Anders Widfeldt - Extreme Right Parties in Scandinavia

This book provides an up-to-date account of extreme right parties in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. It seeks to explain why these parties have grown in support, and in Denmark and Norway reached positions of direct political influence.

Following an analytical framework, in which explanatory factors on the demand- as well as supply-sides are identified, the book investigates a wide range of possible such factors. The account covers economic conditions, immigration and political trust, as well as the extent of the fascist and Nazi legacy in Scandinavia. Each of the three countries is then subject to an in-depth study. The origins, historical development, ideology, organisation and leadership of the relevant extreme right parties in each country are analysed thoroughly. The analysis draws on party documents and publications, such as Party manifestos, as well as media sources, biographies and academic literature. The main argument of the book is that internal supply-side factors, that is factors within the parties themselves, are indispensable in order to understand variations in the success of extreme right parties. External conditions are not unimportant, but account for very little if the parties do not provide a political package that can tap into the potential demand.

Anders Widfeldt has been a lecturer in Politics at the University of Aberdeen since 1996. He obtained his doctoral degree at Gteborg University in Sweden. Besides right-wing extremism and populism, his research interests also include party membership and party organisations.

Routledge studies in extremism and democracy

Series Editors: Roger Eatwell

University of Bath

and

Matthew Goodwin

University of Nottingham

Founding Series Editors: Roger Eatwell

University of Bath

and

Cas Mudde

University of Antwerp-UFSIA

This new series encompasses academic studies within the broad fields of extremism and democracy. These topics have traditionally been considered largely in isolation by academics. A key focus of the series, therefore, is the (inter-)relation between extremism and democracy. Works will seek to answer questions such as to what extent extremist groups pose a major threat to democratic parties, or how democracy can respond to extremism without undermining its own democratic credentials.

The books encompass two strands:

Routledge Studies in Extremism and Democracy includes books with an introductory and broad focus which are aimed at students and teachers. These books will be available in hardback and paperback. Titles include:

Understanding Terrorism in America
From the Klan to al Qaeda
Christopher Hewitt

Fascism and the Extreme Right
Roger Eatwell

Racist Extremism in Central and Eastern Europe
Edited by Cas Mudde

Political Parties and Terrorist Groups (2nd Edition)
Leonard Weinberg, Ami Pedahzur and Arie Perliger

The New Extremism in 21st Century Britain
Edited by Roger Eatwell and Matthew Goodwin

New British Fascism
Rise of the British National Party
Matthew Goodwin

The End of Terrorism?
Leonard Weinberg

Mapping the Extreme Right in Contemporary Europe
From local to transnational
Edited by Andrea Mammone, Emmanuel Godin and Brian Jenkins

Varieties of Right-Wing Extremism in Europe
Edited by Andrea Mammone, Emmanuel Godin and Brian Jenkins

Right-Wing Radicalism Today
Perspectives from Europe and the US
Edited by Sabine von Mering and Timothy Wyman McCarty

Revolt on the Right
Explaining support for the radical right in Britain
Robert Ford and Matthew Goodwin

Routledge Research in Extremism and Democracy offers a forum for innovative new research intended for a more specialist readership. These books will be in hardback only. Titles include:

Uncivil Society?
Contentious politics in post-Communist Europe
Edited by Petr Kopecky and Cas Mudde

Political Parties and Terrorist Groups
Leonard Weinberg and Ami Pedahzur

Western Democracies and the New Extreme Right Challenge
Edited by Roger Eatwell and Cas Mudde

Confronting Right-Wing Extremism and Terrorism in the USA
George Michael

Anti-Political Establishment Parties
A comparative analysis
Amir Abedi

American Extremism
History, politics and the militia
D. J. Mulloy

The Scope of Tolerance
Studies on the costs of free expression and freedom of the press
Raphael Cohen-Almagor

Extreme Right Activists in Europe
Through the magnifying glass
Bert Klandermans and Nonna Mayer

Ecological Politics and Democratic Theory
Mathew Humphrey

Reinventing the Italian Right
Territorial politics, populism and post-Fascism
Carlo Ruzza and Stefano Fella

Political Extremes
An investigation into the history of terms and concepts from antiquity to the present
Uwe Backes

The Populist Radical Right in Poland
The patriots
Rafal Pankowski

Social and Political Thought of Julius Evola
Paul Furlong

Radical Left Parties in Europe
Luke March

Counterterrorism in Turkey
Policy choices and policy effects toward the Kurdistan workers party (PKK)
Mustafa Coar nal

Class Politics and the Radical Right
Edited by Jens Rydgren

Rethinking the French New Right
Alternatives to modernity
Tamir Bar-On

Ending Terrorism in Italy
Anna Bull and Philip Cooke

Politics of Eugenics
Productionism, population, and national welfare
Alberto Spektorowski and Liza Saban

Democratic Extremism in Theory and Practice
Power to the people
Paul Lucardie

Populism in Western Europe
Comparing Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands
Teun Pauwels

Extreme Right Parties in Scandinavia
Anders Widfeldt

Extreme Right Parties in Scandinavia

Anders Widfeldt

First published 2015
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN

and by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017

Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business

2015 Anders Widfeldt

The right of Anders Widfeldt to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Widfeldt, Anders.
Extreme right parties in Scandinavia / Anders Widfeldt.

pages cm. (Routledge studies in extremism and democracy)