Key Characteristics of Authoritarian Right-Wing Movements

Authoritarian right-wing movements exhibit several defining traits that shaped their rise and actions, particularly in the post-war Western world. These characteristics include:

• Rejection of the Bourgeois World

  After the war, the Western world experienced a pervasive feeling of individualism, speculation, defeat, and selfishness. To counter this, these movements advocated for corporate partnerships that rigidly divided social groups according to their work, a practice typical of the Middle Ages.

• Rejection of Liberal Policy

  They vehemently rejected parliamentary democracy and its institutions. It was considered too weak to halt social revolution. They also believed that liberalism and democracy were responsible for national defeat and decline.

• Suppression of Marxism

  These movements viewed Marxism, along with Communism and social revolution, as a product of the Enlightenment. When authoritarian right-wing movements came to power, those associated with these ideologies were often imprisoned, persecuted, and even removed from military, union, or other groups. Their primary enemy at home was the Communists.

• Strong Nationalism

  Their nationalism was often combined with xenophobia and racism. They pursued all that they claimed threatened national unity.

• Militarism

  Right-wing authoritarian movements frequently employed violence, often with legal sanction. Many supported the military, and military figures often led these movements; Franco in Spain is a prominent example.