A Short History of Mussolini and Fascism | TIKhistory WW2 Q&A 18

Benito Mussolini was extremely popular during the interwar period, both at home and abroad. He inspired millions with his political ideology - Fascism. Yet just a few years later he would be arguably one of the most hated men in history. What happened? Let's find out.
#Mussolini #WW2

Sources and notes will be in the PINNED COMMENT. History videos every Monday at 5pm GMT (depending on season, check for British Summer Time).

Timestamps to the questions -
13:41 Wojciech Prokop - can I elaborate on Mussolini's evolution throughout the 20th Century?
38:00 Craig Marshall - Did the Tripartite Pact members drain the German/Axis war effort?

Here’s some other videos you may be interested in -

History isn’t as boring as some people think, and my goal is to get people talking about it. I also want to dispel the myths and distortions that ruin our perception of the past by asking a simple question - “But is this really the case?”. I have a 2:1 Degree in History and a passion for early 20th Century conflicts (mainly WW2). I’m therefore approaching this like I would an academic essay. Lots of sources, quotes, references and so on. Only the truth will do.

This video is discussing events or concepts that are academic, educational and historical in nature. This video is for informational purposes and was created so we may better understand the past and learn from the mistakes others have made.

[TheImperatorKnight]

*PINNED COMMENT - Notes, Quotes and Sources*

“Winston Churchill (who is talked of as the likely leader of a Fascisti party in England) says Fascism is the shadow of Bolshevism, and that if we must be ruled by one or the other, he would rather be ruled by Fascisti than by Bolshevik violence.” - Clare Sheridan, In Many Places, 1923

“If I had been an Italian, I am sure I should have been wholeheartedly with you from start to finish in your triumphant struggle against the bestial appetites and passions of Leninism. But in England we have not yet had to face this danger in the same deadly form. We have our own way of doing things. But that we shall succeed in grappling with Communism and choking the life out of it - of that I am absolutely sure… the great mass of the people love their country and are proud of its flag and history. They do not regard these as incompatible with a progressive advance towards social justice and economic betterment.” - Churchill, statement to Journalists in Rome on 20 Jan 1927

“The Roman genius impersonated in Mussolini, the greatest law-giver among living men, has shown to many nations how they can resist the pressures of Socialism and has indicated the path that a nation can follow when courageously led. With the Fascist regime, Mussolini has established a centre of orientation from which countries which are engaged in a hand-to-hand struggle with Socialism must not hesitate to be guided.” - Churchill Feb 1933

Although Italy had signed the Pact of Steel, Mussolini had told Hitler that Italy would not support Germany in their Invasion of Poland. At this point, Mussolini was trying to remain neutral, and Italy’s joining of the war on Hitler’s side was not necessarily guaranteed. Mussolini only joins the war on Hitler’s side when it appears that Germany is winning. If they had started losing, perhaps Mussolini may have remained neutral, or even possibly joined the Allies.

“One final point of similarity between Nazi and Soviet policies should be noted, although its meaning is far from clear. Both governments reorganized industry into larger units, ostensibly to increase state control over economic activity. The Nazis reorganized industry into 13 administrative groups with a large number of subgroups to create a private hierarchy for state control. The state therefore could direct the firms’ activities without acquiring direct ownership of enterprises. The pre-existing tendency to form cartels was encouraged to eliminate competition that would destabilize prices.” - Temin, P582-583

“In brief definition, Capitalism is the system by which capital used the Nation for its own purposes. Fascism is the system by which the Nation uses capital for its own purposes. Private enterprise is permitted and encouraged so long as it coincides with the national interests. Private enterprise is not permitted when it conflicts with national interests. Under Fascism private enterprise may serve but not exploit. This is secured by the Corporative System, which lays down the limits within which industry may operate, and those limits are the welfare of the Nation.” - Mosley, Fascism 100 Questions P22

Thoughts?

*Sources*

Recommended reading: Farrell’s “Mussolini: A New Life”.

(Note: many of these sources are in relation to the nature of Socialism, Nazism, Fascism, Capitalism, and Marxism in order to fully understand the differences, plus general economics and politics books. They’re not all specifically related to Mussolini alone.)

