Identity and values of the Polish and British extreme right

Contemporary democracies, weakened by an increasing distrust in politics and politicians, more frequently have to face up to the threat of radical political movements like extreme right groups and parties. According to Piero Ignazi, the contemporary far-right constructs its identity on the foundations of xenophobia, racism, authoritarianism and an anti-system approach. In recent years, the outcomes of the elections both to the European Parliament and national parliaments show that the extreme right is moving from the margins of the political scene into its centre. At the same time, a significant growth of followers of far-right groups is visible amongst the youth that, in response to unemployment and a lack of social stability, seek radical and populist solutions. In order to better understand the present-day extreme right and meaning of their communication codes, it is essential to examine the language they employ, since language fulfils the most important role in creating and reproducing reality. Semantics research shows that words convey certain meanings constituting ideological worldviews. Even a neutral word linked with other words in particular contexts can create new meanings, specific for a given discourse, and/or alter their semantics. The main goal of this paper is the reconstruction of the linguistic/ideological worldview of the Polish and British extreme right. Comparing the language employed by the British National Party and the National Rebirth of Poland in their online publications, the author will attempt to identify the core values and elements of far-right ideological concepts, their semantics and communicational functions. The main thesis is that the contemporary extreme right is frequently employing words typical of mainstream politics in order to disseminate extreme views