The thesis is divided into six sections. The Introduction discusses the themes of the
dissertation, notably fascism, anti-fascism and Britain in the 1940s. It reviews the
existing literature and outlines the method used. The first chapter examines the
legacy of the inter-war years and the impact of internment on the fascists. It analyses
the British League of Ex-Servicemen and Women and the Mosley book clubs, which
came together to form the Union Movement. The chapter ends in 1951 with Oswald
Mosley's decision to leave Britain, a symbol of the failure of British fascism. The
second chapter stresses the homogeneity of fascist thinking and the common
possession of core ideas, including elitism, racism, and anti-socialism. It suggests
that fascist parties also acted in a similar way, they glorified their leaders and
encouraged anti-semitism and violence. The chapter argues that postwar fascism
recruited especially well among members of the middle class. However, even within
this group, only a tiny minority was attracted towards fascism.
The third chapter examines the history of the non-fascist organisations,
including Labour, the Communist Party and the 43 Group. The chapter also evaluates
anti-fascist methods, which involved exposing the fascists, heckling their speakers
and turning over fascist platforms. The fourth chapter describes the moment at which
fascists and anti-fascists opposed each other in the street. It suggests that the
various state agencies, including the police, the Home Office, the law departments
and MI6, worked with fascism, or did nothing to prevent its growth. Finally, the
Conclusion discusses the obstacles which the fascists faced, including the legacy of
the war and the Holocaust, and the success of the Conservative Party after 1945. It
also suggests that anti-fascism also played significant part in the fascists' defeat.