The Ideological Origins of the Dirty War
Fascism, Populism, and Dictatorship in Twentieth Century Argentina
Federico Finchelstein
Reviews and Awards
"In this masterwork written with a limpid style and an admirable conceptual clarity, Federico Finchelstein proves that, far from being merely 'imported,' fascism had deep roots in Argentina, where it appeared in the early 1930s as a peculiar symbiosis of radical nationalism and reactionary Catholicism. His book is a fundamental contribution to the historiography of transnational fascism and the origins of the 'Dirty War.'"--Enzo Traverso, author of The Origins of Nazi Violence
"Federico Finchelstein's new book is a persuasive account of fascism's extra-European reach. He shows the peculiarities and persistences of Argentina's strain of fascism and its enduring appeal. From a marginal intellectual movement, the cult of violence, sexualized myths, and the sacralization of political authority elevated Argentine fascists to the center of power. Along the way, Finchelstein reminds us of the monumental important of ideology, and the importance of its extremes, in modern politics."--Jeremy Adelman, author of Worldly Philosopher: The Odyssey of Albert O. Hirschman
"Once again, Professor Finchelstein has given us an outstanding piece of work: tremendously erudite and well written, it penetrates to the core of fascist ideology and practice. For scholars of European history its extraordinary importance lies in shedding a new and revealing light on the process of transition from liberalism to fascism in a country that did not suffer from the catastrophe of the Great War."--Zeev Sternhell, author of The Anti-Enlightenment Tradition