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far right

Far right, extreme right, ultra-right, or radical right are terms used to discuss the qualitative or quantitative position a group or person occupies within a political spectrum. Far right is typically used to describe a political viewpoint that advocates strong social conservatism or social authoritarianism, rejects liberalism, and rejects communism.

The terms far right and far left are often used to imply that someone is an extremist. The terms are used by many political commentators to discuss political groups, movements, and political parties that are difficult to classify within conventional right-wing politics. The terms extreme right or ultra right are used by some scholars to discuss only those right-wing political groups that step outside the boundaries of traditional electoral politics. This generally includes the revolutionary right, militant racial supremacists and religious extremists, fascists, neo-fascists, Nazis, neo-Nazis and Klansmen. In this usage, the terms are distinct from other forms of right-wing politics such as the less-militant sectors of the far right, right-wing populists and the more traditional conservatives.Betz & Immerfall 1998; Betz 1994; Durham 2000; Durham 2002; Hainsworth 2000; Mudde 2000

The term far right has been used by different scholars in at least three somewhat conflicting ways:Betz & Immerfall 1998; Betz 1994; Durham 2000; Durham 2002; Hainsworth 2000; Mudde 2000; Berlet & Lyons, 2000.

Reform-oriented right-wing movements or rightist factions of conservative political parties. These are sometimes called the dissident right, activist right, or right-wing populism. They are positioned between traditional conservatives and the extreme right. These participants are found outside mainstream electoral politics, but they generally produce a movement of reform rather than revolution.

Neo-fascists and neo-Nazis are usually labeled extreme right or ultra right. Such groups are generally revolutionary in character rather than reformist. Neo-Nazi and Neo-fascist literally means "new Nazi" and "new fascist", implying that they are from the period following World War II.

The whole range of right-wing politics, from the borders of conservatism out to the far reaches of the extreme right.

These categories are not universally accepted, and other uses exist, making comparative use of the term complicated.

Usage

The term far right is usually rejected by right-wing political parties that consider themselves mainstream. Far right supporters are often strong advocates for forcibly intervening in society in order to protect or promote values that are viewed as traditional. This is in contrast to supporters of left-wing politics, who advocate intervention in favor of egalitarianism, and give little or no authority to tradition. Both stand in contrast also to less interventionist positions such as mainstream conservatism and liberalism, anarchism and libertarianism.

The political terms left and right arose during the French Revolution, and the original meaning of far right was the throne-and-altar reactionaries such as Joseph de Maistre and Louis de Bonald. They rejected democracy, liberalism and individualism, and were in favour of an authoritarian monarchical government. They further advocated the submission of the individual to the "natural associations" (families, regions, professions, nations, etc.). For them, humans should obey their superiors (the father in the family, the king in the state, the Pope in the Church) on earth because their authority is the mirror of the authority of God in the universe.

The original French meaning of far right is specific to a Roman Catholic nation, and more specifically to a Gallican society in which church and state were closely tied to one another. In this context, the term can be expanded to include the kind of Caesaropapism that occasionally existed in some Eastern Orthodox kingdoms. This specific interpretation of the term far right especially lost favor in the decades following the Revolutions of 1848, as a return to the Ancien Régime became increasingly implausible. By the reign of Pope Pius XI, this interpretation of far right had essentially become anachronistic even in conservative Catholic circles. The last regime that was far-right in this sense was arguably that of General Francisco Franco in Spain (1939-1975).Spain - The Franco Years

In the 2000s, the term far right is usually applied to those who support authoritarianism and policies that are considered right rather than left. In regions and nations that have no recent history of monarchy, such as Central America (discounting the Pre-Columbian era), Switzerland, and the United States, far-right politics is rarely monarchist, and usually advocates harsher law enforcement, particularly against disfavored groups, and sometimes fascist or military dictatorship.

The term far right also embraces extreme nationalism, and sometimes evokes a pure ideal of the nation, often defined by race. They may advocate the expansion or restructuring of existing state borders to achieve an ideal nation, often to the point of embracing war and imperialism. In English-speaking nations, this nationalism is often descended from militant aspects of British New Imperialism. Radical right-wing populism is a far right ideology that accepts representative democracy, but criticizes supposed political elites and appeals to ethno-nationalism. Fascism is generally, but not universally, classified as a far-right ideology. However, right-wing libertarian scholars F. A. Hayek and Ludwig von Mises, as well as conservative author Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn, are noteworthy dissenters from that view. Both have labeled fascism far left, based on their view of the political spectrum that equates left with support for increased government power and right with opposition to the same. However, there are many other competing interpretations of the left-right spectrum.