Aly, G. “Hitler’s Beneficiaries: How the Nazis Bought the German People.” Verso, 2016. (Original German 2005).
Barkai, A. “Nazi Economics: Ideology, Theory, and Policy.” Yale University Press, 1990.
Bel, G. "Against the mainstream: Nazi privatization in 1930s Germany." Universitat de Barcelona, PDF.
Birchall, I. “The Spectre of Babeuf.” Haymarket Books, 2016.
Bosworth, R. “Mussolini’s Italy: Life under the Dictatorship 1915-1945.” Penguin Books, Kindle 2006.
Brown, A. "How 'socialist' was National Socialism?" Kindle, 2015.
Engels, F “Socialism: Utopian and Scientific.” Written, 1880. Progress Publishers, 1970.
Evans, R. “The Coming of the Third Reich.” Penguin Books, Kindle 2004.
Dilorenzo, T. “The Problem with Socialism.” Regnery Publishing, Kindle 2016.
Farrell, N. "Mussolini: A New Life." Endeavour Press Ltd, Kinde 2015.
Feder, G. "The Programme of the NSDAP: The National Socialist German Worker's Party and its General Conceptions." RJG Enterprises Inc, 2003.
Feder, G. "The German State on a National and Socialist Foundation." Black House Publishing LTD, 2015.
Friedman, M. “Capitalism and Freedom: Fortieth Anniversary Edition.” university of Chicago, Kindle 2002. (originally published in 1962)
Grand, A. "Italian Fascism: It's Origins and & Development." University of Nebraska Press, 2000.
Geyer, M. & Fitzpatrick, S. "Beyond Totalitarianism: Stalinism and Nazism Compared." Cambridge University Press, Kindle 2009.
Hazlitt, H. “Economics in One Lesson: The Shortest & Surest Way to Understand Basic Economics.” Three Rivers Press, 1979. (originally published 1946)
Hibbert, C. “Mussolini: The Rise and Fall of Il Duce.” St Martin’s Press Griffin, 2008.
Joseph Goebbels and Mjölnir, Die verfluchten Hakenkreuzler. Etwas zum Nachdenken (Munich: Verlag Frz. Eher, 1932). (English translation)
Hobsbawm, E. "The Age of Extremes: 1914-1991." Abacus, 1995.
Hoppe, H. “A Theory of Socialism and Capitalism.” Kindle.
Hitler. A. “Mein Kampf.” Jaico Books, 2017.
Hitler, A. "Zweites Buch (Secret Book): Adolf Hitler's Sequel to Mein Kampf." Jaico Publishing House, 2017.
Kershaw, I. “Hitler: 1936-1945 Nemesis.” Penguin Books, 2001.
Kershaw, I. “Stalinism and Nazism: Dictatorships in Comparison.” Cambridge University Press, Kindle 2003.
Keynes, J. "National Self-Sufficiency, " The Yale Review, Vol. 22, no. 4 (June 1933), pp. 755-769.
Marx, K. “Capital: A Critique of Political Economy: Volume I Book One: The Process of Production of Capital.” PDF of 1887 English edition, 2015.
Marx, K. “Capital: A Critique of Political Economy: Volume III Book One.” PDF of 1894, English edition, 2010.
Marx, K. “Capital: A Critique of Political Economy: Volume III Book One.” PDF, English edition, 2010. (Originally written 1894)
Marx, K. “Capital: A Critique of Political Economy: Volume III Book One.” Penguin Classics, Kindle edition. (Originally written 1894)
Mosley, O. "Fascism: 100 Questions Asked and Answered." Black House Publishing, Kindle 2019.
Muravchik, J. “Heaven on Earth: The Rise and Fall of Socialism.” Encounter Books, Kindle.
Mussolini, B. “The Doctrine of Fascism.” Kindle, Originally published in 1932.
Newman, M. “Socialism: A Very Short Introduction.” Kindle.
Luxemburg, R. “The Accumulation of Capital.” Routledge and Kegan Paul Ltd, 1951. (Originally written in 1913.)
Luxemburg, R. “The National Question” 1910.
Reimann, G. “The Vampire Economy: Doing Business under Fascism.” Kindle, Mises Institute, 2007. Originally written in 1939.
Siedentop, L. “Inventing the Individual: The Origins of Western Liberalism.” Penguin Books, Kindle.
Smith, A. “An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations.” Kindle.
Sowell, T. “Economic Facts and Fallacies: Second Edition.” Kindle.
Sowell, T. “The Housing Boom and Bust.” Kindle.
Spengler, O. “Prussianism and Socialism.” Isha Books, 2013. First Published 1920.
Temin, P. “Soviet and Nazi Economic Planning in the 1930s.” From The Economic History Review, New Series, Vol. 44, No. 4 (Nov., 1991), pp. 573-593 (21 pages). Jstor.
Tooze, A. “Wages of Destruction: The Making & Breaking of The Nazi Economy.” Penguin Books, 2007.
Zitelmann, R. “Hitler: The Politics of Seduction.” London House, 1999.

