The Resurgence Of Right Wing Radicalism In Germany

Rightist assaults on democracy have a long and malignant tradition in Germany. This book seeks to examine the question of whether the new right-wing radicalism is the same as the old, through a series of essays about the history and current status of right-wing radicalism in Germany.

Right-wing extremism is a phenomenon that can be found throughout Europe. All democratic societies are threatened by racist, anti-pluralistic and authoritarian ideas. Even though the so called "radical right" differs in character and ideology in the various European countries it strives to restrict civic and human rights as well as to change the constitutional structures that are based on the principles of democracy and liberty. Individual European countries deal with this challenge differently. The various policy approaches found in these countries are a good source for developing improved practices for fighting rightwing extremism in Germany and worldwide. With this publication the Bertelsmann Stiftung presents an overview of the radical right in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland. It also includes the most successful strategies against right-wing extremism found in these countries. The main focus of this publication is the actions pursued by the governments, political parties and actors of the civil society. Judicial provisions are highlighted as well as the implementation of laws, special action programs, the effectiveness of prosecution of right-wing crimes, cooperation of parties, institutional responsibilities, cooperation of authorities with NGOs and civil commitment against right-wing extremism.

The election success of Right-Wing extremists in West Germany is limited, but surveys have shown that up to 40per cent of the public show themselves to be susceptible to anti-democratic slogans. This book examines causes manifestations of Right-Wing extremism, and discusses possible counter measures.

The Radical Right has represented a major element in German politics and society throughout the history of the united country (i.e. since the 1870s), though the understandable concentration on the Third Reich (1933-45) has tended to distort the wider picture. This book explores the history of the radical right through the full span of Germany's life as a nation, thus putting the Third Reich in its natural context, and also emphasising that the attitudes and policies of the radical right did not begin with Hitler's pursuit of power in the 1920s or end with his death in the ruins of Berlin.

This book provides a systematic overview of the prevalence, causes, and stability of left-wing and right-wing extremist attitudes in Germany between 1994 and 2017. It shows that there are many similarities between left-wing and right-wing extremists, both in terms of their ideologies and their individual experiences. Overall, these causes can be traced back to three factors: unmet individual needs (e.g., deprivation or disenchantment with politics), access to ideological narratives that promise simplified solutions to individual problems, and the larger social circumstances of life (e.g., transformation processes, unemployment, or immigration). Although extremist attitudes are relatively rare, they are also shown to be highly stable: once acquired, individuals are difficult to bring back onto the democratic path. This book is the first to systematically compare left-wing and right-wing extremist attitudes, to provide an intensive methodological contribution to the measurability of such attitudes, and to relate their causes and stability.

This study of the German right-extremist movement looks at the three rightist political parties, neo-Nazi groups, skinhead gangs, and New Right intellectuals. It poses the question whether, at a time of global recession, the existing democratic system is resilient enough to meet the challenges posed by the xenophobic and racist groups.

8 INOCULATING THE NATIONAL PUBLIC -- A Civilizing Mission -- Building Coalitions -- Whose Demonstration? -- Crafting Resilience -- 9 NATIONAL VISIONS -- Stars over Berlin -- Reading the Stars -- Heterotopic Landscapes -- Tactics of Visibility -- Just Mourning -- Catastrophe at the Gate -- Afterword -- Bibliography -- Index

Revising the 1997 first edition, this study covers events that occurred in Oldham and Bradford after the year 2000. The rise of right-wing extremist groups is put under scrutiny in a number of states including Britain, Germany, Austria, Russia and France.