Ideologies and movements such as Strasserism, National Bolshevism, Third Position, National-Anarchism — and the ideologies of Juan Peron in Argentina, Gamal Abdel Nasser in Egypt, and the Baath in Syria and Iraq — are sometimes regarded as far right, but they transcend standard political boundaries. On one hand, these movements are anti-communist, but they often recruit among the lower and middle-classes, and when in power, have often nationalized industries and property, especially that owned by foreigners or by members of ethnicities not defined by them as part of their nation.

Environmentalism, calls for full employment and other concerns common on the left are sometimes found in the far right. Populism, social unrest, Autarky, violence, and revolution can be found in both the far right and far left.

The term "far right" has sometimes been used to describe certain "free market dictatorships", such as that of Augusto Pinochet in Chile.Who funds and runs the Politico? - Glenn Greenwald - Salon.com While the term is occasionally applied to supporters of laissez-faire capitalism, calling right-wing libertarians far right is a matter of controversy. Capitalist libertarians consider themselves proponents of Classical liberalism, which was the main adversary of the original far right. In his essays "Left and Right: the Prospects for Liberty" and "Confessions of a Right-Wing Liberal", Murray Rothbard even put libertarianism on the left, claiming that conservatives are the right and socialists merely "middle-of-the road"."Left and Right: the Prospects for Liberty", Murray Rothbard."Confessions of a Right-Wing Liberal", Murray Rothbard

Europe

European Union - see Euronat

* The Identity, Tradition, Sovereignty group of MEPs is a recently-formed grouping of far right parties in the European Union member states. This group dissolved in early November 2007, due to its Romanian members leaving the group, leaving it with fewer members than the 20 required to form a group in parliament.

Austria

* Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs (FPÖ) – Freedom Party of Austria
Far-right party shows surprising strength in Austrian vote, CNN, October 3, 1999.Political forces, Economist Country Briefings: Austria, 14 November 2006.

* Bündnis Zukunft Österreich (BZÖ) - Alliance for the Future of Austria, a "less ideological" split off of the FPÖ.

Belgium

* Vlaams Blok – Flemish Bloc; since 2004: Vlaams Belang

* Front National Belge (FNB) – Belgian National Front

Bulgaria - National Union Attack

Croatia

* Croatian Pure Party of Rights (HČSP)Cynthia M. Frank, The Impact of Electoral Engineering on Nationalist Parties in Post-War States, master's thesis (Georgia State University). Accessed 16 February 2007.

* Croatian Liberation Movement (HOP)Jasenovac - Donja Gradina: Industry of Death 1941-45Povijest i programAnte Pavelic killer fileJuly 2007 Investigative Journal LRN mp3 Archive

Denmark

* Fremskridtspartiet - Progress Party (Denmark)CNN article on Pia Kjærsgaard - includes statement about the Progress Party being far right.

France – see Nouvelle Droite, History of far right movements in France

* Front National (FN) – National Front

Germany

* Nationaldemokratische Partei Deutschlands (NPD) – National Democratic Party of Germany

* Die Republikaner – The Republicans (Germany)

* Freiheitliche Arbeiter Partei (FAP) - Free German Workers' Party

* Deutsche Heidnische Front – German Heathen's Front

* Deutsche Liga für Volk und Heimat (DLVH) - German League for People and Homeland

Greece - Πατριωτική Συμμαχία (Patriotiki Symmakhia, in English: Patriotic Alliance)ENF gathers in Athens from the European National Front website.

Hungary

* Jobbik Magyarországért Mozgalom (Jobbik) - Movement for a Better Hungary

* Magyar Igazság és Élet Pártja (MIÉP) - Hungarian Justice and Life Party

Italy - Movimento Sociale Italiano - Destra Nazionale (MSI) - Italian Social Movement-National Right.

Latvia — National Power UnionReturn to (illiberal) diversity? - p. 9

Luxembourg - Nationalbewegung

Netherlands

* Centrumdemocraten – Centre Democrats (defunct)

* Centrumpartij – Centre Party, later Centrumpartij’86, both defunct

Norway

*Demokratene

*Fremskrittspartiet

Portugal - Partido Nacional Renovador - National Renewal PartyInformaworld - Portugal: A New Look At The Extreme Right

Romania - Greater Romania Party

Serbia - Serbian Radical PartyThe Virtual and Global Social Democratic Party - Political Exchange World-wide: List of Extreme Right-wing & Left-wing PartiesSoutheast Europe Portal - Serbia: Local Elections 2004 ResultsGuardian: Extreme nationalist elected speaker of Serbian parliamentBoston.com news article: Milosevic ally gains key Serbian post

Spain

* Falange (The Spanish Falange/Phalange)

* Democracia Nacional (National Democracy)

Sweden

* Nationaldemokraterna - National Democrats

* Nordiska rikspartiet - Nordic Reich Party

* Sverigedemokraterna - Sweden Democrats

Switzerland - Schweizer Demokraten - Swiss Democrats (SD)Schweizer Demokraten vor der Auflösung, NZZ Online (2007), "facing dissolution".

