JANUARY 3 2022

ITALY

FASCISM

The Whole development

Janie
Lele
Christina
Elisa
Fiona

the whole history of Fascism

in Italy
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

ARTICLES

Brief History of Fascism 03

Effects of fascism in Italian Society 05

Comparison Infographic 06

Italian Fascist Art 07

Poetry 09

MORE SPECIFICALLY TALKING

Important News that happened 10

Political Cartoon 11

Famous Representatives 12

Picture Collage Sean Fraser 13

Citations 14
PAGE 3 ITALY FASCISM
ITALIAN FASCISM: A
BRIEF INTRODUCTION
BY ELISA
The Italian Fascism, also known as Classical
Fascism or simply Fascism, is the original
fascist ideology as developed in Italy by
Giovanni Gentile and Benito Mussolini. The
ideology is associated with a series of two
political parties led by Benito Mussolini: The
National Fascist Party, which ruled the
Kingdom of Italy from 1922 to 1943, and the
Republican Fascist Party that ruled the
Italian Social Republic from 1943 to 1945.
Italian Fascism is also associated with the
post-war Italian Social Movement and
subsequent Italian neo-fascist movements.
Italian Fascism was rooted in Italian
nationalism and the desire to restore and
expand Italian territories, which Italian
Fascists deemed necessary for a nation to
assert its superiority and strength and to
avoid succumbing to decays.
INFRORMATIVE ESSAY
. Italian Fascists also claimed that
modern Italy was the heir to ancient
Rome and its legacy, and historically
supported the creation of an imperial
Italy to provide spazio vitale (“living
space”) for colonization by Italian settlers
and to establish control over the
Mediterranean Sea.
Italian Fascism promoted a corporatist
economic system, whereby employer
and employee syndicates are linked
together in associations to collectively
represent the nation’s economic
producers and work alongside the state
to set national economic policy. This
economic system intended to resolve
class conflict through collaboration
between the classes.
FASCISM
 ITALY
FASCISM
EFFECTS OF
FASCISM IN ITALIAN
SOCIETY
By Lele
Fascism was a movement from 1922 to 1943 founded
by Benito Mussolini, aimed boost Italy’s prestige and
enable the “spiritual existence of man”. Italian fascism
initially positively benefited Italy society in 1922,
however, it quickly evolved into a brutally violent and
totalitarian dictatorship that continued to negatively
impact the Italian society and influence other
European dictators until 1943. This magazine
document will explore the negative outcomes of
fascism and how fascism severely impacted Italian
society and its education.
The utilization of fascist violence had a negative
outcome on Italian society as propagandas in
numerous forms falsely manipulate and control the
society. These propaganda posters influenced the
acceptance and support of fascism, films advertised
Italy’s tough military force with inexactitude to
encourage Italian soldiers. The established fascist
youth group like the Lit tori fascist youth group, were
successful in brainwashing children as education was
heavily manipulated to only teach the youth a
positive view of the Fascists. It became necessary for
all teachers and lecturers to swear loyalty to
Mussolini. Textbooks were heavily censored to
exclude any part of history which showed the Italians
being defeated or in a negative way and Mussolini was
always portrayed as a hero figure. Mussolini
understood the importance of good publicity,
therefore he even issues free radios in public areas to
enable everyone to listen to his speeches. This meant
that Italian children in education were only being
exposed to a positive
05
image of the Italy and the Fascist government. This
was an important element in indoctrinating the next
generation and a way of gaining support from them.
Furthermore, the establishment of Opera Nazionale
Dopolavoro, promotes the superiority of national
socialism to the people.
Another negative outcome is that Fascism prevents
people from enjoying free speech. Those who do
criticize and openly oppose the dictator can be
imprisoned or sentenced to death. According to an
interview with Senator Vittorio Foa, a political prisoner
from 1934 to 1943, he demonstrates the impacts of the
fascist propaganda, “Couldn’t publish a newspaper or
say anything against fascism…You couldn’t say what
you through, couldn’t vote for your choice. It was
intense repression”. At this point, human rights are no
longer a priority since the entire country is under the
control of the dictator, he can do whatever he wants
with the people who doesn’t support him. This can
leave ordinary people afraid to practice free speech and
express their feelings and opinions, which doing so can
result to their incarceration or death.
Fascism has been around since the 1880a, although it
gained prominence during world war I as the
philosophy that was practiced by Italian dictator Benito
Mussolini, it had gained a negative connotation to
Italian society as people cannot speak freely and
numerous forms of propaganda invisibly control their
feelings.
 ITALIAN By: Janie

FASCIST ART

Under 21 years of govern under the

fascism, Italy with its reestablishment,
connection of roman catholic church
became one united, economically
modernized country. Along with all its
improvement and changes of political,
social, and economy, the artistic
movements also thrived and happened.
One of the most significant movement
of art is called the Novecento Italiano.
Through art, we see and feel the
moment, the idea, and the history.
Through artworks of two artists Ubaldo
Oppi and Germano Celant, we see
through their point of view of changes
fascism brought.

