Rethinking the French New Right

<p>This book focuses on the philosophy politics and impact of the 'New Right' which originated in France and has since influenced activism ideology and policy in a number of European countries.</p><p>This book explores the idea that revolutionaries do not necessarily need to come from the left nor use arms in order to overturn liberal democracy. In the post-World War Two era the extremists of the revolutionary right took three different paths: 1) parliamentary; 2) extra-parliamentary; and 3) metapolitical. The New Right (<i>nouvelle droite </i>- ND in France) took the metapolitical path but that did not mean it abandoned its revolutionary desire to smash liberal democracy throughout Europe. </p><p>The book<em> </em>examines four interpretations of the New Right. These interpretations include the following: 1) The New Right as a fascist or quasi-fascist movement; 2) The New Right as a challenge to the traditional right-left dichotomy which has structured European political debates for more than 200 years; 3) The New Right as an <i>alternative modernist </i>movement which rejects liberal and socialist narratives of modernity; accepts the technical but not political or cultural effects of modernity; and longs for a pan-European political framework abolishing liberal multiculturalism and privileging ethnic dominance of so-called original Europeans; and 4) The New Right as a variant of political religion and conversionary processes. The book concludes by analysing the positions cultural and political impact and relationship to democracy of the New Right.</p><p>This work will be of great interest to students and scholars of racism fascism extremism European politics French politics and contemporary political theory.</p>