Nazi-Maoism was a political movement and ideology that emerged in Italy around 1968[1] with the formation of a group known as "Struggle of the People". This group of students from the Sapienza University of Rome[2] took heavy inspiration from the writings and theory of Franco Freda[3] and advocated for a combination of ideas from both the far-left and far-right. According to the Neo-Fascist group "Third Position", Nazi-Maoism had a stance of "neither capitalism nor communism, neither reds nor reactionary".[4] Nazi-Maoists such as Freda wanted to form a "Fascist dictatorship of the proletariat"[5] by using the Maoist guerrilla strategy of people's war to overthrow the government and the bourgeoisie.[6]
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Nazi-Maoism is believed to have mostly faded away after the Struggle of the People group dissolved in 1973. However, some forms of Nazi-Maoism continued in other similar groups into the late 1970s, albeit not as active as the Struggle of the People. Some slogans of the so-called "Nazi-Maoism" can be found in numerous groups of the extra-parliamentary right, such as Terza Posizione and, more recently in Forza Nuova, who, despite an accentuated anti-communism and nationalist positions typical of the far-right, they have a strong attention to social problems, as well as a violent anti-Americanism and anti-Zionism.[7][8][9]
Outside of Italy
editIn Finland
editSS-veterans Sakari Haikala and Aarne Roiha were founding members of Maoist Finland–China Society[10] and members of its board.[11] Lieutenant Colonel and fascist party MP Paavo Susitaival described himself as a "Maoist fascist".[12][13] The pro-Maoist position among Finnish far-right was at least partially motivated by anti-Soviet position of Mao's China. "We visited the Helsinki embassy of China, and they showed anti-Russkie propaganda movies with massive cheering Chinese armies demanding attack to the USSR. We cheered also, this is the salvation of Finland. I still think that." said Haikala.[14]
Kai Murros is a prominent neo-fascist thought leader in Finland who has identified as a Maoist.[15][16]
In France
editIn France, a sister organization of the Italian "Struggle of the People" was called: Lutte du Peuple. It was created from the remains of Giovane Europe and Jeune-Europe, which were sister organizations structured around ideas propagated mainly by Jean Thiriart. Among the founders of Lutte du Peuple (l'OLP) were some dissident left-wing nationalists of the Ordre Nouveau and European socialists of the Pour Une Jeune-Europe (not to be confused with Jeune-Europe headed by Jean Thiriart), directed by Yves Batille. These organizations were a mix of Jean Thiriart's theses with a Maoism adapted to the European scene, but there was a fundamental difference, because while for Thiriart Maoism was a secondary element, for Nazi-Maoist organizations it was a fundamental element.[17] Nazi-Maoist ideas were noticeably manifested in the ideology of the Fédération d'action nationale et européenne.[18]
In Ukraine
editIn late 2019, Ukraine's Azov movement's literature club and publishing outfit Plomin (Flame, in Ukrainian), presented a translation of Freda's writings into Ukrainian. Freda's ideas were also promoted in Ukraine by neo-Nazi groups Karpatska Sich and Wotanjugend.[19]
Elsewhere
editSister organizations were created in Spain and Germany, the Organización Nacional-Révolutionare Aufbau.[18]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Sheehan, T., 1981. Italy: Terror on the right. The New York Review of Books, 27(21), pp.23–26.
- ^ Giuseppe Bessarione, Lambro / Hobbit. Right-wing youth culture. In Italy and Europe, Rome, Arcana Editrice, 1979, pp. 99–100
- ^ ANDREOLI, M., 1979. PERSPICACITY OF NAZI-MAOISM+ CASE OF FREDA, FRANCO AND MASSACRE AT PIAZZA-FONTANA-EFFECTS ON ITALIAN RIGHT. PONTE-RIVISTA MENSILE DI POLITICA E LETTERATURA, 35(4), pp.384–386
- ^ Hoffman, B., 1989. The contrasting ethical foundations of terrorism in the 1980s. Terrorism and Political Violence, 1(3), pp.361–377.
- ^ Griffin, R., 2003. From slime mould to rhizome: an introduction to the groupuscular right. Patterns of Prejudice, 37(1), pp.27–50.
- ^ Lebourg, N., 2015. Arriba Eurasia? The Difficult Establishment of Neo-Eurasianism in Spain.
- ^ Gianni Rossi, La destra e gli ebrei: una storia italiana, Soveria Mannelli, Rubbettino Editore, 2003.
- ^ La strage di Stato, Roma, Samonà e Savelli, 1970.
- ^ Giuseppe Bessarione, Lambro/Hobbit. La cultura giovanile di destra. In Italia e in Europa, Roma, Arcana Editrice, 1979, pp. 99–100
- ^ "Ambassador Chen Li Hosts Reception for Finland–China Society".
- ^ Koska kotimaa meidät lähetti — SS-mies Sakari Haikala Hitlerin eliittijoukoissa ISBN 978-952-291-257-2
- ^ "Unohdettu Susitaival". Sarastus. 11 January 2024.
- ^ Paavo Susitaival: Aktivisti ei hellitä (WSOY, 1981). ISBN 9512318377
- ^ "Sakari Haikala, Kouvolan veturimies 1970-luvun alussa". 11 January 2024.
- ^ Sakari Timonen (13 May 2024). "Aatetta tunnustaen". Apu.
- ^ Zúquete, José Pedro (2018). The Identitarians: The Movement against Globalism and Islam in Europe. University of Notre Dame Press. ISBN 9780268104245.
- ^ L'ALTERNATIVE NATIONALE-COMMUNISTE
- ^ a b LA STRAGE DI STATO. III CAPITOLO I fascisti. La nuova tattica: infiltrazione e nazimaoismo
- ^ "Ukraine's Far Right Is Boosting A Pro-Putin Fascist". Bellingcat. 12 January 2024.