Fascist Modernities offers a discussion of the relationship between the fascist regime and how Italian cultural politics aided the diffusion of modernity and the regeneration of society. The book covers a wide range of topics including the role of Italian fascist intellectuals, colonial conquests, and realism within popular culture to assist the regime’s ultimate goal of modernising the nation. Ben-Ghiat primarily focuses on how cultural history contributed to the burgeoning fascist dictatorship in search for international recognition through a new model of modernity while preserving national traditions and encouraging a collectivist culture. She pays particular attention to how fascism and intellectuals benefitted and supported each other, while also analysing a selection of sources to support her claims. Although Ben-Ghiat offers a clearly structured discussion, the book would be suited for experts in this field, and students studying this topic at an advanced level as background knowledge of this topic must be acquired.
The book is made up of an introduction, six chapters and an epilogue. Each chapter is divided into three to five distinct sections which expand on each main chapter subject. The first half is arranged thematically and focuses on the early 30s, whereas the second half explores the Ethiopian War up to the collapse of Mussoloni’s regime which makes the book coherently structured. Chapter 1 discusses the regime’s patronage framework with intellectuals and the ideas behind the management of modernization in remaking Italians to facilitate international expansion. There is also reference to natalist programs to combat cultural decadence. Ben-Ghiat proceeds to chapters 2 and 3 where she discusses the ways in which literature and film influenced the regime’s goal of modernization and how national novels and stories promoted fascist ideology abroad. Following this, chapter 4 analyses the regime’s attempts to apply its ideology to young intellectuals as the future of fascism, and explores generational tensions and consciousness. She clarifies the significance of young intellectuals in using literature and film as an effective way in diffusing fascist modernity. In her last chapter, Ben-Ghiat looks at how intellectuals received fascist colonial activity and racial policies as well as the impact that the Ethiopian war and the events following had on the progress of modernisation. Ben-Ghiat finalises each chapter summarising it and introducing the following topics which are to be discussed, making her work methodical and coherent.
Throughout Fascist Modernities, Ben-Ghiat expands on the points she wishes to address in the introduction. One of the aims of her book is to discuss how culture contributed to the diffusion of modernity and Italian influence abroad to compete for international prestige. Her aim is thus supported throughout the book. For example, she explores the significance of the Ethiopian War in converting their political ideology into action and that civilising Africa was an opportunity for fascists to modernise society and improve their international image. She greatly adheres to the role of realism in film which increased international expansion by including fascist footage and collectivist ideology. Her reference to the role of intellectuals in supporting her aim is also said to be a crucial as they supported Mussolini in producing national films and novels to be internationally exported which facilitated national regeneration and also attracted foreign intellectuals, thus converting them into fascists. Likewise, she wishes to address how intellectuals responded and reacted to Mussolini’s ideology, and she successfully does so. She states that intellectuals were somewhat responsible for the diffusion of antisemitism, as racial laws were interpreted and became important in regenerating the nation. Intellectuals therefore adhered to Mussolini’s ideology and became key figures in advertising the ideology and implementing cultural order. She refers to intellectuals such as Soffici who condemned artists whose works incorporated anti-Italian, liberal or Judaic references. Ben-Ghiat again supports her aim that during the final years of fascism, youth culture and popularity decreased. She adheres to the national crisis after WW2 which questioned the meaning of fascism and modernity and the political fragmentation that left youth unsure about fascist identity. She continuously alludes to parallel histories of identity which she desires to explore in the introduction such as Italy’s relationship and comparisons with Nazi Germany.
The argument of the book is to explore how Mussolini desired to regenerate Italy to implement his idea of the ‘bonifica,’ to clean up and purify the nation of ‘all social and cultural pathology’ in order to achieve international recognition, reclamation of culture, and to reverse Italy’s foreign worship. She argues that fascism attracted many intellectuals as a model of modernity which would combat internal and international decline, loss of hedgemony, and social decay. The importance of remaking Italians is key within her argument as the role youth played within fascism was significant within literature, film and collectivism. Ben-Ghiat structures her argument effectively by dividing it into two systematic parts, thematically vs. the narrative of the Ethiopia invasion, and consistently supports her arguments’ claims. She has a clear introduction, which outlines her argument and exactly what she is going to cover, and finally an epilogue which rounds up everything she has discussed.
