Law and Mental Health Professionals: Florida Book

This was the second book of a personal, occasional reading list to better understand authoritarianism and fascism. Preston’s book reads like a concise précis, short on poetry, but still a very valuable overview for those interested in the Spanish Civil War who would rather not delve into every excruciating detail of this tragic mess. The primary lesson for me is how the divisiveness of the Left led to the success of the relative unified pursuit of the goal of victory of the Right.

Another important lesson is how, over time, the political zeal of the global far Right, regardless of their social and cultural roots, have a consistent foundation. As Preston observes, “They shared a determination to establish an authoritarian corporative state, to destroy the organizations of the working class and to dismantle the institutions of democracy.” That’s a thread that links Franco to the new establishment of the American Republican Party today.