Wikipedia Commons
The Man with
a Famous Frown
paraphrasing and using language
from the BBC podcast above
He was a populist and nationalist, known for his jutting chin and perpetual frown. He had a keen sense of how to use the media to his advantage, and he was always looking for ways to project an image of strength and power. A journalist famously labeled him as "neurotic, excitable, self-pitying, excessively blasphemous, vindictively vengeful, ill-dressed, and a sponger." According to many who knew him, he was in politics, not because he loved people, but for the power and adulation. He campaigned on a platform of making his nation great again, returning it to its old glory. I'm talking about Benito Mussolini (1883-1945), of course.
Mussolini initiated a campaign to Make Italy Great Again: that is, to enable it to return to the glory days of the Roman Empire. He began as a socialist but turned into a fascist, suppressing all political opposition. Some of his policies were quite good, including large public works projects such as the draining of marshes and the construction of highways. He also dramatically increased military spending. But over time he became more and more isolated, more and more certain that he was right, less and less able to listen to anyone who disagreed with him, and it drove him mad.
Mussolini led Italy into World War II on the wrong side, aligning with Nazi Germany in a disastrous decision. He admired the power of the Nazis, including their goose-stepping soldiers. "I knew my friend Adolph Hitler would not desert me," he once said.
He was a womanizer. He had many mistresses, treating women as objects to be possessed and discarded when they were no longer useful to him. He bragged about dominating women and even about raping a woman. He stabbed one of hs girlfriends.
He was a powerful personality but not a likeable personality. A journalist famously labeled him as "neurotic, excitable, self-pitying, excessively blasphemous, vindictively vengeful, ill-dressed, and a sponger." Beneath it all was an insecurity. He was plagued by self-doubt and constantly seeking validation, often interpreting even the slightest perceived insult as an offense and seeking revenge. He was determined to achieve retribution at any cost. His was a politics of power and resentment.
Mussolini's fascism was totalitarian. Many politicians curried favor with him and were complicit in his rise. If you became part of his movement you could not sit back and watch. You had to participate in it in an active way. You had to put the flags out, to give yourself to it, body and soul. In doing so you received his favor, and you could participate in the power, fueled by resentment and anger. You could help Make Italy Great Again.
- Jay McDaniel
Mussolini initiated a campaign to Make Italy Great Again: that is, to enable it to return to the glory days of the Roman Empire. He began as a socialist but turned into a fascist, suppressing all political opposition. Some of his policies were quite good, including large public works projects such as the draining of marshes and the construction of highways. He also dramatically increased military spending. But over time he became more and more isolated, more and more certain that he was right, less and less able to listen to anyone who disagreed with him, and it drove him mad.
Mussolini led Italy into World War II on the wrong side, aligning with Nazi Germany in a disastrous decision. He admired the power of the Nazis, including their goose-stepping soldiers. "I knew my friend Adolph Hitler would not desert me," he once said.
He was a womanizer. He had many mistresses, treating women as objects to be possessed and discarded when they were no longer useful to him. He bragged about dominating women and even about raping a woman. He stabbed one of hs girlfriends.
He was a powerful personality but not a likeable personality. A journalist famously labeled him as "neurotic, excitable, self-pitying, excessively blasphemous, vindictively vengeful, ill-dressed, and a sponger." Beneath it all was an insecurity. He was plagued by self-doubt and constantly seeking validation, often interpreting even the slightest perceived insult as an offense and seeking revenge. He was determined to achieve retribution at any cost. His was a politics of power and resentment.
Mussolini's fascism was totalitarian. Many politicians curried favor with him and were complicit in his rise. If you became part of his movement you could not sit back and watch. You had to participate in it in an active way. You had to put the flags out, to give yourself to it, body and soul. In doing so you received his favor, and you could participate in the power, fueled by resentment and anger. You could help Make Italy Great Again.
- Jay McDaniel
Mussolini's Life and Personality
BBC Podcast
"September 1943, and German troops have just landed in gliders to rescue Benito Mussolini from the mountain resort where he was being held. “I knew my friend Adolf Hitler would not desert me,” he said later. But Mussolini died before the end of the war, shot and then strung up with his mistress in Milan.
Who was this man, and is he still relevant today? Nominating him is Professor Margaret MacMillan, emeritus professor of History at the University of Toronto and an emeritus professor of International History at Oxford University, not as her hero but as someone she says must not be dismissed as a buffoon. Mussolini founded and led the fascists in Italy, was a brilliant propagandist, and would have probably died in his bed but for the war. Winston Churchill, speaking in 1927, told him his fascist movement "has rendered a service to the entire world." Only later did he dub him the Italian Miscalculator. Mussolini declared war on Britain just as France was poised to fall.
As well as archive of Mussolini, Churchill, and the Italian journalist Luigi Barzini, the programme features Professor John Foot of Bristol University. Margaret MacMillan is the author of Peacemakers and a former BBC Reith lecturer. The programme is presented by Matthew Parris.
The producer in Bristol is Miles Warde
Who was this man, and is he still relevant today? Nominating him is Professor Margaret MacMillan, emeritus professor of History at the University of Toronto and an emeritus professor of International History at Oxford University, not as her hero but as someone she says must not be dismissed as a buffoon. Mussolini founded and led the fascists in Italy, was a brilliant propagandist, and would have probably died in his bed but for the war. Winston Churchill, speaking in 1927, told him his fascist movement "has rendered a service to the entire world." Only later did he dub him the Italian Miscalculator. Mussolini declared war on Britain just as France was poised to fall.
