Do you know any biographies of Gabriele D'Annunzio written in English? > -----Original Message----- > From: Ezra Pound discussion list of the University of Maine > [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Bill Freind > Sent: Saturday, November 20, 1999 3:28 AM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: Integer vitae scelerisque purum > > > >but, just to satisfy yer request fer lucidity: > >fascism is the reactionary form of populism; > >communism, the progressive. > >together they constitute that unitary dialectic called the working class, > >and, of course, both stand at war with the bourgeoisie. > > Well, I'm not sure binaries such as that are really helpful. As a young > man, Mussolini was a dedicated socialist (as his father had > been), but it's > important to note that in the first decades of this century Marx's thought > was still relatively new. That's especially true in Italy, and as a result > some idiosyncratic perspectives arose. A number of historians > emphasize the > Marxist and socialist underpinnings of fascism: A. James Gregor calls > Italian fascism a "Marxist heresy." > > It's also important to note that many of the "nations" which we North > Americans like to think are ancient are fairly recent, at least as > political entities. If I'm remembering right (and Fabio can correct me if > I'm off) Italy isn't unified until 1861, and Rome isn't included in that > union until 1870. Nationalism thus becomes a new and powerful political > force, especially in WWII, when many Italians believe a victory will bring > them Trieste, Fiume and other territories. Fascism becomes a way to > "complete" the Risorgimento. > > Speaking of Fiume, I'm amazed that North Americans pay so little attention > to Gabriele D'Annunzio's short-lived republic there. D'Annunzio seized > control of the city when it became apparent it would go not to > Italy but to > the new nation of Yugoslavia (I think), and he quickly implemented what > amounted to a dry-run for fascism: he refined the balcony > address, made one > of the first political radio speeches (with Marconi, no less), and patched > together a political platform that fused left and right. He planned to > establish an Anti-League of Nations that would include the Irish, > Palestinians, Montenegrins and others, guaranteed universal sufferage and > freedom of religion, etc. It's a fascinating episode. > > Bill Freind Hideo Nogami studying Ezra Pound nonprofessionally in Japan [log in to unmask]