Radicalism and New Media WORKING PAPERS Dr Paul Jackson ’s ‘Merrie England’ and ‘Universal ’

The politics of Colin Jordan are perhaps not the East”, Kallis examines the willingness to difficult to sum up: he was a British postwar commit violence inspired by Nazi ideology neo-Nazi, one who specifically placed race during the Holocaust (Kallis, 2007). In par- above the nation, and so saw his ideas as ticular, Kallis was interested in how people part of an international attempt to rehabili- attempted to overcome a sense of cognitive tate Nazism as a major political force. This dissonance, or a disconnection, between gravitated around promoting revolutionary transgressing a moral taboo (i.e. killing Jew- violence, to be carried out by an elite task- ish people and others deemed worthy of force. The vanguard would fight to overcome elimination) and the racial-utopian desire an alleged Jewish conspiracy that corrupts promoted by Nazi ideology that argues that contemporary society. Jordan also developed certain people should be eliminated. strong views on religion, rejecting Christian- ity as essentially Jewish. Instead, he pro- To achieve this broad acceptance of a moted a pagan worldview that gave cosmic new moral world, one where mass killing be- significance to his racial, revolutionary ideas. comes possible, figures of authority within He developed this Nazi Weltanschuung, or the Nazi system need to build a sustained worldview, from the fanatical interwar British culture that supported such extreme in- Nazi . Jordan also idolised Hitler stances moral transgression. To achieve this, and other leading Nazis, such as Rudolf Hess. Kallis stresses that the culture developed by the Nazi regime was able to give people In this paper, I want to develop Jor- many formal and informal indications that dan‟s ideas promoting racial revolution, link- such extreme acts could be viewed as ac- ing local and national activism with the need ceptable. So official propaganda demonising for the regeneration of the whole white race, Jews giving them superhuman qualities, as he understood this concept. This con- speeches by leading politicians proclaiming a nected his British neo-Nazism with a global racial revolution, alongside formal orders to „Universal Nazism‟, an idea he promoted for kill civilians in wartime, all authorised the example as part of the activities of the World morally unacceptable to become legitimate in Union of National Socialists, an organisation the name of the wider Nazi cause. Kallis calls he helped to form and run from 1962. More- these interventions by the Nazi machine giv- over, it is important to stress that his writ- ing licence: Licence firstly to hate, and then ings, his main legacy following his death in eventually to kill on a mass scale. 2009, actively attempt to give licence to commit acts of extremism, including revolu- I think this quality of Nazism, an ideol- tionary violence, to people attracted to neo- ogy that is predicated on a fundamental dis- Nazi far-right ideologies. sonance between the goals of the racial revo- lution and our most basic understanding of To develop this theme of giving licence morality, can be extended outside the con- to violence, it is worth sidetracking a little to text of the Holocaust and into analysis of briefly develop some of the current thinking postwar neo-Nazis. Such protagonists are on the Holocaust from expert on genocide also concerned with developing cultures that and the Holocaust, Professor Aristotle Kallis. give licence to extreme views, which justify In a paper entitled “„Licence‟ and Genocide in the morally unacceptable and extreme. So

