Fascist Voices Paperback – 7 November 2013

An excellent read, feascinating and illuminating for someone who has read a great deal of the opponents of fascism,but little of the attitudes of the ordinary people who either embraced it or endured it. One complaint, and it is a small one, throughout the book professor Duggan is dismissive of the 'socialist threat', and this colours his attitudes towards the socialists in general. His comment that the Italian socialist party was, along with the Bolsheviks, alone in consistently opposing the war, is untrue: both Bolsheviks and Mensheviks opposed the war until the February revolution, then both changed their position (the Bolsheviks were less than happy when Lenin ordered them to change their line and attempted to censor him), neither were they alone, the Narrow socialists of Bulgaria were opposed to war throughout as were the Serbian socialist party. The Socialist party of Great Britain were also intransigent opponents of the war.

This is not primarily a history of fascism during Mussolini's ventennio, it is Mussolini as seen through the eyes of Italians, mostly his ardent supporters, their attachment to the Duce varying from quasi-religious adoration to grateful submission to the parens patriae; but there are some voices hesitant in their acceptance of the regime. Indeed, the book is full of instructive case studies in cognitive dissonance: what happens to your view of your idol when you start to notice bad things going on? Fascinating stuff.Everyone who reads the book must read the Epilogue from p.431 onwards, a chilling collection of written comments left by visitors to the Duce's tomb since 2005. His spirit lives on.Given the range and wealth of material in the book, it would be ungenerous to give it less than five stars. All the same, there were topics I would have liked to see covered in greater detail: attitudes to the reintroduction (and use) of the death penalty from 1926 onwards, after its official abolition in 1889; the Sicilian reception of Cesare Mori, the "iron prefect" of Palermo, into whose methods the book gives only partial insight; and the application (and experience) of confino ("internment" or "internal exile" to us; or "holiday". as Berlusconi calls it).

I bought this book thinking that it would be similar in style and format to other books that one can buy on the Second World War with the voices theme.Wherein it is really more about the individual experiences of everyday people during these times.Whilst there is a good element of this in this book it is really more of a straightforward , well written, history of the Fascist era.So if this is what you are looking for do not hesitate ...but if you are looking for personal memories from Italian individuals at this time ( voices) then it may not be what you had in mind. however it is still a very interesting and insightful book.

I have been teaching Mussolini's Italy to A Level students for many years and have to say this is the most compelling and readable resource I have ever come across. The use of diaries and letters and the stories of 'real people' bring the Fascist years to life without simplifying or 'dumbing down' complex political and social change. There is a real barrier to understanding the appeal of Mussolini and the Fascists when they are viewed through the eyes of a modern teenager but this book makes the actions and beliefs of Italians entirely understandable.A great book - I can't recommend it highly enough.

Perhaps a subject that many Italians find difficult to talk about, this book not only gives a detailed history of Italy from the WW1 to the end of WW2, but also an insight into the thinking of ordinary Italian men and women at the time. The last chapter suggests that many look back on that time with a sense of pride - although they may not like to say so in public!