Fascists, Communists, and the National Government: Civil Liberties in Great Britain, 1931-1937

Britain witnessed a milder brand of fascism and communism than did most other European countries. Neither the extreme Left nor the extreme Right ever assumed proportions that directly threatened the regime or even approached any major electoral displacement. But Britain eventually took its place with those countries that passed laws curtailing Fascist and Communist activities and, in the process, certain traditional civil liberties. The following chapters study Fascist and Communist groups in Britain during the 1930s and the actions taken by the National Government to prevent their growth and to preserve public order.