A reply to J. Niezing's review of Kooy's book THE FAILURE OF A 'FOLKISH' MOVEMENT (see SA 0206/C5474). After a general presentation, Niezing's criticism is reduced to 6 theses which are replied to: (1) Ethical agnosticism-this does not exclude a critique of society & its instit's. (2) A sociol'al investigation of right-wing extremism serves the cause of ethical agnosticism-but it is also a safeguard against the sociol'st's emotional sympathies & antipathies. (3) Ethical agnosticism reduces the investigator to the exclusive use of the empirical & inductive method-it by no means excludes deduction or the investigation of structures. (4) Sociol requires a constant checking of theories against reality-this is exactly what Kooy has done with his rich empirical material. (5) A sociol'al theory can be empirically tested only if it takes into account the econ man & the psychol'al man-Kooy's theory is not only based on the 2 but also takes into account the sociol'al man. (6) An explanation of right-wing extremism must also be applicable to left-wing extremism-Kooy does not deny this & gives examples of communists who became Nazi's & vice-versa. I. Langnas.
