Christopher Duggan�s new history of Fascism investigates how the movement became embodied in the person of Benito Mussolini who came to occupy a semi-divine status, influencing politics, religion and everyday life to the extent that his legacy still lingers in Italy today.
A work of exceptional authority and originality, Fascist Voices makes use of rarely examined sources � letters and diaries, newspaper reports and secret police files, popular songs and radio broadcasts � to explore how ordinary people experienced Fascism on a daily basis and how its ideology influenced consumption and leisure activities, dress and food, language and sexual behaviour.
Tracing the movement from its conception through to its legacy, Christopher Duggan unpicks why Fascism enjoyed so much support among the majority of the Italian population. He examines the extraordinarily personal relationships that millions of Italians had with Mussolini, explores the religious dimensions of totalitarianism, and explains the Duce�s hold on contemporary Italy.
Fascist Voices is a fresh and disturbing look at a country in thrall to a charismatic leader.