Ubaldo Oppi as one of the

founders of Novecento Italiano, created
artworks based on the rhetoric of the
fascism of Mussolini. What makes those
artists significant is that while they
adopt modernist ideas and creativity,
they used traditional ways of drawings.

06
 Through Ubaldo Oppi’s artwork
“Ritratto della moglie sullo sfondo di
Venezia” which is a painting of his wife
posing against a Venetian background,
you may see how this works. You might
sense a slight disharmony through the
painting. It has a structure of traditional
renaissance portraits, which is shown by
his use of angular perspective with very
realistic fabric drawing skills, however
for the background, the face without
any wrinkles, and the main colors of
this painting it drags the 3D feeling and
creates conflict within the painting.
Further Just as the art movement and
Ubaldo Oppi’s painting, the society
during the fascism is a mixture of both
the adoption of traditional roman
catholic and modernization, which
makes the period very unique.
Germano Celant was an Italian art
historian, he spend is whole life on
doing studies around how art and
cultures during the fascism reflect the
social and political aspects of this
period.
ITALY FASCISM
Some descriptions and explanation of
fascist regime are “flexible, adaptable,
modern and practical means to
reshape Italian people and mold their
experience of the world” this
movement wasn’t really that much of
a success. Historical backgrounds tell
us that Germano Celant’s ‘Post Zang
Tumb Tuuum. Art, Life, Politics: Italia
1918–1943” affords a sweeping look at
a period from which Italian identity,
and perhaps that of the West at large,
still struggles to liberate itself” through
the painting itself and title, we can
prove this statement. The painting is
called “Filippo Tommaso Marinetti in
his home” Filippo Tommaso is a
futurist. In this picture, he in black and
white is criticizing the maid for not
washing the dishes right. With a very
strong contrast with the colorful
painting behind him.
This not only criticized the ideal
thinker’s not putting things into
action, and that despite their call of
liberty and freedom they are
commanding lower class people but
also fascism.
The paintings are very related
with the environment. Again, as we
dive into the painting and explore
every detail of the painting,
overwhelming evidences of people’s
opinion towards fascism in Italy are
displayed. Showing connection of
history and art.
07
FASCISM POEM

I sometimes fear.

I sometimes fear that

people think that fascism arrives in fancy dress
worn by grotesques and monsters
as played out in endless re-runs of the Nazis.

Fascism arrives as your friend.

It will restore your honor,
make you feel proud,
protect your house,
give you a job,
clean up the neighborhood,
remind you of how great you once were,
clear out the venal and the corrupt,
remove anything you feel is unlike you…

It doesn’t walk in saying,

“Our program means militias, mass
imprisonments, transportations, war and
persecution.”

-Michael Rosen

ITALY FASCISM
BIG EVENTS
THAT
HAPPENED
By Christina
During the age of fascism in Italy,
many extraordinary events happened that
later became specific news known in
history.
One of the most significant news that
existed during that time is the march to
Rome and the accession to power of
Mussolini. In 1922, the Fascists, driven by a
growing thirst of power, decided to
organise the renowned march to Rome, as
shown in the image below. It is an event in
which 25 thousand fascists occupied
stations and streets of the capital in an
attempt to get the resignation of the Prime
Minister Luigi Facta and the political
relationship of the kingdom. Therefore,
Facta asked Vittorio Emanuele III to stop
the advance of the fascists with the support
of the army, but the king, to avoid risks
causing violent clashes, summoned Benito
Mussolini to Rome (as he was in Milan) and
gave him the task of forming a new
government, despite having only a few
members. Later, Benito Mussolini rose in
power, leading the Kingdom of Italy until
1943 with the title of “Duce”. The fascist
regime soon began to rule Italy with an
iron fist, by eliminating all those who stood
in their way. A few years passed until 1924,
when the fascists won the new election, by
changing the results in their favour, but
some people became aware of the
fraudulent practice, including the anti-
Fascist Congressman Giacomo Matteotti
who spoke out against the violent acts and
the abuses. This has made a large impact in
history because this march marked the
beginning of fascist rule and meant the
doom of the preceding parliamentary
regimes of socialists and liberals, and
Mussolini’s successful rise to power was
largely a consequence of the impact of the
First World War.
Another specific news that
happened is the murdering of Giacomo
Matteotti on 10th of June 1924. His
murder is the most sensational murder
of all those committed by the fascists and
later went down in history as one of the
darkest moments of the history of Italy.
After a year, Mussolini decided to
establish a dictatorship, by emanating
the so-called“leggi fascistissime” (very
fascist laws) as a result of Matteotti’s
murder. Then in 1929, Mussolini, who
aimed at obtaining the support of the
Catholic Church, signed the so-called
Lateran Treaty with the Holy See, and
granted the Pope control over the area
around the Saint Peter’s Basilica. These
events also have made major impacts
because the assassination of Matteotti has
led to the Matteotti Crisis. It is a political
confrontation between liberals and the
Fascist government of Italy. This crisis
had threatened to bring about the
downfall of Fascist leader Benito
Mussolini but instead ended with
Mussolini as the absolute dictator of
Italy.
Overall, definite events that
happened in the past greatly contribute
to history. In this case, the specific news
of the march to Rome & the rise of
Mussolini as well as the assassination of
Giacomo Matteotti both help people
today to understand more about the
Fascism of Italy. Therefore, these are
essential parts of the major historical
events and cannot be ignored by the
historians.
09
 FASCISM ITALY