United Kingdom

* National Front (NF)

* British National Party (BNP) British National Party: Nasty, brutish and short-lived?, The Economist, August 5, 2004.

North America

United States

* Constitution Party (circa 1950s)Diamond, Sara. 1995. Roads to Dominion: Right–Wing Movements and Political Power in the United States. New York: Guilford.

* American Independent Party

* America First Party

South America

Argentina

* Partido Unidad Federalista

* Union of the Democratic Centre (Argentina)

* Democratic Party (Mendoza)

Brazil

* PRONA

South Asia

Pakistan - Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (a religious coalition)

India -

*Shiv Sena

*Bharatiya Janata Party

*Vishwa Hindu Parishad

*Bajarang Dal

Southwest Asia

Lebanon - Lebanese Forces

Lebanon - Phalangist Party

Lebanon - Guardians of the Cedars

Israel - Kach and Kahane Chai

Israel - Yisrael Beiteinu

Turkey - Felicity Party

Turkey - Great Union Party

Turkey - Nationalist Action Party

Australia, Oceania

Australia

* Australia First PartyAustralia First: reclaiming the agenda, The Age, December 14, 2005.

* Citizens Electoral Council Fascist Australia, The Age, August 24, 2004. Minority group in TV hijacking, The Australian, July 14, 2007.

References

Arzheimer, Kai and Elisabeth Carter (2006). "Political Opportunity Structures and Right-Wing Extremist Party Success" European Journal of Political Research (45):419-443

Betz, Hans-Georg and Stefan Immerfall, eds. 1998. The New Politics of the Right: Neo-Populist Parties and Movements in Established Democracies. New York: St. Martin's Press.

Betz, Hans-Georg (1994). Radical Right-wing Populism in Western Europe. New York: St. Martins Press.

Durham, Martin (2000). The Christian Right, the Far Right and the Boundaries of American Conservatism. Manchester, England: Manchester University Press.

Durham, Martin (2002). "From Imperium to Internet: the National Alliance and the American Extreme Right" Patterns of Prejudice 36(3), (July): 50-61.

Hainsworth, Paul (2000). The Politics of the Extreme Right: From the Margins to the Mainstream. London: Pinter.

Schoenbaum, David. Hitler's Social Revolution: Class and Status in Nazi Germany,. ISBN

Radical conservatism : the right's political religion / Robert Brent Toplin., 2006

Radical conservatism and the future of politics / Göran Dahl., 1999

Fascists and conservatives : the radical right and the establishment in twentieth-century Europe / Martin Blinkhorn., 1990

The Routledge companion to fascism and the far right / Peter Davies., 2002

The terrorist next door : the militia movement and the radical right / Daniel Levitas., 2002

Right-wing populism in America : too close for comfort / Chip Berlet & Matthew N. Lyons, 2000

The extreme right : freedom and security at risk / Aurel Braun., 1997

The impact of radical right-wing parties in West European democracies / Michelle Hale Williams., 2006

Right-wing extremism in the twenty-first century / Peter Merkl., 2003

Extreme right parties in Western Europe / Piero Ignazi., 2003

The United States and right-wing dictatorships, 1965-1989 / David Schmitz., 2006

The emergence of a Euro-American radical right / Jeffrey Kaplan., 1998

The politics of the extreme right : from the margins to the mainstream / Paul Hainsworth., 2000

The revival of right-wing extremism in the nineties / Peter Merkl., 1997

Shadows over Europe : the development and impact of the extreme right in Western Europe / Martin Schain., 2002

Western democracies and the new extreme right challenge / Roger Eatwell., 2004

The voice of modern hatred : encounters with Europe's new right / Nicholas Fraser., 2000

Extreme right activists in Europe : through the magnifying glass / Bert Klandermans., 2006

Preachers of hate : the rise of the far right / Angus Roxburgh., 2002

Movements of exclusion : radical right-wing populism in the Western world / Jens Rydgren., 2005

The myth of far right/ Brendan O'Neil, 2002

External links

Extreme Right Electorates and Party Success Research Group (EREPS)

The Extreme Right Vote in Western Europe

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