Since its first appearance in Italy in 1919, fascism has spawned a plethora of theoretical models - especially in the disciplines of politics, history, sociology, political economy, psychology and clinical pathology - and this process shows no signs of abating. This book sets out to explore the theme of fascism as a generic concept, and to present the range of views which scholars have formulated over the last 70 years. Drawing upon recent research, the author concentrates on the roots of fascism, fascist regimes (including those in Germany and Italy), its relationship with totalitarianism, its effect as a reactionary or modernizing force, and its future - in Europe and elsewhere.