Brava Gente

It is true that Italians are brava gente - the "nice people" of Europe, but it does not imply that the Fascist government is neither incompetent nor weak. Many people have perceived that Fascist Italy has not achieve the degree of repression and efficiency as Nazi Germany, thus it is not considered an authentic totalitarian state. I believe it is important to have the Italian people discern me as a leader of their country that will guide them to national honor. The Italian people will not support my doctrines as a result of trepidation, instead the they would comprehend that it is their patriotic duty to support an heroic leader that would further the prominence of the Italian state. Since Fascism implies the total active participation of the masses in the regime's goals, it is still necessary to have methods of integration such as police forces.
It is often mistaken as well that the Fascist government is unable to pursue its foreign policies, but I was able to expand the Italian empire through the annexation of Ethiopia. The term brava gente does not insinuate the fact that the Fascist government is incapable of acquiring territories through colonial war with 'inferior' races. I saw the conquest of Ethiopia as an opportunity to bring peace to Italy because the Italian people experienced a surge of national prestige that will compensate for the feelings of shame and insecurity brought upon by World War I.
Do these achievements seem like a weak empire? The concept of brava gente produces an image of a fragile nation that is incapable of achieving any international greatness. However, this concept is misleading, Fascist Italy will continue to dominate Europe and will only grow stronger with time. It is even possible to hear the singing of Fascist Youth, while rejoicing my name all the way in Berlin.


The conquest of Ethiopia.

Sources:
http://histclo.com/essay/war/ww2/tol/ita/ti-fs.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Italo-Abyssinian_War

The Seizure of Power

The Fascist Party continues to gain influence in the Italian Parliament from the support of the property classes. I realized that by favoring anti-communism, anti-strike activity, and nationalism, I could manipulate the property class into advocating the growth of Fascism. The property class's apprehension towards the possibility of a socialist revolution and the working class's desire for improved conditions give the Fascist Party an advantage in the Italian political system, along with the increasing opportunity for me to rule as Il Duce. To further the Fascist Party's political prominence, I decided to create the squadristi - armed forces of Fascists that are specially trained to attack Socialist and Communist groups. By deliberately engendering an environment of trepidation and terror, the Italian people will look towards the Fascist Party and me for stability.
I became certain that the Fascist Party would eventually be able to seize control of the government during a time of anxiety, therefore I decided to manipulate the chaotic situation by threatening the Italian monarchy with the "March on Rome." Even though I meant the march as a bluff for the government to legitimize my power, it was able to create unadulterated fear in the Italian monarchy. Thus, Victor Emmanuel III bestowed upon me the position of prime minister. With the newly acquired power, I began to lay out the foundations of a Fascist Italy. As the Fascist Party was unable to gain a majority in parliament, I found myself in a weak position and continued to rely on the coalitions with other political parties. Eventually, the passage of the Acerbo Law allowed the Fascist Party to gain a two-thirds majority in Parliament.


March on Rome

Sources:
Spielvogel, Jackson J. Western Civilization.
http://www.thecorner.org/hist/total/f-italy.htm

The Birth of Fascism

After returning to Italy from my service in World War I, I realized the doctrines of socialism were already dead and it was no longer a force that can create a stable Italian government. I saw the Socialist Party as incapable of promoting an enthusiastic energy  in which every individual would fight for the honor of his country. Pursuing my newly developed principals, I started off my political life with creation of the Fasci Italiani di Combattimeto as way to revive the Italian nation. Through the Fasci Italiani di Combattimeto's appeal to nationalistic sentiments and unity regardless of social class, I believe Italy would once again rise to its prominence of the Roman Empire.
The creation of my fascist doctrines were greatly influenced by the social theories of Vilfredo Pareto. It is true that society does not follow a definite "social pyramid." Instead, society follows a law in which the weak and less able would squander on the bottom of society where they would die of starvation, disease, and other kinds of defects. While at the top sits the elite of the elite, where he would control the masses due to the fact democracy is a deception and humans are naturally inept at governing themselves. In addition, I was also fascinated with Plato's The Republic. Plato's ideas of promoting rule by an elite, rejection of democracy, advocating militarization of a state, and the citizens' responsibility to perform duties in the interest of the state all inspired me to create an Italian Fascist ideal.
Overall, Fascism sees the importance of the state over the individual, in which the government would control every aspects of its citizen's economic, social, cultural, and intellectual life. I perceived the birth of Fascism as a new faith for the Italian people, thus it will allow Italy to achieve its goals of glory and unity that socialism was incapable of accomplishing.


