The 21st century has been host to a significant change in political and social perspective. The European Union, once held as a harbinger of hope and source of a European unity and identity, has now become a despised enemy-the source of stolen nationalism, culture, and tradition. Peripheral groups of the far right and left have now emerged as the voices of moderation, attempting to forge a path to a Europe reflective of the union they had envisioned, a Europe that at once embraces national and European identity without a loss of economic and political sovereignty. These groups are resilient, competent, rational, and above all, successful. Their methods and manner are both something old and something new, an evolved form of fascism-witnessed through a new lens: the lens of Euroscepticism. It is Millennial Fascism: the reinterpretation and new iteration of the ideology that propelled Mussolini and Hitler to infamy.

In 2016, both the United Kingdom and the United States found themselves embroiled in bitter battles, battles in which the citizens themselves became their own worst enemies. The Brexit campaign and campaign for the 45th presidency precipitated a rebirth of populism and nationalism, invigorating entire populations and inducing even the most casual observer into political action and discourse. Yet, in both cases, what began as an endeavour to serve the needs of the citizenry morphed into a battlefield of derision and division. Racism and xenophobia are no longer isolated issues affecting only small segments of society. Hate crimes, hate speech, and overt racial discrimination are on the rise worldwide stemming from populist empowerment. Domestic terrorism has surged across the West, particularly in the US. An atmosphere of hostility has emerged, pitting neighbour against neighbour, as it insidiously sweeps through society, permanently altering our understanding of right and wrong and law and order. These issues are now at the forefront of debate and have assumed a position on the frontline of political warfare worldwide. The parallels between the societal changes in the UK and US are not merely provocative, they are disarming, particularly in light of the ensuing rise in far-right and far-left terrorism across the West. In the US, this societal transformation and rise in domestic threat demonstrates a charged and changed political atmosphere, as well as heralding the decline of American democracy.