In Marie Benedict's historical novel The Mitford Affair, much of the narrative focuses on the rise of fascism in Great Britain before World War II.

Merriam-Webster defines fascism as "a political philosophy, movement, or regime…that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition." Today, in the context of WWII, most think primarily of fascism in Hitler's Germany or Mussolini's Italy, but in fact the movement had its advocates in other countries as well, including the United Kingdom and the United States.

The years after World War I saw massive social upheaval across the globe, and Great Britain was far from immune. The British Empire was crumbling, in large part due to a postwar rise in Indian nationalism and growing calls to end the crown's administration there. The nation's ...