Unpopular Front Podcast

The Battle Over Civil Society

17 snips
Oct 1, 2025
Dylan Riley, a UC Berkeley sociologist and author of The Civic Foundations of Fascism, examines the dynamics of civil society and democracy in today's political landscape. He discusses how social media acts as a contemporary analogue to interwar civil society, facilitating mobilization and shaming. Riley contrasts Trumpism with classic fascism, probing the complexities of MAGA's strategies and the fragmentation of culture. He also addresses the challenges facing the Democratic Party and the intricacies of right-wing working-class alignment in modern America.
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INSIGHT

Civil Society Can Spawn Authoritarianism

  • Dylan Riley argues fascism grew where civil society overdeveloped but hegemonic politics lagged.
  • Fascist movements exploited crises of representation by claiming to transcend traditional party politics.
INSIGHT

Classic Fascism Needed Mass Parties

  • Riley emphasizes classic fascist parties required strong, organized mass-party civil societies with local branches and paramilitary actions.
  • He found it hard to map that model directly onto early Trumpism because Trump lacked analogous mass-party infrastructure.
INSIGHT

Online Networks Mirror Civil Society

  • Riley now sees online platforms as an analog to interwar civil society organization, but with different forms of mobilization and discipline.
  • He notes digital tactics rely on shaming and employment threats rather than party cards and local branches.
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