Assembly of the Fasci Italiani di Combattimeto

Sources:
Benito Mussolini: What is Fascism, 1932
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benito_Mussolini
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vilfredo_Pareto

The Advacation of the Great War

A major turning point in my political career was when I abandoned the doctrines of Socialism during the outbreak of World War I. Initially, the Italian Socialist Party had supported the cause for war since they believed it promoted Italian national fervor. Many of the members in the Italian Socialist Party also believed the war was would be a uniting factor that will encourage the political fractions to work together. However, the socialist quickly withdrew their support as an anti-militarism demonstration was crushed, which initiated a general strike in the provinces of Romagna and Marche.
Even though my fellow party members oppose Italy's intervention in the Great War, I see this war as an opportunity that will bring numerous benefits to the socialists and people of Italy. I believed in Italy's intervention of war on the Allied sides because the war would enable Italy to liberate the Italians in Austria-Hungary out of Habsburgs rule. Thus, this will increase Italian nationalism and create a more cohesive state. By fighting against the Central Powers, Italy along with its allies will be able to annihilate the conservative regimes of Germany and Austria-Hungary. These regimes are especially detrimental against the cause of socialism due to the fact they will prevent the occurrence of a social revolution that will ultimately benefit the working-class. In addition, I feel the war would complete the process of Risorgimento due to the fact the Italians from Austria-Hungary would finally be liberated and as a result, they would be join the common people of Italy against the war effort. I envision the cooperation of the Italian race as a catalyst that would ultimately bring Italy into a socialist state by the end of the war. World War I would be a revolutionary war, as the enormous social changes of the Italian people would force them to realize the benefits of a classless society.
As I became more steadfast in my reasons for advocating the Great War, my fellow colleagues turned their backs on me. They believed I did not understand the meaning of a proletariat revolution, but they were the ones who were nonsensical and misunderstood what a proletariat revolution is suppose to be. Pacifism will not bring a change to society, they must realize only revolutionary and violent action will fully the prospect of an ideal socialist society. As a result of my criticism and advocation of the Great War, I was expelled from the Italian Socialist Party. 


Me, as an Allied solider in World War I.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benito_Mussolini
https://www.examiner.com/american-history-in-national/benito-mussolini-socialist

My Life and Doctrines

As a child, I grew up in the province of Forli in Emilia-Romagna with my father, Alessandro Mussolini, who was a blacksmith, and my mother, Rosa Mussolini, who was a Catholic school teacher. I was raised in a very impoverished family. As a result, that was the reason for my father to be a follower of revolutionary socialism, in order to improve his family's life. My father's political views influenced me very much. As a child, I never enjoyed going to school. Although I was intelligent, my violent and egotistic demeanor got the best of me. Therefore, I learned very little and often conflicted with the other students.
For a period of time in my early twenties (in 1902), as I was trying to escape the Italian military service, I migrated to Switzerland. During my studies in Switzerland, I was deeply impressed by the philosophies of Friedrich Nietzsche and Georges Sorel. Sorel's teachings of the need to overthrow democracy and capitalism through the means of violence, general strike, and an attitude of duplicity profoundly inspired my own political views. In Switzerland, I was an advocate for the Italian socialist movement, but my support for the violent general strike led to my arrest. After this situation, I decided to return to Italy. By 1908, I was considered one of Italy's most prominent socialists due to the circulations of my radical writings such as Il Trentino veduto da un Socialista, my position as editor of the Avanti, and my participation in riots against the Italian government. However, because of the fact that I became an advocate to the intervention of World War I, I was thus expelled from the Socialist party.
I see the Italian government as incompetent in dealing with the administration of Italy. The Socialists, the Liberals, and the Popolari, or Christian Democrats, are unable to form a cohesive coalition to effectively administrate the country. In 1919, this political chaos in the Italian parliamentary ultimately led me to lay the foundations of my new political movements known as Fascism. I believe the Fascist regime will strengthen the national power of Italy because this totalitarianism government will enable me to control the political, social, cultural, and intellectual aspects of the Italian people. By using the instrument of mass propaganda, I can convince the people of Italy to follow the policies and goals of my regime, in order for Italy to achieve international prestige. Even though the Fascists party had not become a majority in the Italian parliament, I am certain that one day, the people of Italy will unite and realize the potential of my regime. The Fascists ideals of anti-communism, anti-strike activity, and nationalism will allow me to gain the support of the middle and upper-class, who are threatened with the idea of a socialist revolution. I will create an Italy in which its doctrines are based on the concepts of hard-work, discipline, physically fitness, intellectual acuteness, and military might. Thus, Italy will become the strongest and most formidable power on the continent.

My mugshot, when I was arrested at Switzerland.

Sources:
Spielvogel, Jackson J. Western Civilization.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benito_Mussolini
Pictures:
http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lant1kVsuc1qzfmh5o1_500.jpg