On the Origins of Greek Fascist Theory

Περίληψη

Based on Griffin’s assumption that fascism is “a palingenetic form of populist ultranationalism”, we critically study a series of theoretical essays published mainly in the pro Metaxas dictatorship journal To Neon Kratos (1937–1941) by a group of young and aspiring law professors. In particular, we focus on the work of D. S. Vezanis, E. G. Kyriacopoulos, G. Mantzoufas, and N. D. Koumaros, who all took great pains at offering ideological support to the above mentioned regime. We maintain that the poorly argued and incomplete but unquestionably collectivist, anti-liberal and anti-democratic theory that emerges from their writings not only can be correctly characterized as fascist in Griffin’s terms but it also condones – by giving absolute normative priority to the interests of the nation-state as conceived by autarchic rulers – all the atrocities perpetrated by the Axis during War World II. In our view, this group of intellectuals is mainly responsible for laying the theoretical foundations of Greek fascism.