How Were the Girl Guides, Downton Abbey and MI5 Linked to Fascist Collaborators? Professor Clive Bloom

TL;DR

British fascism brought together lower-middle-class, Girl Guide-type organizations and aristocratic, Downton Abbey-type groups, while MI5 encouraged fascism as part of its campaign against communism. After First World War disillusionment, these overlapping groups sought a mystical authoritarian leader, eventually focusing on Oswald Mosley. Read on to understand the roles of the Biff Boys, Kid Lewis and the Daily Mail.

Transcript

so if we go back to the end of the first world war um what we have is disillusionment the first thing that they capitalize on is disillusionment a lot of the anti-semitic organizations were all in fact all of them were anti-communist the anti-communist crusade was much more significant than the anti-jewish crusade until the mid-30s and then it chan... Read More

Key Insights

• 😮 Disillusionment after World War I provided fertile ground for the rise of fascist organizations.
• 🪛 Anti-communism was a significant driving force behind the growth of fascism.
• ❓ MI5 actively supported fascist organizations to combat communism in Britain.
• 🖐️ Oswald Mosley and the Biff Boys played crucial roles in the development and legitimization of fascist movements.
• 👨‍🔬 Fascist organizations were searching for a transcendental leader to unite their diverse factions.
• 🖐️ The Daily Mail and other media outlets played a role in promoting and supporting fascist ideologies.
• 🙈 There were individuals within fascist organizations who saw their cause in religious terms, likening their leaders to Christ.

Questions & Answers

Q: What fueled the rise of fascist organizations after the First World War?

Fascist organizations capitalized on widespread disillusionment after the First World War. Their anti-communist crusade was more significant than their anti-Jewish crusade until the mid-30s, when that balance changed.

Q: How were Girl Guide-type and Downton Abbey-type groups connected to British fascism?

The speaker describes lower-middle-class groups as Girl Guide-type organizations and aristocratic country-house groups as Downton Abbey-type fascists. The two groups often intermixed and their members frequently belonged to each other’s organizations.

Q: Why did MI5 encourage fascism in Britain?

MI5 wanted to remove communism entirely from the British industrial scene. It spent considerable money and time mixing with fascist groups, which supplied it with information.

Q: How were fascist groups used against unions and the Communist Party?

Fascist strong-arm men worked for employers such as the Cunard family. Their activities were directed toward breaking up unions and weakening the Communist Party.

Q: What kind of leader were British fascist organizations seeking?

The groups wanted a transcendental or mystical leader who could unite their factions and focus their movement. Some described this search in religious language resembling a search for Christ.

Q: What was Oswald Mosley trying to achieve politically?

Mosley moved through different parties and created the New Party while developing an authoritarian approach. The speaker says his ego and desire to intervene in the political system drove his ambition to become the leader.

Q: Who were the Biff Boys, and who led them?

The Biff Boys were strong-arm supporters who used their fists and resembled heroes from 1920s and 30s thrillers. They were led by the Jewish boxer Kid Lewis, who left when the organization became authoritarian.

Q: How did the Daily Mail support Mosley’s organization?

The Daily Mail, associated in the transcript with Rothermere, began backing the organization and celebrating the Biff Boys. It presented the movement as the direction Britain should follow.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Definition: Postwar fascist organizations capitalized on disillusionment and initially emphasized an anti-communist crusade.

• Compare: Anti-communism was more significant than the anti-Jewish crusade until the mid-30s, when the emphasis changed.

• Compare: Lower-middle-class Girl Guide-type organizations mixed with aristocratic, country-house, Downton Abbey-type fascists.

• Who: MI5 encouraged fascism while seeking to remove communism from the British industrial scene.

• Tool: Fascist groups supplied MI5 with information, while strong-arm men helped disrupt unions and the Communist Party.

• When: The Communist Party started in the summer of 1920 as these groups were coming together.

• Definition: Fascist groups sought a transcendental, mystical leader capable of uniting and focusing their movement.

• Who: Oswald Mosley changed parties, created the New Party and pursued an authoritarian route to leadership.

• Who: The Biff Boys used their fists and were led by Jewish boxer Kid Lewis, who left when the organization became authoritarian.

• Who: The Daily Mail and Rothermere backed the organization and promoted the Biff Boys.

• Who: A. K. Chesterton described Mosley in language resembling the search for Christ.