Propaganda in Fascist Italy was used by the National Fascist Party in the years leading up to and during Benito Mussolini's leadership of the Kingdom of Italy during the Fascist era and was a crucial instrument for acquiring and maintaining power and the implementation of Fascist policies.
History
Early Fascist Party (1919–1922)
From the formation of the Italian Fasces of Combat ("Fasci Italiani di Combattimento") in 1919, the Fascists made heavy use of propaganda, including pageantry and rhetoric, to inspire the nation into the unity that would obey.Piers Brendon, The Dark Valley: A Panorama of the 1930s, p. 25–26 The party's main propaganda tool was Il Popolo d'Italia ("The People of Italy"), a pro-war political newspaper founded and directed by Benito Mussolini himself in 1914, which advocated for militarism, Italian irredentism, and the Italian intervention in the First World War.
During those years, Fascist propaganda was mostly targeted at opposing the Italian Socialist Party (PSI), the largest political movement in the country and the Italian Fascists' main antagonist to power. The PSI was accused of being a sock puppet of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and was often labelled as a "Russian army".R. J. B. Bosworth, Mussolini's Italy, p. 134 Those sentiments were often shared by the Italian liberal establishment, which condemned Fascist violence but was more afraid of a Bolshevik Revolution.R. J. B. Bosworth, Mussolini's Italy, p.146 Max Gallo, Mussolini's Italy, p. 122 Macmillan Publishing Co. Inc., 1973 New York
In addition to attacking the Italian socialists through the pro-war Fascist newspaper Il Popolo d'Italia ("The People of Italy"), Mussolini often also attacked the liberal establishment of the Kingdom of Italy, which he regarded as responsible for the so-called "mutilated victory", a term used to describe Italian nationalists' dissatisfaction on the territorial rewards at the end of the Great War.G.Sabbatucci, La vittoria mutilata, in AA.VV., Miti e storia dell'Italia unita, Il Mulino, Bologna 1999, pp.101-106
In power (1922–1943)
Once Mussolini came in power, all propaganda efforts were grouped together under the press office;, and propaganda efforts were slowly organized until a Ministry of Popular Culture was created in 1937.Anthony Rhodes, Propaganda: The art of persuasion: World War II, p70-1 1976, Chelsea House Publishers, New York A special propaganda ministry was created in 1935 and claimed that its purpose was to tell the truth about Fascism, refute the lies of its enemies and clear up ambiguities that were only to be expected in so large and dynamic a movement.Denis Mack Smith, Mussolini's Roman Empire, p. 85
Themes Personality cult
Benito Mussolini was the central figure of Italian Fascism and portrayed as such.Alastair Hamilton, The Appeal of Fascism p73 Macmillan New York 1971 The personality cult of Mussolini was in many respects the unifying force of the Fascist regime by acting as a common denominator of various political groups and social classes in the National Fascist Party and Italian society. The personality cult of Mussolini helped reconcile Italian citizens with the Fascist regime despite annoyance with local officials.Mark Mazower, Dark Continent: Europe's 20th Century p. 37 A basic slogan in Fascist Italy proclaimed that Mussolini was "always right" ().R. J. B. Bosworth, Mussolini's Italy, p3 Endless publicity revolved about Mussolini with newspapers being instructed on exactly what to report about him.Professor John Pollard, Mussolini's Rivals: The Limits of the Personality Cult in Fascist Italy
He was generally portrayed in a macho manner, but he could also appear as a Renaissance man or as a military, family, or even common man. That reflected his presentation as a universal man, capable of all subjects. A light was left on in his office long after he was asleep as part of propaganda to present him as an insomniac because of his supposed nature of being driven to work.Max Gallo, Mussolini's Italy, pp. 212–13 Macmillan Publishing Co. Inc., 1973 New York Mussolini, as a practitioner of various sports such as fencing, auto racing, skiing, horse riding, lion taming, and swimming, was promoted to create an image of a valiant and fearless hero.Simonetta Falasca-Zamponi (2000), Fascist spectacle: the aesthetics of power in Mussolini's Italy, University of California Press, pp. 68-70, Mussolini's prestige as a hero aviator in the manner of Charles Lindbergh was especially important, as for Italian Fascism the aeroplane embodied qualities such as dynamism, energy, and courage. Mussolini himself oversaw the photographs that could appear and rejected some, such as because he was not sufficiently prominent in a group.Max Gallo, Mussolini's Italy, pp. 206–07 Macmillan Publishing Co. Inc., 1973 New York
Mussolini's youthfulness (when he took office, he became the youngest prime minister in Italian history), and his virile and energetic appearance were promoted.Falasca-Zamponi, S. (2000), pp. 72–73 In Fascist symbolism, youth constituted a metaphor for action and vitality, which emphasizsed the nature of Italian fascism as a revolutionary ideology in contrast to the stasis of liberal democracy. The official Italian Fascist hymn, Giovinezza ("Youth"), linked the concepts of youth, the rebirth of the nation, and the reign of Mussolini into symbolic unity. The publicising of Mussolini's birthdays and illnesses were banned for journalists to give an impression of him not aging. The erotic aspect of this personality cult was also prominent since although Mussolini was portrayed as a respectable family man, state propaganda did meanwhile little to counter the idea that he had sexual magnetism to women and was promiscuous.Christopher Duggan, 2008, The Force of Destiny: A History of Italy Since 1796, pp. 479–480 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt,
