What are the core elements of fascist philosophy in Italy?

 Giovanni Gentile (1875-1944) was the chief exponent of the fascist doctrine and was a disciple of Hegel as well as a great admirer of Benito Mussolini. He had described the core elements of his philosophy as anti-intellectualism; the total submission to authority; and contempt for reason. He believed that there was no contradiction between individual and the state and that “maximum of liberty coincides with the maximum force of the state.” Gentile became the official philosopher of Fascism and described it “as a total conception of life.” He further explained in 1928 that Fascism was not a philosophical system but a plan of action.

 

Mussolini claimed that Fascist state was to create a new socio-economic and a political system as all other forms—liberal, democratic, and socialist or communist system were defective. It advocated strongly about the duties of citizens rather than their rights

 

Fascists were opposed to democracy, liberalism and all forms of socialism, be it revolutionary or evolutionary. Democracy was decried as stupid, corrupt, slow[1]moving and the worst form of government—’a decaying corpse’. Parliament was ridiculed as a useless talking shop. He rejected the Marxist’s advocacy that everything in life was determined by economic factors and went on to say “economic well-being would reduce man to the level of animals.” Fascists also rejected the idea of class war and stood for cooperation between all sectors of society in the glory of the state.

 

Fascism was based on narrow and extreme nationalism. Total commitment to the state was the utmost duty of citizens. Fascism was also opposed to international peace and harmony and advocated war as a national policy, as it alone provides an opportunity to demonstrate the strength of the nation. He said, “War is to man what maternity is to women.” Hence, territorial expansionism was the avowed policy of Fascism.

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