is draws from historical fascism as well as its characteristics.

[Elizabeth White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite painful and depressing but sometimes that’s necessary I guess.

[Jenn the Readaholic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, this is terrifying. I mean, if you’ve been paying attention, you already knew where we were. Or…are. But you might not have realized just how much of the world (Europe specially) is facing the same slippery slide into something horrid. Fascism for the 21st century, if you will.

Sure, calling it fascism feels alarmist to some. Those same people will be the ones wondering where the signs were and how people missed them. And no, the most famous fascists didn’t simply drop into full-fascist mode from jump. They enticed people into their worldview, their wants, and their demands. And just like the whole “frogs in a pot of warming to boiling water” then, as now, people aren’t grasping just how it happens. This book breaks it down in a short amount of time for anyone to get it. Well, anyone who cares to listen or learn, that is. Because this book is accurate. It’s scary. And it’s so very relevant and real to that which we are experiencing right this very second.

The problem? We need enough people to want to stop it. Those in power need to want to stop it. And if they don’t, we’re in for a miserable and horrifying ride through hell to the eventual other side of MAGA and fascism.

[Fajar Imran · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is written perfectly down to perfection. It analyzes EVERY aspect of the situation. I was already woke about what's going on in the world right now and this book gave me even more clearance and alerted me about the details that I wasn't aware of. Mad respect to the author for writing and publishing this masterpiece because it takes a lot of courage to do that in today's oppressing fascist society.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone go read this now. It’s short, but not an easy read, as it shows how fascism has spread around the world and especially in the USA.