Benito Cereno

This source is an interview with Mrs M in 1999 by W. Ugolini. This source was part of a collection of interviews for ‘Memory, war and the Italians in Edinburgh: the role of communal myth.’ Mrs M, an Italian living in Edinburgh describes the anti-Italian sentiment and riots when Mussolini, dictator of Italy declared war on Britain and France on 10th of June 1940. This source was written 59 years after the events took place as a result the details could possibly be blurred with the passing of time…

In Umberto Eco’s Eternal Fascism: Fourteen Ways of Looking at a Blackshirt, Eco contemplates on what fascism is. He offers a list of 14 “typical” features to recognize fascism, a political system Italians got to name. He refers to these features as “Ur-Fascism” or “Eternal Fascism.” Eco makes clear that these points are unique to fascism and that they “cannot be organized into a system” as “many of them contradict each other, and are also typical of other kinds of despotism or fanaticism” (Eco,…

Francisco Franco Francisco Franco was a dictating leader who rose to power through his hard work, force, and the want for power. He was born in 1892 and died in 1975. He ruled over Spain from 1939-1975, a total of 36 years. He served in the war, earned merit promotions and awards, and he even managed to survive a gunshot wound to the abdomen. This strong, forceful leader saw chances of rising to power and gladly took them. Although standing tall and dressing well is one way he shows physical…

In matters of society, the three states also attempted to strictly regulate the attitudes and perceptions of their citizens. In the case of Italy, Mussolini’s methods of propaganda prescribed the role of women in Italy, successfully implemented anti-semitic policies, and used the police as a means of intimidation and enforcement of Fascist Party mandates. Looking at his use of propaganda, Mussolini began exerting influence through Italy’s youth. Under his direction, the Fascist Party created…

An analysis of flashbacks shown in the scene where Marcello is seen waiting for the Fascist official and walks in a beautiful blonde woman sprawled out on a desk being provocative for a man from Bernardo Bertolucci The Conformist (1970) this reveals how people will hide their true selves to reform and fit in with the fascist society around them and Marcello’s past experiences that led him to his fascist ways. The film’s title Conformist clearly fits the struggle of conforming into fascism but…

On October 28, 1940, Benito Mussolini, the Prime Minister of Italy, gave Greece an ultimatum. Italy wanted Greece, who was neutral in this war, to allow Italian troops to occupy certain parts of the country. Mussolini wanted to impress Hitler. “Hitler always faces me with a fait accompli. This time I am going to pay him back in his own coin. He will find out from the papers that I have occupied Greece.” (Mussolini ¶ 5)Italy invaded before Greece had a chance to answer, but Greece was able to…

The similarities between Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler are extremely striking. They both fought in World War I, Mussolini for Italy and Hitler for Germany, and for a brief time the countries were on the same side, until Italy abandoned Germany and joined the Allied side. After World War I, Mussolini created the Fascist party, which gained support from nationalists, business owners, and manufactures. The Fascists were opposed to both democracy and communism, believing the government should…

Authors, Alan Taylor and Benito Mussolini, both wrote essays regarding the political culture during a specific time period. For instance, Alan Taylor wrote an article of the American nation post-revolutionary time in Ontario, Canada which examined the political institutions and economic policies implemented to avert another Revolution. Likewise, the article written by Benito Mussolini in 1932 defines the political ideology Fascism. The examination of both authors’ articles yields a sense of…

Italian fascism is reference to the role the Italian women play in everyday life. Italian women are looked upon as floating signifiers because Ernesto Luclau, who is an author, said that the people within this time did not believe that women had any importance. Many people during the fascism era had the concept of “contradictory consciousness”. In this case it meant that the fascism state wanted women to do more because of modern times, but they were stuck in the old ways (). During the…

Fascism was a Government system practiced by many European Powers. Fascism was brought about by one of the most ruthless dictators of all time. His name was Benito Mussolini. “ Benito Mussolini took power in Italy in 1922. Mussolini’s ideas and practices directly and indirectly influenced political movements in Germany (especially the Nazi Party), Spain (Franco’s Falange Party), France, Argentina, and many other European and Non-European countries right up to present day.”(“A Glossary of…