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postwar neo-Nazis also develop a culture, ting Hill Riots, and by 1960 merged with the though writings, webpages, societies, and so National Labour Party to form the British Na- forth, that demonises those it regards racially tional Party (the second of four). After inter- inferior, often by giving them super and / or nal differences, Jordan and fellow neo-Nazi sub human qualities. At bottom, the serious John Tyndall left the BNP, and on April 20 neo-Nazis, such as Jordan, promote a revolu- 1962 formed the National Socialist Move- tionary overthrow of one order, deemed ment, again reconfiguring Nazism to a post- decadent and corrupt, in order to establish a war British context. In the summer of 1962, new racially „pure‟ society. Jordan met with leader , and other postwar Of course, the Nazi state was su- neo-Nazis, to form the World Union of Na- premely powerful during the period of the tional Socialists. This set out the principles of Holocaust, and so could offer licences to hate a new „Universal Nazism‟ in the notorious and to kill to a whole society. Postwar neo- Cotswold Declaration. Again, the theme of Nazis are nowhere near achieving state racial unity allowed for a global union, with power. Nevertheless, when we turn to the national Nazi organisations linking up to form far, far smaller, counter cultural sphere of a wider, global network. postwar neo-Nazism, Colin Jordan‟s writings, and living example, can be seen as giving Jordan‟s extremist National Socialist licence to extremism. Operating on the bor- Movement was also directed towards revolu- ders of legality, Jordan offers activists a dis- tionary violence, and possessed a paramili- course that seeks to reframe the dissonance tary unit, called Spearhead, with its own uni- between the morally acceptable and neo-Nazi form. Jordan was wearing this outfit at the ideological goals. His work attempts to de- notorious 1962 Trafalgar Square demonstra- velop a licence to hate and to act violently, in tion to promote the movement to the nation. particular by idealising a revolutionary van- After the rally turned violent, he was con- guard. In some of his more extreme mo- victed for organising and equipping a para- ments, he also talks of murder, and his writ- military force for political ends. In the 1960s, ings can be seen as justifying the notion of National Socialist Movement members were killing for the revolutionary cause, especially active in a number of racially motivated at- when the victim is Jewish. tacks, while Jordan himself was imprisoned for distributing racist literature. 1967 was a To achieve this, Jordan needed to culti- key year in postwar far-right politics, as the vate himself as an authority figure within the National Front was formed. Tellingly, after his movement, a feature we can see in his biog- release in 1968, Jordan decided to remain raphy from his early years as an activist on- outside the NF, and formed the uncompro- wards. Before the war, a teenage Jordan vis- mising , an openly neo-Nazi ited Nazi , an experience which he grouping. Again, highlighting Jordan‟s pro- would later draw on in his postwar writings. clivity for political violence, the British Move- During the war itself, he served in the Royal ment also developed its own paramilitary Army Medical Corps, after which he studied grouping, the National Socialist Group. at Cambridge University. Here he formed a Nationalist Club, and after graduating he set Jordan‟s role as a leader of neo-Nazi up his first standalone organisation, the Bir- extremists remained intact until he was mingham Nationalist Book Club, before join- prosecuted for steeling women‟s underwear ing with A. K. Chesterton‟s far-right League from Tesco‟s in the mid 1970s – which seri- of Empire Loyalists in the 1950s. ously dented his credibility in neo-Nazi cir- cles. Thereafter, he retired from active en- In 1956 he gained his first criminal con- gagement with such vanguard movements, viction, and significantly also set up the yet continued to develop his profile as a neo- , with funding secured Nazi publicist. This included publishing the from the estate of interwar British Nazi, Ar- deeply anti-Semitic magazine originally cre- nold Leese. The WDL was active in the Not-

