A Biography Re-Examines Mussolini

[Paul Mackin]

If Doug insists upon interpreting the book review for the p-list he at least
could mention the ways in which Bosworth's assessment of Mussolini differs
from from that of others and the way in which the reviewer partially disagrees
with Bosworth.  But no, as usual the on-line journalist cuts and pastes a few
snippets which he imagines support his by now exceedingly boring hobby horse.


P.



Doug Millison wrote:

> "This historical debate has acquired new urgency now that ''post-Fascists''
> (as yesterday's neo-Fascists call themselves today) are an important part
> of Italy's center-right government led by Silvio Berlusconi. The
> post-Fascists have argued that there was a good and a bad Fascism. The good
> part, in this view, occurred during the early years following Fascism's
> rise to power in 1922, when it put an end to partisan political strife and
> the threat of left-wing revolution, drained the country's malarial swamps
> and made the trains run on time. The bad part essentially began in 1937,
> when Mussolini threw in his lot with Hitler."
> http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/21/books/review/21STILLET.html?pagewanted=1
>
> It's not difficult to see why the "neo-Fascists" would want to emphasize
> this point.
>
> "[...] Initially, Fascism's program retained many socialistic elements:
> land reform, workers' rights, resolutions to abolish the monarchy and limit
> the influence of the Catholic Church. But as Mussolini maneuvered to take
> power, he gradually dropped these more radical demands in order to win over
> conservative nationalists, monarchists, army officials and big business.
> The continual strikes staged by the Socialists and Communists in 1919 and
> 1920 paved the way for the Fascists. Italy's terrified establishment stood
> by quite happily as Mussolini's henchmen burned down Socialist
> headquarters, broke up political rallies and killed Socialist leaders.
> [...] "
>
> "Quite happily"!
>
> I don't suppose that was anything like the way the US power elite let their
> leaders attack unions, socialists, dissenters, culminating in the
> Reagan-Bush years that Pynchon describes in Vineland.   Nah, couldn't be.
>
> At 12:46 PM -0400 7/21/02, Paul Mackin wrote:
> >If not already mentioned there's a favorable review of the Bosworth book
> >in today's New York Times.