Posted on 01/08/2013 11:31:03 AM PST by Olog-hai
Every year, thousands of people in Italy hang a fresh calendar of images depicting Benito Mussolini on their wall, just one of many indications that the cult of “Il Duce” is alive and well in the country. Many still consider the fascist dictator to have been an honorable man, and it is a weakness that politicians such as Silvio Berlusconi have been able to exploit. …
The full extent of the Mussolini cult—a phenomenon many foreigners find difficult to understand—can be seen in Predappio, a small town in the Emilia-Romagna region with barely 7,000 inhabitants. As a tourist destination, Predappio is not really worth the trip. But it was here on July 29, 1883 that Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini, the son of a blacksmith and a village school teacher, began a life that would lead to his coronation as “Il Duce,” the architect of fascism who was the precursor and in many respects a model for Adolf Hitler. …
Today, young men with shaved heads in long black capes regularly pose for photos at the Mussolini family tomb. The condolence book is filled with sentences like “You are the only God,” and some visitors stretch their right arms forward in the so-called “Roman salute,” not dissimilar to the Nazi salute. …
(Excerpt) Read more at spiegel.de ...
IBFILFR (In Before Fascism Is Left Wing Revelation!)
He did make the trains run on time.
From the article:
Even Mussolini, in his early years, had been financed and supported by French and British intelligence agencies.
As is almost always the case, the writer completely skips over young Mussolini the red-socialist.
They had Il Duce, We have Douche II....
Do they hang upside down every April 29th to show solidarity?
Compare this to the neo-Confederates in this country.
A little known fact about Mussolini: Italy thrived in the 1920s the early 1930s (before going to war) avoided the travesty of the global depression and financial meltdown. This, all can be credited to Mussolini’s supply side chief economist, De Stefani, who significantly cut taxes in Italy during this period. While Mussolini strutted around like a pompous peacock, supply side policies and tax cuts reinvigorated the Italian economy.
A little known fact about Mussolini: Italy thrived in the 1920s the early 1930s (before going to war) avoided the travesty of the global depression and financial meltdown. This, all can be credited to Mussolini’s supply side chief economist, De Stefani, who significantly cut taxes in Italy during this period. While Mussolini strutted around like a pompous peacock, supply side policies and tax cuts reinvigorated the Italian economy.
Was in Italy 2 years ago, was surprised to find little Mussolini busts and t shirts in some souvenir stands in the Le Marche region .
I always thought “Il Douche” was best for him. Seems to fit well...
How many have busts of Napoleon—a sort of 19th Century Tyrant? At least he wasn’t as bloodthirsy as Hitler of Stalin.
Boney was capable of being every bit as ruthless and bloodthirsty as anybody else.
He just wasn’t interested in remolding humanity into some ideological format.
Keep your head down and don’t oppose him and he’d pretty much leave you alone.
It’s a little known fact that the same is somewhat true of the Nazi and Fascist dictators relative to the commies. If you were not a member of a Designated Victim Group and didn’t openly oppose Hitler, the Nazis would generally leave you alone. Musso even more so.
Case in point: the Nazis had one major purge. The Reds had many.
The Commies insisted everybody get on board with enthusiasm.
Whether the Nazis, had they won, have gone on to remodeling humanity with the same insistence is something we will never know.
*** was surprised to find little Mussolini busts and t shirts in some souvenir stands in the Le Marche region.***
I understand his last gig was standing on his head.
IMHO, they just didn't have time to get around to it, but your point is still well-taken.
I'd add that the differences in Culture are significant, as well. For instance, my Grandfather had bridgework done by a German dentist either at the end, or immediately after the war. It lasted almost 50 years; he said that it was far better than any work he ever had done stateside.
Contrast that with the drunk-at-work mentality of Soviet Communism, or the "Hurryup with my check" welfare mentality of our very own Communist Barack voters.
Sorry, but efficiency married to fanaticism is more scary, not less.
Communism fell not because it was evil, but because it was inefficient.
We have our own Mussolini cult here. Just goes by a different namesake.
Hitler cult alive and well in the US and Hitler never visited the US.
Well, yes, Mussolini was a leftist. In fact he was a card-carrying Communist, until he decided to break with the International movement and rule Italy on his own.
The Communists labeled Hitler and Mussolini as leftists, in order to demonize them. But they were all socialist dictators.
How come it’s OK to continue to honor Stalin and Mao, although they both killed FAR more people than Mussolini ever thought of, but to say that only those who admire Mussolini are evil? Stupid, yes. But what about all those Russians today who still think that Stalin was wonderful, because he gave them a huge empire? Or all those guys still working for the New York Times who worship Che and Fidel?
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