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ated by Arnold Leese, Gothic Ripples. Some wholehearted believer in a Jewish world con- of these writings are reproduced online, for spiracy. example a set of Gothic Ripples essays out- lining his general worldview is currently avail- We can see this distinction come able, titled The Way Forwards. through clearly in Merrie England, a book which tries to satirise a multicultural Britain From the 1990s, he also published a entering terminal decline by the turn of the number of books that have become central to century. The novel‟s central protagonist, An- his legacy, and again are available to pur- nie, is imprisoned by the sinister Ministry of chase online. This included two fictional Harmony after she racially abuses a black pieces, which set his ideas in the form of far- man. The story then follows her life though a right novellas, Merrie England – 2000 and series of situations which allows Jordan to The Uprising. Merrie England was published develop his central critique of contemporary in 1992, and has echoes of George Orwell‟s society: since the fall of the Berlin Wall, the 1984 as it depicts the takeover of modern global forces of and capitalism Britain by a totalitarian, multiracial society, have fused to become „commu-capitalism‟, which imposes multicultural values. The Up- and essentiality disempower white people. rising meanwhile is more akin to The Turner The narrative is clear that a Jewish conspir- Diaries. It was published in 2002, and depicts acy controls the white race, and enforces a violent revolution in Britain by an elite neo- complicity in a humiliating multicultural soci- Nazi taskforce. Finally, his book of selected ety. In Jordan‟s dystopia, television brain- writings, National Socialism: Vanguard of the washes mass society into complicity, schools Future again offers readers a summary of his promote false values of racial inferiority of ideology. Jordan died in 2009, though before whites, and tellingly the Holocaust is pre- his death he gave some financial support to sented as a fiction developed by Jews who the British People‟s Party, formed in 2005, had actually won the Second World War by and developed a series of interviews to pro- defeating . The book finishes mote his ideas to the wider National Socialist its dystopian vision for the future by arguing community. that the state will start beaming rays that can control the minds of white people, forcing By analysing these later, key texts we submission to the system. can see how Jordan‟s ideas can help to give licence to hate, and licence to commit acts of Regarding the theme of neo-Nazi litera- ideological violence, to those drawn to neo- ture giving licence to extremism, Merrie Eng- Nazi extremism. We can already see from his land‟s reception suggests how its extremist biography that Jordan is a figure who has in- vision can resonate to the converted. For ex- spired others to act in such a manner, espe- ample, a review from Michael Walker‟s The cially in his 1960s heyday. So how do his Scorpion stressed: writings actively subvert a prevailing moral- ity, giving licence to extremism? How does That emotive reaction of ours reveals a his neo-Nazism contribute to a culture where truth which our reason may have other- violence against the dominant social order is wise succeeded in hiding from us, pro- seen as justifiable and legitimate? testing, “no, no that isn't right”; or, “that's a terrible exaggeration”. Deft Jordan‟s whole perspective is based on use of satire is the outstanding quality biological racism. As with his mentor, Arnold of George Orwell's 1984, a satire writ- Leese, race was essentially a question of biol- ten on more levels than most readers ogy and conspiracy. Two major targets come have appreciated, when at the time it through, Jews and non-white migrants. The was written the belief that the British latter, predominantly Asians and Black peo- would ever accept the political tailoring ple in Jordan‟s texts, are seen as symptoms of their language or the enforcement of of social decay, but not its instigators. This metrication seemed very fanciful, not to active role is given to Jews, and Jordan is a be taken too seriously. There are ech-

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oes of 1984 in Jordan's Merrie Eng- with all those today, wherever they land ... It is written in the same line of are, who actively serve the cause. Thus political satire, extrapolating certain we create comradeship of spirit a tendencies in society and imagining that bridge of dedication, past to present we have not long to go now before we and present to future. have arrived at a point where the ten- dencies have become have omnipresent Meanwhile, in one of his most widely repro- facts of life. duced essays, available on the internet too, „National Socialism: A Philosophical Ap- So Merrie England evokes the crisis that neo- praisal‟, Jordan again sets up Nazism as a Nazis believe is unfolding, but only implies faith operating on a higher plain. Arguing that there needs to be a sustained alterna- that National Socialism is ultimately an atti- tive. Turning to Jordan‟s collection of essays, tude he argues that it „Sets a meaning and National Socialism: Vanguard of the Future, purpose of cosmic dimension to life as a per- we can see the solution fleshed out in more sonal fulfilment‟. The cosmic dimension is detail. significant. The nation is merely a constituent part of the white race for Jordan, itself The first section of the book contains grounded in cosmic forces of nature. True several essays that develop Nazism as an National Socialists need to be aware of this ideology in its historical context. Subverting wider loyalty, not to one‟s nation but primar- conventional wisdom, Hitler‟s Germany is ily to one‟s race. So again, such ideas not painted as a modern, visionary state that at- merely allow for critique of the present de- tempted to generate a new order, yet was mocratic order, but are designed to give li- held back by a corrupt wider world. Democ- cence to commit acts of extremism against ratic political leaders of the period, especially the nation-state, which holds back the white Winston Churchill, come across as extreme race from achieving liberation and spiritual anti-patriots. Contrastingly, the discussions fulfilment. on Hitler himself are particularly revealing. Specifically, Hitler is presented as „the mes- Jordan‟s views on political tactics are siah of the Aryans‟, a superhuman figure akin also developed in these writings. Essentially, to a religious leader. he rejects forms of nationalist populism, found in far-right parties that engage in elec- Other quasi-religious themes also come tioneering. All is a conspiracy to though too. Time is presented as operating in legitimise capitalist and communists ruling cycles, and so the degeneracy and decay the world for Jordan. So developing an elec- found in the modern world – themes he de- toral tactic inevitably leads to compromise, veloped in Merrie England – point towards an and a slow conversion to a non-revolutionary inevitable ending of an old order, and the re- agenda, and so a false racial consciousness. generation of society in a new form at some As he put this point: point in the future. This evocation of a higher destiny, with Hitler as the redeemer, leads All the signs are that, unless and until Jordan to describe his worldview as a „creed‟, there is a complete breakdown of the and as a „political religion‟, generating a old system to administer sufficient of a sense of common cause. For example, the jolt to the masses to bring them to their following extract highlights this community of sense, they will not come to support dead, living, and those yet to be born at the National Socialism in sufficient numbers core of his „National Socialist creed‟: to enable acquisition of power.

