William Dudley Pelley - A Life in Right-Wing Extremism and the Occult (Hardcover)

The first full-length biography of William Dudley Pelley, an important figure in the development of right-wing extremism in the United States called by detractors the ""Star-Spangled Fascist."" William Dudley Pelley was one of the most important figures of the anti-Semitic radical right in the twentieth century. Best remembered as the leader of the paramilitary ""Silver Shirts,"" Pelley was also an award-winning short story writer, Hollywood screenwriter, and religious leader. During the Depression Pelley was a notorious presence in American politics; he ran for president on a platform calling for the ghettoization of American Jews and was a defendant in a headline-grabbing sedition trial thanks to his unwavering support for Nazi Germany. Scott Beekman offers not only a political but also an intellectual and literary biography of Pelley, greatly advancing our understanding of a figure often dismissed as a madman or charlatan. His belief system, composed of anti-Semitism, economic nostrums, racialism, neo-Theosophical channeling, and millenarian Christianity, anticipates the eclecticism of later cult personalities such as Shoko Asahara, leader of Aum Shinrikyo, and the British conspiracy theorist David Icke. By charting the course of Pelley's career, Beekman does an admirable job of placing Pelley within the history of both the anti-Semitic right and American occult movements. This exhaustively researched book is a welcome addition to the growing body of scholarship on American extremism and esoteric religions.

General

Imprint:	Syracuse University Press
Country of origin:	United States
Series:	Religion and Politics
Release date:	October 2005
First published:	November 2005
Authors:	Scott Beekman
Dimensions:	235 x 161 x 25mm (L x W x T)
Format:	Hardcover
Pages:	269
ISBN-13:	978-0-8156-0819-6
Categories:	Books > Language & Literature > Biography & autobiography > Historical, political & military Books > Humanities > History > American history > General Books > Social sciences > Sociology, social studies > Ethnic studies > General Books > Social sciences > Sociology, social studies > Social issues > Equal opportunities Books > Social sciences > Politics & government > Political ideologies > Conservatism & right-of-centre democratic ideologies Books > Humanities > History > World history > From 1900 > General Books > Humanities > Religion & beliefs > Alternative belief systems > Occult studies > General Books > History > American history > General Books > History > World history > From 1900 > General Books > Biography > Historical, political & military Books > Religion & Spirituality > Alternative belief systems > Occult studies > General
LSN:	0-8156-0819-5
Barcode:	9780815608196

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