POLITICAL
CARTOON

IN THIS POLITICAL CARTOON, HITLER AND MUSSOLINI WERE PORTRAYED

AS THE TWO MEN WHO PUSHED THE AMERICAN DEFENSE PROGRAM TOWARD

SUBTLE STUDS
THE DOOR OF CONGRESS. THERE IS A CAPTION UNDERNEATH SAYING THAT
THEY’LL PUSH IT THROUGH WITHOUT THE HELP FROM ANYBODY. IT SHOWS THE
MOST TWO FAMOUS FASCISTS BASED ON THEIR OWN POWER AND METHOD
BROUGHT THE PROGRAM IN FRONT OF THE CONGRESS. FASCISM IS KNOWN FOR
ITS RUTHLESS WAY OF SEIZING POWER AND THE TWO MEN PRESENTED THIS
HUGE BALL OF PROBLEM TO THE CONGRESS BY THEIR HANDS AND JAPAN AND
FRANCE SMALL HELP. JAPAN AND FRANCE WERE DEPICTED SMALLER THAN THE
TWO SHOWING THE MAIN CONTROL IS INSIDE HITLER AND MUSSOLINI’S HAND.

POLITICAL CARTOON
PAGE 11 ITALY FASCISM
INFRORMATIVE ESSAY

FAMOUS PEOPLE
WHO BELIEVED IN
FASCISM

BY FIONA

Fascism is a form of political movement that
embraces far-right nationalism and the forceful
suppression of any opposition. It is known by its anti-
human violence and cureless thoughts about
suppression toward humans. One of its famous
leaders is Benito Mussolini. Many people thought he
was the inventor of fascism but actually it is Gabriele
d’ Annunzio who came up with this idea at the very
first. Gabriele d’ Annunzio has greatly influence on
Benito Mussolini with his thoughts and laws of
regulation.
Benito Mussolini, an extremely cruel Italy leader
in human history, introduced fascism to people with
thousands of deaths. With the experience of
participating in WWI as a solider and journalist, he
got inspired by the passion of brutality. “After the
Treaty of Versailles in 1919—and his dissatisfaction
Gabriele d’ Annunzio, an Italian poet, created
fascism as a concept for an art project for himself
and it was first introduced as nihilism. “But Hitler’s
speeches weren’t normal or spontaneous. Neither
were Mussolini’s.” (Stott) Gabriele is the starter of
this idea and the two most famous fascists, Hitler
and Mussolini, embraced his central thoughts and
improve a bit. “He proposed an ethic of intense
feeling, decadent and proto-Futurist: sex and
violence, even if they hurt people, were ultimately
good because they were beautiful and sensational
—the more baroque, the better.” (Stott) Believing
in that sex and violence are beautiful, he claimed
that the weirder a thing is, the more fantasticating
it is. He was a pioneer in the area of fascism which
afterwards enlighten Mussolini becoming one of

with it—Mussolini gathered the various fascist groups the most influenced fascists in human history.

into a national organization called Fasci Italiani di
Combattimento.” (History.com Editors, “Benito
Mussolini”) This is when the disaster first formed and
later it made large impact on Adolf Hilter. He led he
followers to overthrow the government and get
control of Italy by violence. By then, he became the
dictator of Italy and was known by the world for its
massive genocide for Jewish and support for Nazi
Germany.
According to the fact that fascism is super anti-
human, it was prohibited by the world to maintain
the peace relations with each other. Gabriele came
up with this dangerous principle as the beginning
of this catastrophe followed by Adolf Hitler and
Benito Mussolini’s genocide.