Suchergebnisse

The thought of G. Gentile in ORIGINE E DOTTRINA DEL FASCISMO (Origins and Doctrines of Fascism, no publishing information given) on fascism in Italy is examined. It is stated that Gentile's allegiance to fascism, & fascism's attraction for intellectuals in general, was considerable. The situation in which Italy found herself at the end of WW1 was the real turning-point toward fascism. The expectation of intellectuals that the war would bring about a spiritual revolution in pol & in the Italian nation was in no way fulfilled. The disillusioned idealists felt that fascism would "draw together into one spiritual unity the creative souls of its citizens." The philosophical & theoretical background which led to such thinking is explored. Fascist theorists made much talk of considering all members of society as potential equals. Fascism succeeded in drawing together the Hegelian tradition of nat'list ideology, in which the individual is subordinate to the advancement of the nation as a whole, & the ideas of F. W. Nietzsche & G. Sorel on the right of a strong elite of superior minds to direct the lives of the individuals & lead the nation. All of Gentile's endeavors within the fascist state were imbued with a highly idealistic "Fascist spirit." No stone could remain unturned in the creation & completion of the fascist ideal; Gentile, as Minister of Public Educ under the fascists, therefore initiated educ'al reforms to impart this "new spirit" through the media of educ. A critique of Gentile's philosophy is offered in 2 parts: (a) an estimation of how much of what Gentile envisaged in ideal terms became actual in the real world, & (b) an examination of whether this idealism had any chance of being transmuted into reality, given its premises, the circumstances to which it was to be applied, & the plethora of other relevant factors & constraints acting upon such a system. It is found that Gentile was sincere, but his ideals had no chance under Mussolini's totalitarian outlook. M. Maxfield.