The 1920s and 30s were golden decades for extremism. Across Europe, dictators including Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini goose-stepped their way into power, but in Britain, it was a different story. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Alwyn Turner explains why – with a little help from the football pools, the Women's Institute and the Lambeth Walk – parliamentary democracy reigned supreme.

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 If you'd like to hear more from Alwyn, you can listen to him discuss 1950s Britain on the HistoryExtra podcast: https://bit.ly/4qaQWra

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