ExtremismPartners in Crime? A Historical Perspective on Cumulative Extremism in Denmark

By Chris Holmsted Larsen

Can one form of extremism feed off and magnify other forms of extremism? Is there an extremist positive feedback loop, and, if so, can a cumulative perspective on extremism help us understand the ebb and flow of political violence, radicalization, and mobilization? The left- and right-wing extremism in Europe in the last four decades does exhibit an interdependency between mutually hostile movements, and the study of mutually reinforcing extremism in Denmark offers a microcosm for a broader phenomenon.

Cumulative Extremism as an Operative Concept
The conceptual framework of cumulative extremism (CE) is characterized by a certain elasticity, which renders the concept in a no man’s land between political, social and historical approaches. In his original definition, Roger Eatwell understood CE as: “the way in which one form of extremism can feed off and magnify other forms [of extremism].” This particular concept has hitherto primarily been applied to help explain patterns of mobilization and counter-mobilization between British Islamist and counter-jihadist groups.

Here, CE will be utilized as an explanatory model for the violence between the extreme Danish Left and Right from the 1970s and onward. Escalations of political violence are influenced by stimuli and restrictions from many actors. CE dynamics between the extreme Right and Left does not take place in an isolated space – it interacts with a range of societal factors, such as the State – e.g. anti-terror legislation, CVE strategies, policing of protest and general law and order. Furthermore, political opportunities in the form of access to formal democratic platforms can have both a radicalizing and de-radicalizing impact. A further strong factor is transnational dynamics. This includes transfer of ideology, repertoires, alliances, as well as logistic support. Last, but not least, media is a factor, and increasingly social media.

The 1970-80s: The Epoch of Left-Extremist Violence
The Danish scenario in the 1970s only partly conforms to the CE framework of mutual radicalization, for two main reason, one was the strong transnational framework of the Cold War and the second was the collective memory of the Nazi occupation during the Second World War. This reinforced a popular resilience against Right extremist violence and mobilization, which arguably remains an important explanation for why this has remained a fringe phenomenon in Denmark. Despite recurrent attempts to adapt to the new trends, the National Socialist (NS) Right remained isolated and inactive until the last decade of the cold war.