The American Economic Review, Vol. 1, No. 2, Papers and Discussions of the Twenty-third Annual Meeting (Apr., 1911), pp. 347-354


(Accessed 04/10/2018)



Thanks for watching!

[joannes]

I hate when people talk of Fascism and start with Germany.  Well done TIK

[holidayhouse]

Only TIK puts up an hour long "short" history video.

Luv ya!

[LazyCookPete]

The more we look into this period of history, the more frightening the present becomes!

[chxnge]

Never stop doing what you're doing. Out of all of the history channels that exist, your teaching style seems to be the most captivating. Cheers man!

[hitori]

“A short history”

*notices 1hour video length*

[juancholo]

In New York Mussolini was so popular that a landmark called "The Italian Building" was built in his honor & until recently (I think the symbols were recently removed) there were the bundle of sticks around an axe symbol all over the building. Mussolini's party paper in the 1930s was really happy with FDR's Domestic programs to the point that FDR's administration asked them to stop praising him because the Republicans were using this to attack FDR.
I have heard older Italian immigrants say that Mussolini "wasn't that bad". A lot of American newspapers try to ignore now how much they praised Mussolini back in the 20s & 30s.
I am saying this as annecdotal evidence that he was popular in the US (and pointing out FDRs big government policies) and with Italians.

[Nomad]

So you're saying that the homeless yelling at himself as I drive by could potentially be the next Mussolini?

[rodrigodepierola]

Me as a teacher in class: Mussolini's realtionship with Hitler and the Allies before getting into the war was complex and had lots of angles.
TIK: Mussolini hated Chamberlain because he had an umbrella.

[FroggyFrog]

This is fascinating stuff, we seldom hear about the Italian aspect of WW2 beyond the basics.

[FedeHardy]

Italian living in the uk here. Was talking at work about how mussolini was in charge for over 20 years in italy, and was talking about how he built a lot of modern infrastractures that we still use to this day. My colleagues always thought he was just an evil dictator and couldn't get their heads around how could he have been in power so long. He was not great but played the cards he was dealt in the best way possible for the italian people of the time. He is to this day a controversial figure and even saying anything remotely positive about him or those years will label you a fascist. Even if you, like me, come from a family of partisans. Great video TIK

[Alex-zlog]

I recommend people make copies of this video before YouTube deletes it for wrongthink. Very interesting video, by the way.

[azaph_yt]

Comrade! I'm SHOCKED by the amount of seditious thought in this video. Your local Reeducation Commissar will contact you shortly.

[adawd]

This might be one of your best videos and I love all the battlestorms. Damn.

[lordDenis]

Actually, understanding Italian fascism is very important to understanding the Polish ruling regime of the late 30s. In a way, they also wanted to be in the middle with a third way, to unite the politically fractured state, with growing support for both the nationalists and the democrats.

[jaimejaime]

Great vid sir im amazed at how unbiased this was in 2019. it didn't feel right or left and that's very refreshing.

