“The Pathology of Cultural Criticism”

Abstract

The previous chapter has established the ideological basis for an analysis of authoritarianism and fascism in Lawrence’s works, and for the psychological profile that will be applied to some of Lawrence’s fictional characters. When determining the nature of the “fascist personality,” however, it is incumbent also to consider some of the “proto-fascist” ideological/artistic figures that preceded the period of National Socialism in Germany. The following analysis of the philosophies and personalities of three German theorists who led to the rise of fascism in that country therefore adds a practical element to the multi-faceted definition of fascism and authoritarianism that has so far been established.