Legends of Mussolini defying death during the First World War and surviving assassination attempts were circulated to give the dictator a mythical and immortal aura. It was stated that Mussolini's body had been pierced by shrapnel just as Saint Sebastian had been pierced by arrows, the difference being that Mussolini had survived his ordeal. He was also compared to Saint Francis of Assisi, who had, like Mussolini, "suffered and sacrificed himself for others".Falasca-Zamponi (2000), pp. 65–66
Mussolini's humble origin was described with explicit parallels with the life of Christ. when writing about Mussolini's blacksmith father and mother, Fascist propaganda presented them symbolically as the Holy Family ("They are but Mary and Joseph in relation to Christ").Christopher Duggan, 2008, The Force of Destiny: A History of Italy Since 1796, p. 479 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, His hometown of Predappio was developed as a place of mass tourism and symbolic pilgrimage. The Vatican implied that heavenly powers were aware that Mussolini had saved Italy from Bolshevism and thus protected him. Pope Pius XI referred to him as "the man of Providence" during the aftermath of the Lateran Treaty. Fascist state media described Mussolini's public speeches as sacramental meetings between "Il Duce" and the Italian people.R. J. B. Bosworth, Mussolini's Italy, p. 11 Mussolini's melodramatic style of oratory was both pantomimic and liturgical, with exaggerated poses and hand movements, and prominent variations in the pitch and tone of his voice.Christopher Duggan, 2008, The Force of Destiny: A History of Italy Since 1796, pp. 477–478 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Mussolini intended his speeches to be faith-inspiring theatrical performances and stated that "the crowd does not have to know; it must believe".
In addition to being depicted as being chosen by God, the Italian Fascist regime presented Mussolini himself having omnipotent or godlike characteristics, such as being able to work superhuman amounts (14–16 hours) daily and never appearing tired.Falasca-Zamponi (2000), pp. 67-68 Fascist newspapers implied even that Mussolini had performed miracles, such as stopping the lava flow of Mount Etna in Sicily and invoking rain in the drought-suffering Italian-occupied Libya during his visit to the region in March 1937.Falasca-Zamponi (2000), p. 71 A story of a deaf-mute boy being cured after listening in a crowd to a speech of Mussolini was told in an elementary school manual.Christopher Duggan, 2008, The Force of Destiny: A History of Italy Since 1796, p. 478 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt,
His overtly-belligerent image did not prevent Fascist newspapers from declaring he had done more for peace than anyone else, on the principle that Mussolini always did better than everyone else.Denis Mack Smith, Mussolini's Roman Empire, p. 124 Fascist propaganda proclaimed that he had improved the Italian people morally, materially, and spiritually.H.R. Kedward, Fascism in Western Europe 1900-45, p 110 New York University Press New York 1971 Mussolini was "Il Duce" and as such he had been proclaimed in song even before the seizure of power. The Italian invasion of Ethiopia in 1935 was presented as a revival of the Roman Empire, with Mussolini being portrayed as the Roman emperor Augustus.Piers Brendon, The Dark Valley: A Panorama of the 1930s, p. 329
In order to improve the image of Fascist Italy in North Africa and the Levant and to gain support from the Arabs, Mussolini had himself declared the "Protector of Islam" during an official visit to Italian-occupied Libya in 1937. He also got the Sword of Islam.Manuela A. Williams, Mussolini's propaganda abroad: subversion in the Mediterranean and the Middle East, 1935-1940, p. 112, Taylor & Francis, 2006
Action
Italian Fascism was among the most visible of the contemporary political movements that had emerged following World War I; it emphasised action and violence over talk and reason.Mark Mazower, Dark Continent: Europe's 20th Century Italian Fascism was used to justify taking up notions and dropping them again. Economic issues were presented in a heroic and militaristic manner, with programs being termed the Battle of Wheat and the Battle of the Lira. Military matters were also straightforwardly praised, with the aim of primacy on land, sea, and air;Denis Mack Smith, Mussolini's Roman Empire, disarmament was seen as impossible.
War, conquest, and killing were praised as the essence of manhood. A Fascist encyclopedia proclaimed that "nothing is ever won in history without bloodshed",H.R. Kedward, Fascism in Western Europe 1900-45, New York University Press New York 1971 drawing upon older themes of suffering being necessary for greatness which had been promoted during World War I.R. J. B. Bosworth, Mussolini's Italy, World War I was often cited in Fascist propaganda, with many prominent Italian Fascists displaying many medals from the conflict. To such figures as Gabriele d'Annunzio, the return of peace meant only the return of the humdrum, but the ideal was still war, themes that Italian Fascism drew into its propaganda. Mussolini, shortly before the seizure of power, proclaimed violence as better than compromise and bargaining.Max Gallo, Mussolini's Italy, Macmillan Publishing Co. Inc., 1973 New York Afterwards, there was a prolonged period during which the absence of military action did not prevent the government from many belligerent statements. Interviews appearing in foreign press, in which Mussolini spoke of wanting peace, had that portion censored out before they appeared in Italian newspapers.