Ben-Ghiat’s later book, Italian Fascism’s Empire Cinema (2015) looks into a study of films constructed under Mussolini’s government. They involve Italy’s African and Balkan colonies. This book further explores some of the key concepts in Fascist Modernities as Ben-Ghiat explores the films’ entry into the international market, promoting Italian cultural expansion, neorealism, and advertising fascist ideology. One of the main arguments within Fascist Modernities is the role of intellectual writers and film makers in creating a collectivist culture through international recognition. These privately funded films were made by Istituto Luce and play a vital role in the cinema of dictatorship. Her approaches and views are somewhat similar as she centres on the role of intellectuals in producing national works to advertise fascist values abroad, to strengthen bonifica schemes and to unite the nation.
There are an extensive number of strengths that can be extracted from this book. However, one of the weaknesses is the lack of analytical evidence for her claims towards the beginning of the book. Her claims undoubtedly become much clearer as the book progresses, as more empirical evidence from literature, and cinema is adhered to. This weakness however is clearly outweighted by the strengths. Ben-Ghiat utilises a commendable amount of research materials such as data sources from films, novels and youth newspapers to support her argument and to promote the regime’s goal of international recognition and modernity, making use of intellectuals and ‘new Italians.’ One strength of the book is that she effectively compares Nazi ideology with that of Mussolini’s to facilitate the understanding of the differences between both regimes, despite both being fascist dictatorships. She compares Hitler’s racial concerns with Mussolini’s Bonifica policy of rehabilitation and segregation, instead of eliminating certain races. She therefore explores parallel histories of identity and ideology which she initially aimed to explore. She also adheres to both Germany and Italy’s attitudes to the Jews, and thus foreign influence on Mussolini’s Italy and its cultural advancement Ben-Ghiat also alludes to the preservation of national traditions much like Nazi Germany, implying that a unified nation was the key to success and mass culture to aid international expansion. Furthermore, Ben-Ghiat never loses her argument, she consistently answers what she sets out to answer and maintains a balanced argument. For example, in chapter 5 she states that many intellectuals supported racist policies, yet does not omit conflicting factual information of intellectuals who also opposed them. From the start, she is perceived as an eloquent writer with a sophisticated style and manner. She consistently adopts a clear and structured way of writing, and introduces new topics with clarity. There is a sense of continuity and coherence, summarising the key messages of each chapter, and effectively puts into context a broad range of intellectuals and readers of the period to support her claims. One of the biggest strengths is how evidently well researched her information is, thus providing the readers a broad analysis which is engaging and plausible in content. The use of illustrations are also creditable, as they provide the reader with contemporary artwork and photos. One piece of artwork on page 27 explores the role of collectivism in society to support her argument that a collectivist culture was important in modernising the nation. The illustration that is most noteworthy is the photograph of the filming in Ethiopia. This illustration can also be linked to her later book, Italian Fascism’s Empire Cinema which reinforces her argument that fascist ideologies were to be advertised abroad to explore the centrality of culture in national reclamation and international expansion.
Ben-Ghiat successfully achieves the purpose of the book and on the audience through her in-depth research and evidence to support her points and her enthusiasm for the topic which is certainly evident all the way through the book. This book is recommendable as it is a remarkable contribution to the topic of Fascism for students and for those seeking knowledge on Italian models of modernity and the role of cultural politics. Students and intellectuals would benefit greatly by reading Ben-Ghiat’s unique account of the relationship between the regime and cultural politics, however the general reader may benefit from having contextual knowledge of this period. Her book provides a significant contribution to the field as previous academics have tended to foucs on internal cultural improvement whereas she aims to explore Italian influence abroad and the larger context, and the search for international recognition.