ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the story of how the growth of fascism in Sweden was thwarted by Social Democratic conventions in parliament. It focuses on joint research with Victor Lundberg. The chapter shows how young Social Democrats in Swedish local communities took part in fascist/anti-fascist political contest through meetings, demonstrations and confrontations in the streets. The historical origins of fascist mobilisation in Sweden stretches back to the beginning of the 1900s, forming a tradition of nationalistic and anti-Semitic agitation. Social Democratic Youth (SSU) was well organised, with local clubs all over the country, and divided into regional divisions. The chapter identifies three strategies within the SSU: counter-agitation, confrontation and isolation. International research emphasises both the variability and complexity of these confrontations, and their importance in shaping organisational cultures and views of both the political system and the role of government.