As well as archive of Mussolini, Churchill, and the Italian journalist Luigi Barzini, the programme features Professor John Foot of Bristol University. Margaret MacMillan is the author of Peacemakers and a former BBC Reith lecturer. The programme is presented by Matthew Parris.
The producer in Bristol is Miles Warde
Core Characteristics
of the Fascist Personality
- Authoritarianism
- Strong preference for hierarchical structures and submission to authority figures.
- Belief that the world is divided between the powerful and the weak, necessitating strict order.
- Aggression toward Outgroups
- Hostility toward marginalized groups, minorities, or perceived outsiders.
- Tendency to scapegoat others (e.g., immigrants, religious or ethnic groups) as the cause of societal problems.
- Conformity and Control
- Preference for uniformity in thought, behavior, and culture, with a desire to suppress diversity.
- Hostility toward dissent and opposition to ideas that challenge the dominant norms or state.
- Nationalism and Superiority
- A belief in the inherent superiority of one’s nation, race, or culture, often accompanied by disdain for others.
- Romanticizing or glorifying a mythic past to justify dominance and exclusion.
- Anti-Intellectualism
- Suspicion or rejection of critical thinking, intellectual debate, and education that challenges rigid ideologies.
- Preference for simplistic narratives, slogans, and emotional appeals over nuanced analysis.
- Obsession with Strength and Masculinity
- Glorification of physical strength, militarism, and hyper-masculinity as virtues.
- A belief that softness, compassion, or emotional sensitivity are signs of weakness.
- Fear of Chaos and Change
- Intense fear of social change or perceived chaos, leading to a desire to restore or preserve "order."
- Tendency to embrace authoritarian solutions to address uncertainty or instability.
- Projection of Vulnerabilities
- Insecurity or fear of personal inadequacy is projected onto others, resulting in aggression or bullying.
- Others are seen as weak or threatening, justifying preemptive domination or suppression.
What is the Appeal
of Authoritarianism?
- Perceived stability and order: Authoritarian leaders often present themselves as strong and decisive, promising to restore order and stability in times of uncertainty and chaos.
- Nationalism and pride: Authoritarian leaders often appeal to a sense of national pride, emphasizing the importance of unity and national identity.
- Simplistic solutions: Authoritarian leaders often offer simplistic solutions to complex problems, such as blaming societal issues on specific groups or individuals.
- Fear and insecurity: Authoritarian leaders may manipulate people's fears and insecurities, convincing them that only they can protect them from perceived threats.
- Control and power: Authoritarian leaders often seek to consolidate power and control, promising to eliminate corruption and inefficiencies in government.
Loving my Enemies
As someone who identifies as a process-relational Christian, I strongly oppose the values that Mussolini represents. He stood for domination rather than cooperation, coercion over persuasion, and self-promotion rather than serving others. He glorified violence over peace and chose to align himself with Hitler rather than with peacemakers like Jesus, Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and Thich Nhat Hanh.
Despite this, as Christians, we are called to love our enemies, pray for those who persecute us, and forgive others repeatedly. This does not mean that we condone harmful behavior or support those who exhibit it, nor does it mean that we divide the world into "good" and "bad" people. Rather, we recognize that every person has the capacity for both good and evil, including ourselves.
Loving those who are violent requires us to seek to understand them and their motivations, even when we vehemently disagree with their actions. It means working to promote their well-being, rather than seeking revenge or retribution. In cases where punishment is necessary, such as incarceration, our goal should be rehabilitative rather than purely retributive. We should strive to help individuals become better people through counseling and opportunities for service.
However, this kind of radical love is not easy to cultivate. We cannot simply think our way into it; we must pray our way into it. We must cultivate a loving-kindness meditation practice that allows us to wish happiness, health, safety, inner calm, and a sense of being loved for all living beings, including those we find repugnant.
It sounds naive, but I can think of no other option. My hope is that people of all religions, political affiliations, and backgrounds can come together in this way, building creative, compassionate, diverse, and inclusive communities that care for the earth and all living beings.
Is this too much to ask?
- Jay McDaniel
Despite this, as Christians, we are called to love our enemies, pray for those who persecute us, and forgive others repeatedly. This does not mean that we condone harmful behavior or support those who exhibit it, nor does it mean that we divide the world into "good" and "bad" people. Rather, we recognize that every person has the capacity for both good and evil, including ourselves.
Loving those who are violent requires us to seek to understand them and their motivations, even when we vehemently disagree with their actions. It means working to promote their well-being, rather than seeking revenge or retribution. In cases where punishment is necessary, such as incarceration, our goal should be rehabilitative rather than purely retributive. We should strive to help individuals become better people through counseling and opportunities for service.
However, this kind of radical love is not easy to cultivate. We cannot simply think our way into it; we must pray our way into it. We must cultivate a loving-kindness meditation practice that allows us to wish happiness, health, safety, inner calm, and a sense of being loved for all living beings, including those we find repugnant.
It sounds naive, but I can think of no other option. My hope is that people of all religions, political affiliations, and backgrounds can come together in this way, building creative, compassionate, diverse, and inclusive communities that care for the earth and all living beings.
Is this too much to ask?
- Jay McDaniel