A new book, 'End Times Fascism And the Fight for the Living World', co-authored by Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor, offers a sharp analysis of what they describe as a dangerous convergence of interests driven by the climate crisis and the actions of the super-rich. The book, reviewed by Daniel Trilling, posits that these forces represent a revival of fascism, broadly defined as an elite response to capitalism’s perceived failures.
Klein and Taylor argue that as radical right-wing nationalism gains power globally, its destructive politics risk becoming normalised. The authors highlight concerning trends, such as leaders making casual threats about widespread destruction, the unchecked spread of racist conspiracy theories, and the potential for political parties in countries like the UK to capitalise on this international movement.
The core concept introduced by Klein and Taylor is 'end times fascism,' which they define as a convergence of interests that can be understood as a direct response to the escalating climate crisis. They suggest that faced with unprecedented environmental strain and an unequal, resource-intensive economic system, contemporary reactionaries are effectively embracing, rather than mitigating, the crisis.
Klein and Taylor assert that "the most powerful people in the world are preparing for the end of the world, an end they themselves are frenetically accelerating." They identify a loose alliance of three primary factions predominantly rooted in US political and business elites.
The first faction comprises religious fanatics who interpret environmental disasters as signals of an impending apocalypse. These groups, the authors note, find common ground with secular demagogues who promise a glorious and prosperous future built upon the ruins of the present. An example cited is the "New Gaza" vision, a property developers’ concept that the Trump administration, heavily influenced by Christian Zionists, claimed would emerge from the devastation of Israel's US-backed actions.
The second faction consists of new tech barons. Klein and Taylor state that these individuals advocate for an AI "arms race" as the sole means of human salvation, despite its significant demands for water and electricity exacerbating planetary strain. Simultaneously, these figures are depicted as envisioning a future where they can retreat to remote, fortified enclaves to avoid societal collapse.
The third group identified are political entrepreneurs. These figures, according to the authors, translate visions of disaster into electoral support by promising to transform their nations into "bunkered garrison states." While migration often draws the most attention in this context, Klein and Taylor also apply this logic to an increasingly aggressive global scramble for natural resources, describing it as "supersized prepping at the level of the nation-state."
The authors contend that this phenomenon constitutes a revival of fascism, but one that requires a broader understanding than the uniformed mass movements of the past. Their definition views fascism as a recurring tendency among elites that manifests when traditional capitalism no longer serves their interests and their positions of power feel threatened. Drawing on theorists such as Walter Benjamin and WEB Du Bois, Klein and Taylor characterise fascism as "capitalism with bared teeth."
Daniel Trilling, the reviewer, acknowledges the academic debate surrounding such a broad definition of fascism but suggests that the authors' primary achievement lies in making people aware of contemporary problems and empowering them to respond. Klein, with nearly three decades of work, has consistently highlighted the links between unrestrained capitalism and violent, anti-democratic tendencies. Taylor, a Canadian-American filmmaker, writer, and activist, is noted for her involvement in social justice movements.
The book details how the prevailing economic system, "built on limitless growth, and on limitless wealth for the winners," has clashed with the increasing difficulty of sustaining life on Earth. As a psychological coping mechanism, reactionaries, according to the authors, offer "bursts of sadistic satisfaction summoned by footage of immigrants in supermax prisons, or soldiers marching through the streets," which in turn fuels demands for even more extreme measures.
Despite these challenges, Klein and Taylor also highlight the vulnerabilities of the right-wing, noting its susceptibility to internal divisions and overreach. This, they argue, creates opportunities for progressives whose ultimate objective must be to dismantle the concentration of wealth and power that has contributed to the current global predicament.
The authors draw inspiration from various examples of resistance. Zohran Mamdani’s successful campaign for the New York mayoralty is cited as evidence that a winning coalition can be built by addressing people’s material concerns and by celebrating diversity rather than seeking to deny or apologise for it. Other creative forms of resistance, both within the US and internationally, are presented as the seeds of a new politics. This emerging political approach, they suggest, is "rooted in an expansive, open-armed sense of neighbourliness" and capable of countering dystopian visions.
Specific instances include Venetians challenging Jeff Bezos’s attempt to use their city for a prominent event, and how Minnesotans provided mutual support during intensified Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids. A guiding principle for the authors is the left-wing, diasporic Jewish concept of 'doikayt,' or "hereness," which advocates for fighting for justice and equality wherever one lives. They propose that this is just one of many cultural and political traditions that can be drawn upon for resistance.
The reviewer, Daniel Trilling, observes that while 'End Times Fascism' addresses the global context, its primary focus remains on the United States. Trilling notes that this US-centric approach, while understandable given the country's hegemonic position, raises questions about the universal applicability of its lessons. He ponders whether other parts of the world, particularly those with longer histories of authoritarian politics, might offer different long-term strategies.
Despite this observation, Trilling concludes that Klein and Taylor's contribution is valuable in mapping the current challenging global landscape and identifying potential paths towards an alternative future.
'End Times Fascism And the Fight for the Living World' by Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor is published by Allen Lane and is priced at £25.