As we focus our thoughts on the foun- The telling phrase here is „the complete der of our faith, embracing his spirit, breakdown of the old system‟, which would we bring to life in memory all those come about through a combination of histori- who have lived and died in his case, cal inevitability – the present society was holding hands with them, and likewise likely to get into a major crisis in the near

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future – and also through the active effort of lighting coalesce in a final, influential work. an ideologically pure vanguard, described as Tellingly, the book is dedicated to Bob Mat- follows: thews of the American neo-Nazi terrorist or- ganisation, The Order. Unlike Merrie England since we need the breakdown of the old which tried to satirise the degeneration of order to build the new, the more span- British society, and echoing The Turner Dia- ners we can throw in the works of the ries, The Uprising allowed the victory of Jor- present system, the better. Its system- dan‟s elite task force to be narrated. atic sabotage in every possible way is purposeful commendable demolition for In a series of fictive accounts that are the real National Socialist revolutionary, really dressed up essays on particular topics who appreciates things have to get of aggravation to Jordan, various targets are worse before they get better, and that dealt with by the elite force of the British an existing decrepit structure has to be Freedom Fighters. Overcoming a Jewish con- torn down before a new and better edi- spiracy through terrorist violence is central to fice can be put in its place. the account, with a Jewish Home Secretary being assassinated early on in the story; and To develop this sort of revolutionary activity, even a Jewish journalist, who publishes an a paramilitary taskforce was vital. This would anti-fascist magazine called Stoplight, is comprise an elite who were true believers in dealt with in a violent manner. Throughout the ideology as he saw it, people who under- this narrative, the book normalises Jordan‟s stood National Socialism as faith and a higher brand of revolutionary violence. Tellingly the cause. This could only be achieved by reject- British Freedom Fighters seek to develop ing everyday morality, and developing a new their own, countervailing system of revolu- one in tune with the desires of the ideology. tionary justice throughout the story, compris- So any member of the vanguard had to: ing of an alternate court and system of pun- Purge his mind of all attachments to ishment. So the violence meted out by this the existing state and system and soci- revolutionary vanguard is presented as justi- ety, abstracting himself to the upmost fiable, so long as one has accepted the ideol- from the grip of this alien world so as ogy of the Nazi revolution. Once again, the to be in total rebellion against its deca- theme of transgressing normal morality, le- dence, becoming a fragment of the fu- gitimising terrorist violence, is evoked by the ture. fictional account.

