The Mussolini myths: changes, crises and oscillation

Abstract

This article analyses the various myths which surrounded Mussolini throughout his lifetime, taking into account the moments of rise, the moments of decline and the many inconsistencies. Before becoming the Duce of Fascism, Mussolini was the leader of socialism, but he was eventually expelled from the party; contrary to his youthful anti-militarist convictions, he pushed for intervention in World War I. He went on to create fascism, transforming it over time from revolutionary principles to conservative institutionalisation, creating a myth around himself that was fostered by the unconditional support he received from a significant part of the population. Finally, he went from the myth of the Empire and of Italy’s international greatness to a resounding fall in the Second World War, to arrest and an undignified death. These pages portray a changing Mussolini, whose life took many twists and turns, characterized by crises and inconsistencies.