Ruling Elites and Decision-Making in Fascist-Era Dictatorships

Dictators do not rule alone, and a governing elite stratum is always formed below them. This book explores an underdeveloped area in the study of fascism: the structure of power. The old and rich tradition of elite studies can tell us much about the structure and operation of political power in the dictatorship associated with fascism, whether through the characterisation of the modes of political elite recruitment, or by the type of leadership, and the relative power of the political institutions in the new dictatorial system. Analyzing four dictatorships associated with fascism (Fascist Italy, Nazi Germany, Salazar's Portugal and Franco's Spain), the book investigates the dictator-cabinet-single party triad from a comparative perspective.