The Fascist State is a will expressing power and empire. The Roman
tradition here becomes an idea of force. In the Fascist doctrine,
empire is not only a territorial or a military, or a commercial
expression: it is a moral and a spiritual one. An empire can be
thought of, for instance, as a nation which directly or indirectly
guides other nations--without the need of conquering a single mile of
territory. For Fascism, the tendency to empire, that is to say the
expansion of nations, is a manifestation of vitality, its contrary
(the stay-at-home attitude) is a sign of decadence. Peoples who rise,
or who suddenly flourish again, are imperialistic; peoples who die are
peoples who abdicate. Fascism is a doctrine which most adequately
represents the tendencies, the state of mind of a people like the
Italian people, which is rising again after many centuries of
abandonment and of foreign servitude.
But empire requires discipline, the coordination of forces, duty and
sacrifice. This explains many phases of the practical action of the
regime. It explains the aims of many of the forces of the State and
the necessary severity against those who would oppose themselves to
this spontaneous and irresistible movement of the Italy of the
Twentieth century by trying to appeal to the discredited ideologies of
the Nineteenth century, which have been repudiated wherever great
experiments of political and social transformation have been daringly
undertaken.
Never more than at the present moment have the nations felt such a
thirst for an authority, for a direction, for order. If every century
has its own peculiar doctrine, there are a thousand indications that
Fascism is that of the present century. That it is a doctrine of life
is shown by the fact that it has created a faith; that the faith has
taken possession of the mind is demonstrated by the fact that Fascism
has had its Fallen and its martyrs.
Fascism has now attained in the world an universality over all
doctrines. Being realised, it represents an epoch in the history of
the human mind.
THE POLITICAL DOCTRINE OF FASCISM[1]
BY HIS EXCELLENCY ALFREDO ROCCO
PREMIER MUSSOLINI'S ENDORSEMENT OF SIGNOR ROCCO'S SPEECH
The following message was sent by Benito Mussolini, the Premier of
Italy, to Signor Rocco after he had delivered his speech at Perugia.
Dear Rocco,
I have just read your magnificent address which I endorse
throughout. You have presented in a masterful way the
doctrine of Fascism. For Fascism has a doctrine, or, if you
will, a particular philosophy with regard to all the
questions which beset the human mind today. All Italian
Fascists should read your discourse and derive from it both
the clear formulation of the basic principles of our program
as well as the reasons why Fascism must be systematically,
firmly, and rationally inflexible in its uncompromising
attitude towards other parties. Thus and only thus can the
word become flesh and the ideas be turned into deeds.
Cordial greetings,
MUSSOLINI.