As a side note, I'm always surprised when I see the word "alt-right". When did that happen? I still use the word "fascists", although I understand it can be too strong a word for many, but those can use "far right".
Even though "alt-right" is less precisely defined, it is in many cases more accurate a term than "facist" or "far right".
To me, alt-right is a combination of anti-establishment Republicans, fascists, libertarians, internet trolls (& governmental operatives trying to influence foreign elections).
To me the grassroots part of alt-right is more a reaction than ideology; something born out of the financial crisis and its' aftermath.
If you want to view them purely as fascists, that's your prerogative, but using THAT word would be less accurate and would lose a lot of nuance.
Indeed, there seems to be something of historical importance, here.
Although, I think there _is_ something that acts as an ideological bound rather than being just a group of "anti" people. In France, there's historically always been two right wings, even without considering the far right : the liberals (mainly interested about economics and free market) and the conservatives (mainly interested about authority).
Could it be a distinction that exists all over the world, the liberals were dominant and they're losing ground? By the way, we call here the authority focused ones "bonapartists" (this is not seen as pejorative or insulting, although slightly disturbing).
History books are gonna be weird.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2017/03/30/russia-s-in...