Mussolini's Grandchildren

The fascinating story behind Italy's lurch towards fascism

'Fascinating and trenchant, this account of contemporary Italian neo-fascism is both original and shocking' - John Foot, historianThe dominant force in Italian politics is Giorgia Meloni's Fratelli d'Italia - a party with a direct genealogy from Mussolini's regime. Surging to prominence in recent years, it has waged a fierce culture war around national identity, polarised political debate around World War II, and secured the largest vote share in Italy's 2022 general election. Eighty years after the fall of Mussolini, his heirs and admirers are again in power. So how exactly has this situation come about?Mussolini's Grandchildren delves into Italy's self-styled 'post-fascist' movements - rooted in historical fascism yet claiming to have 'transcended' it. David Broder highlights the reinventions of far-right politics since the Second World War, and examines the interplay between a parliamentary face aimed at integrating fascists into the mainstream, and militant fringe groups which, despite their extremism, play an important role in nurturing the broader far right.Fratelli d'Italia has retained its hegemony over fascist subcultures whilst embracing a raft of more pragmatic policy positions, fusing harsh Islamophobia and anti-communism with support for the European Union and NATO. As countervailing anti-fascist forces in Italian society wane, the far-right party's mission to redeem historical fascism, legitimise its political heirs and shift the terrain of mainstream politics is proving alarmingly successful.

Autorentext

David Broder is a historian of the Italian far-right. He is a regular contributor to the New Statesman and Internazionale, writing about Italian politics, as well as an editor for Jacobin. His writing has also appeared in New York Times, Guardian, and Independent. He is the author of Mussolini's Grandchildren: Fascism in Contemporary Italy.

Zusammenfassung
The fascinating story behind Italy's lurch towards fascism

Inhalt

Introduction: Mussolini's Granddaughters

1. The Victims of History
2. Exiles in Their Own Fatherland
3. A Party of Good Government
4. In-Laws, Outlaws
5. A Modern Right
   Conclusion