The cult of Il Duce Flashcards
Image
Image propagated through posters, cinema news reels and radio broadcasts, portrayed Mussolini as leader of immense ability who was leading Italy into greatness
quote
‘Mussolini is always right’
how many photos
30 million pictures of il Duce in 2,500 poses circulated throughout Italy
modern, dynamic leader; brilliant sportsman, internationally respected statesman, superb swimmer and aviator
often shirtless; portray strength and attractive to women
lone leader
image of lone leader, above party and nation; no friends to distract him, and he did not have normal emotions which could hinder him
hope
epresented hopes and desires of the Italian people; supreme patriot, first soldier and heir to Julius Caesar and Augustus and was leading nation to greatnes
power of cult
no doubting power of cult; sustained myth of regime that united Italians in support for the dictatorship
popularity of Mussolini
PNF and fascist ideology was not popular with majority of Italians, but Mussolini himself stood above party as leader Italians could believe in
key problems
Mussolini’s image was more popular than PNF and fascist ideology; questionable how far fascism can be described as Mussolini’s
if the goal of fascism was to transform Italy into a militaristic culture, cult did not achieve this
worshipped one leader, not an ideology that could sustain itself after Mussolini died
difficult to consider fascism surviving without Mussolini
ageing
as Mussolini aged, it was difficult to sustain image of youthful, active, dynamic leader
1930’s
as 1930’s progressed, Mussolini started believing cult; radical an more aggressive policy from 1935 onwards