Addressing the reader directly as such a pro- Its reception is also revealing. Despite tagonist, he continues: violence occurring on most pages, a comple- mentary review in Blood and Honour felt that In the beginning you may be alone in the novel was „remarkably violence free‟ all this, an isolated revolutionary agent when compared to the violence committed by in enemy-occupied territory. If so, un- the present system to the white race. Tell- derstand at once that this is no cause ingly, Jordan was also described as Britain‟s for lament and despondency, and no leading National Socialist activist. Meanwhile, excuse for inhibition and inaction, but NSM88 Records also reviewed the book. Pref- the very test of initiation as to your acing the review for American audiences with suitability because the true elitist is a biography of Jordan that styled him as a precisely the one capable of operating living legend, the review highlights the comic on his own, if needs be... style of the book in particular – it is charac- terised positively as a cross between Monty So littered through the text are such state- Python and Adolf Eichmann. ments, assertions giving license to individual terrorist action. This was also a theme devel- Also, the review stresses that the book oped in fiction too. His second novella, The is valuable as it promotes new media, radio Uprising, saw the themes I have been high- and especially online activism, highlighting

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these technologies as crucial tools to develop violence conceived as revolutionary. This li- a revolutionary situation. So Jordan‟s fictional cence offered to neo-Nazi extremism will only account actively contributes to discussion on resonate with a handful of convinced ideo- tactics, and is not just a passive story. The logues. However, Jordan's aim was not for review concluded by taking issue with the mass recognition but to retain ideological pu- central theme of promoting violence as the rity, and to keep the revolutionary dream only strategy for achieving political break- alive. So though he is likely to influence few, through, yet finished with the line „But we the message he conveys can appear very encourage everyone to read The Uprising for profound, and therefore dangerous. himself or herself and draw his or her own conclusions.‟ So this message is an ambiva- lent promotion of Jordan‟s licence to act vio- Bibliography: lently. While encouraging its readers to make up their own mind on this issue, NSM88Re- Aristotle Kallis, „„Licence‟ and Genocide in the cords is also helpful here, as the website sells East: Reflections on Localised Eliminationist a number of CDs of Jordan‟s speeches, in- Violence‟, Studies in Ethnicity and National- cluding his most recent interviews, as well as ism, 2007 ASEN Conference Special: Vol. 7, copies of The Uprising. No. 3, 2007.

A final point here, such reception of The Colin Jordan, National Vanguard, No Pub- Uprising highlights Jordan‟s significant status lisher. within the neo-Nazi discourses. After his Colin Jordan, National Socialism: Vanguard of death, his obituaries also provide interesting the Future: Selected Writings of Colin Jordan material to measure his status. One example (Nordland Forlag: Aalborg, 1993). is from the ‟s website. The obituary gives a generous overview of Colin Jordan, Merrie England 2000, No Pub- Jordan‟s inspirational life. Significant in itself lisher. as such „propaganda by deed‟ inspires fellow neo-Nazis. The text also praises his encour- Colin Jordan, The Uprising (NS Publications: agement of transgressing taboos: „His books Ottawa Lake, 2004). and essays gave us much inspiration and Dr Paul Jackson is a Lecturer in History provoked the wrath of zog and state oppres- at the University of Northampton. sion‟. Moreover, Mark Atkinson adds a per- sonal note, stating that Jordan‟s „writings in- Email address: spired many of our folk to the White call, and they will continue to do so until we have total [email protected] victory.‟ And that Atkinson „first came in con- tact with Mr Jordan while in prison for racial hatred in 96-97, he wrote to me stating his disregard for our foes ... His support helped me through my incarceration, and that sup- port continued for the RVF 4 on their last sentence.‟

So, to sum up, Jordan‟s vision for a Nazi was global, and even cosmic, in scope. Yet his writings and actions have inspired many localised movements in Britain, includ- ing recent extremists such as the RVF and the BPP. His views are likely to continue to operate within the neo-Nazi discourse, give licence to hatred, extremism, and potentially

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