The Rise of Mussolini and Italian Fascism
In his exploration of 20th century fascism between the wars, Payne (1995) described Mussolini as the most liberal of the totalitarian personalities that dominated that period. Perhaps this was a vestige of his earlier involvement with revolutionary socialism, or a reflection from his early years. Yet, the fact remains that Mussolini, along with Hitler, was an architect of fascism and of the policies that led to World War II. The intention in the following pages is to explore Mussolini 's rise to power, including his childhood and youthful political development.
Benito Mussolini was born in July of 1883 in Varana di Costa, a village in the Commune of Predappio in Romagna. According to Ivone Kirkpatrick (1964), Romagna, at that time, was a hotbed of anticlericalism and republicanism. It was an era of rural nonconformity. Mussolini himself was named after both a Mexican revolutionary and two Italian revolutionary socialists. Both his grandfather and his father were politically involved, his grandfather in the struggle against the papacy and his father in the struggle to institute revolutionary socialism in Italy. However, his mother was deeply religious, conformist, and conservative. Both eventually had an important influence on Mussolini 's development and choices.
He became a political activist and political writer, like his father, but he was essentially conservative, like his mother. Mussolini himself asserted that his greatest love was for his mother, and that she had much influence on his character development and behavior (Mussolini, 1928). That character, at least in his early years, seemed to be unruly, rebellious, and antiauthoritarian. Records of his behavior and demeanor in school indicated that he reacted poorly to any kind of authority and order, was passionate and unruly, hated discipline, and sought revenge in the case of any slight or injury. He was eventually asked to leave the school. His later schooling, however, was more successful. At this
Benito Mussolini was born in July of 1883 in Varana di Costa, a village in the Commune of Predappio in Romagna. According to Ivone Kirkpatrick (1964), Romagna, at that time, was a hotbed of anticlericalism and republicanism. It was an era of rural nonconformity. Mussolini himself was named after both a Mexican revolutionary and two Italian revolutionary socialists. Both his grandfather and his father were politically involved, his grandfather in the struggle against the papacy and his father in the struggle to institute revolutionary socialism in Italy. However, his mother was deeply religious, conformist, and conservative. Both eventually had an important influence on Mussolini 's development and choices.
He became a political activist and political writer, like his father, but he was essentially conservative, like his mother. Mussolini himself asserted that his greatest love was for his mother, and that she had much influence on his character development and behavior (Mussolini, 1928). That character, at least in his early years, seemed to be unruly, rebellious, and antiauthoritarian. Records of his behavior and demeanor in school indicated that he reacted poorly to any kind of authority and order, was passionate and unruly, hated discipline, and sought revenge in the case of any slight or injury. He was eventually asked to leave the school. His later schooling, however, was more successful. At this
References: Gregor, A.J. (1979). Young Mussolini and the intellectual origins of Fascism. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. Kirkpatrick, I. (1964). Mussolini. A study in power. NY: Hawthorn Books, Inc. Lyttelton, A. (1973). The seizure of power: Fascism in Italy, 19191929. New York. Mussolini, B. (1928). My autobiography. London. Payne, S.G. (1995). A history of Fascism, 19141945. Madison, WI: The