Origins of Political Extremism: Mass Violence in the Twentieth Century and Beyond (Paperback)

Manus I. Midlarsky

ISBN 10: 052170071X / ISBN 13: 9780521700719

Published by Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2011

About this Item

Paperback. Political extremism is one of the most pernicious, destructive and nihilistic forms of human expression. During the 20th century, in excess of 100 million people had their lives taken from them as the result of extremist violence. In this wide-ranging book Manus I. Midlarsky suggests that ephemeral gains, together with mortality salience, form basic explanations for the origins of political extremism and constitute a theoretical framework that also explains later mass violence. Midlarsky applies his framework to multiple forms of political extremism including the rise of Italian, Hungarian and Romanian fascism, Nazism, radical Islamism, and Soviet, Chinese and Cambodian communism. Other applications include a rampaging military (Japan, Pakistan, Indonesia) and extreme nationalism in Serbia, Croatia, the Ottoman Empire and Rwanda. Polish anti-Semitism after World War II and the rise of separatist violence in Sri Lanka are also examined. Examines the origins of mass killing by analyzing and comparing multiple forms of political extremism. Shipping may be from our Sydney, NSW warehouse or from our UK or US warehouse, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9780521700719

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Origins of Political Extremism: Mass Violence in the Twentieth Century and Beyond (Paperback)
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
• Publication Date: 2011
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 052170071X
• ISBN 13: 9780521700719
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

Political extremism is one of the most pernicious, destructive, and nihilistic forms of human expression. During the twentieth century, in excess of 100 million people had their lives taken from them as the result of extremist violence. In this wide-ranging book Manus I. Midlarsky suggests that ephemeral gains, together with mortality salience, form basic explanations for the origins of political extremism and constitute a theoretical framework that also explains later mass violence. Midlarsky applies his framework to multiple forms of political extremism, including the rise of Italian, Hungarian and Romanian fascism, Nazism, radical Islamism, and Soviet, Chinese and Cambodian communism. Other applications include a rampaging military (Japan, Pakistan, Indonesia) and extreme nationalism in Serbia, Croatia, the Ottoman Empire and Rwanda. Polish anti-Semitism after World War II and the rise of separatist violence in Sri Lanka are also examined.

About the Author

Manus I. Midlarsky is the Moses and Annuta Back Professor of International Peace and Conflict Resolution at Rutgers University. He is the author of The Killing Trap: Genocide in the Twentieth Century (Cambridge University Press, 2005).