Uploaded November 2020 | Updated September 2026, 51 minutes ago
A lecture on Umberto Eco's essay "Ur-Fascism."
Eco grew up in fascist Italy, witnessing first hand the impact that fascist political thought had on his nation, and the effect of its subsequent collapse and his nation's attempt to make sense of itself in the aftermath. These experiences led him to try and understand the nature of fascism. He argues that there is no 'essence' of fascism. Rather, we should understand fascism as being a set of political and social traits that bear a 'family resemblance' to each other. He outlines 14 of these traits that he collectively calls 'Ur-fascism.'
Read the essay here: nybooks.com/articles/1995/06/22/ur-fascism
A lecture on Umberto Eco's essay "Ur-Fascism."
Eco grew up in fascist Italy, witnessing first hand the impact that fascist political thought had on his nation, and the effect of its subsequent collapse and his nation's attempt to make sense of itself in the aftermath. These experiences led him to try and understand the nature of fascism. He argues that there is no 'essence' of fascism. Rather, we should understand fascism as being a set of political and social traits that bear a 'family resemblance' to each other. He outlines 14 of these traits that he collectively calls 'Ur-fascism.'
Read the essay here: nybooks.com/articles/1995/06/22/ur-fascism