[khoivo]

I just want to say this video opened a new horizon for me. I never thought too much about Italy during WW2 but this really opened up a new perspective

[lorenzor]

As italian myself, I had my two grandfathers who were both strong supporters of Mussolini for years.
One also marched in 1922 with Mussolini over Rome, was an "avanguardista" and a fascist; he was in the military and eventually died in Russia in 1943 during Stalingrad siege.
I think that the support towords Mussolini by the vast majority of italian people rapidly declined only around 1938, with the laws against jews (my father used to told me that it was a shock even in my "fascist" family, also because they had several jew friends) and the alliance with Nazi Germany. Italians in general didn't understand and didn't support a war by the same side of Hitler.
Indeed italian Fascism was veeeery different from german Nazism. And italian people were and still are very different from germans, who we generally fear and dislike.
And your video is correct, because even in 1945 Mussolini, even if not "supported" in his war along with Hitler, wasn't "hated", and was (and is still today) respected by many.
I am curious to know what is your thought about the supposed lost letters between Mussolini and Churchill, which maybe demonstrate that Mussolini was secretely "invited" to enter into the war by Churchill, in order to have him and Italy at the peace negotiates, and not only Hitler

[HoH]

Hey TIK, I like these explanatory snippets from history. Especially about Mussolini, a fascinating and intriguing figure. After typing this all out I realize this goes way beyond the scope of your video. Nonetheless, your comment 'everyone supported the war, the SPD, Lenin, the French socialists' got me thinking and reading a few books that happened to be on my desk. As such, the short comment is: would it not be a good suggestion for a follow-up video in one of your Q&A vids to investigate the war sentiment in respective countries. Especially the social-democrat parties are fascinating case studies, as they were linked by their Second Socialist International and 'international socialist solidarity', so to say. I think your Q&A template would suit an in-depth explanation of these topics. I'll post my sources at the bottom of this comment, in case you do find it interesting.


You are right about socialist parties supporting their respective governments becoming the norm, but the SPD was one of the first and it caused a row among socialists (and especially Lenin). You said Lenin supported the war, but this was a little bit more nuanced. The parties that opposed the war indeed were few and many Russian parties numbered among them.


The fact that the German socialist party (SPD) did support the war really struck the wrong chord with socialists all over the continent. The SPD was the largest and arguably most influential party of the Second International (1889-1914). During the Stuttgart Congress of the Second International socialist parties agreed that they should do "all in their power to prevent their governments from waging war in Europe or elsewhere." (Service, 225). Consider their surprise (and subsequent anger) when they heard the news that the German SPD, the party most socialists thought would be the vanguard of the proletarian revolution, voted in favour of Germany's war budget! The notes of an informal conference of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (RSDLP) show a resolution condemning the German SPD (and the French social-democrats for joining the 'bourgeois cabinet'). The RSDLP (and Lenin), at the beginning of the war, explicitly stated their first and foremost task was resisting and fighting 'Tsarist chauvinism' instead of being 'plotted as wage slaves against wage slaves from another nation'.


As a small historical footnote, Kropotkin (the well-known anarchist) supported the First World War as he saw Wilhelm II and the German Reich as the biggest autocratic threat and evil. Now here's where it gets really interesting (imo). After some deliberation, Lenin decided Marxists should "welcome German success at war with Russia". Lenin compared Russian Imperial soldiers (drafted from peasants and workers) to radical right-wing thugs (the Black Hundred gangs). Lenin faced an extraordinary amount of criticism from his own Bolsheviks. He just compared men that were supposed, according to Marxist theory, to advance the revolution to anti-semites, criminals and no-good thugs. So much for class alliance. Anyway, Lenin did 'support' the war, as you said, but for the complete opposite reasons the SPD, the French socialists and Kropotkin supported the war. He wished victory for the enemy of Russia, in the hopes that it would allow him to wage his own revolution. As both of us know, this was closer to the truth than many of his contemporaries would have guessed.


Just a minor detail to be honest, but I happened to read about it a while back. I found the fact that Lenin loathed the Russian Tsar more than a foreign imperial power interesting.


Lenin, V. I. (1946). VI Lenin. Selected works. Vol. II. Foreign Language Publishing House, Moscow 145-147.


Robert Service. Lenin: A Biography (Pan Macmillan, 2000) 225-227.

[coced]

Benito don't want a long war
Benito joins the side that's about to invade Russia
¯\_(ツ)_/¯