Reflections on Anti-Fascism

In an age where powerful people in the US and globally praise and trivialize the fascist past, antifascism remains crucial. Those who today’s antifascists take inspiration from have fortunately set down examples of how even powerful extreme right figures can be stopped. The current scenario is something new but a look back at anti-fascist history can give hope.

Morris Beckman, who wrote the classic book on the 43 Group who were post-war antifascists, tells of how Oswald Mosley’s Blackshirts “never stood a chance”, looking back. Why?

As those who survived the Second World War in the 43 Group were generally but not exclusively Jewish and combat-trained, they used their skills physically and politically to ensure Mosley failed in his comeback attempts. They would stop, by any means necessary, fascist street meetings and marches, and infiltrated extreme right groups. I was lucky enough to work with Morris and some other founder 43 Group members who were hugely helpful to later anti-fascists in the Anti-Nazi League and Unite Against Fascism.

Running through the 43 Group’s work which still informs the thinking of many antifascists is the ‘united front’ approach. Then as now, several issues could have divided anti-fascists, for example, Israel/Palestine. Debate between members took place within the 43 Group, but whatever position people took, this was never allowed to take precedent over the key aim: smashing Mosley’s little Hitlers.

The tactic of the united front has been central to successful antifascism. Key figures in the Anti-Nazi League in both its forms in the 1970s and 1990s, had conflicting views on issues of the day. However, the National Front and British National Party, especially, were laid low by mass movements of people who recognised the need to combat the extreme right, on the streets and in elections. Morris took that attitude when he worked with us at Unite Against Fascism and the campaigns were all the stronger for it.

That basic method still informs much antifascist practice. Failure to work in a united front way only aids our enemies. We can also learn from their weaknesses, such as egotism, infighting and plain incompetence, as Searchlight magazine has chronicled, often hilariously, have crippled their growth.

The rise of fascists in European states has in part been due to a lack of coherent antifascist opposition, despite valiant efforts by many to resist the likes of the Rassemblement National in France or the Brothers of Italy. It is far from straightforward steering an antifascist organisation, of course, but the high points make it all worth it.

The implosion of the National Front in Britian at the 1979 elections, the stopping of Nazi meetings, the drubbing the BNP received in elections in 2010, much achieved through tens of thousands of people who made history. The many who have resisted fascism do not do so for glory and generally receive no recognition, but their efforts deserve our thanks. Fascism needs confronting, always.

Paul Sillet

Paul Sillet is currently a PhD student at the University of Northampton.