Federico Finchelstein's timely and carefully argued book unpacks the differences between fascism and populism and argues that many populists in the US, Europe, and Latin America are increasingly using violence, propaganda, xenophobia, and styles of self-presentation in ways that recall historic fascism and classic dictatorship.--Ruth Ben-Ghiat, author of Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present The Wannabe Fascists is a brilliant and provocative book of interest to those who want to learn how to defend democracy from fascist nightmares.--Carlos de la Torre, author of Populisms and Director of the Center for Latin American Studies, University of Florida Finchelstein is a leading figure in right-wing studies and offers us a new concept that is clever and very relevant in our contemporary political context.--Mabel Berezin, author of Making the Fascist Self and Distinguished Professor of Arts and Sciences in Sociology, Director of the Institute for European Studies, Cornell University Finchelstein, who is one of the world's leading experts on both fascism and populism, is essential reading for the times in which we live.--Times Literary Supplement