The "Empire of Morality": The Iberian and Neo-Panhellenic Right-Wing Extremism

Abstract

Spanish, Portuguese and Neo-panhellenic right-wing extremism share three elements in common. First of all, a nationalist mystique fueled by an imperialist narrative. These were embodied by the Spanish concept of Hispanidad, the Portuguese Lusitanidade and, lastly, the Neo-panhellenic Megale Idea/Enosis. Secondly, nostalgia for previous ages and, finally, electoral failures after their respective dictatorships. This paper aims to analyze three political forces that met all these three key features across the 1970s and 1980s. In Spain, Fuerza Nueva (Spain), Circulo de Estudos Sociais Vector (Portugal) and Ethniki Politiki Enosis (Greece and Cyprus). In order to achieve this goal, this paper will dig into the background of each reactionary movement during the XXth century, their implementation and failure, in a comparative manner.

Keywords

• extreme right
• spain
• portugal
• neo-panhellenism
• empire
• nationalism
• transitional processes