Antonio Scurati: Fascism and Populism – Mussolini Today
Antonio Scurati, a university professor, columnist, and winner of the 2019 Strega Prize for his historical novel “M. Il figlio del secolo” (M. The Son of the Century), is releasing a new book titled “Fascism and Populism – Mussolini Today” on November 16th, published by Bompiani.
In this book, Scurati continues his study on the figure of Mussolini and compares it to contemporary sovereignties and populisms. According to the book’s presentation, “While self-proclaimed nostalgics of Nazifascism are only a niche phenomenon, European and American populists descend, consciously or unconsciously, not from the founding Mussolini of the Fascist Party, but from the Mussolini who first understood the mechanisms of political seduction in mass society.”
The volume delves into the theme of politics that appeals to people’s instincts. Scurati writes, “There is only one political passion stronger than hope, and that is fear. But fear of what? Fear of the hopes of others. Yesterday, fear of the triumph of socialist revolution; today, fear of the triumph of hopes for a better life for peoples forced to migrate en masse to Europe.” He concludes, “I believe that Mussolini’s relevance stems from his insights into what politics would become in the era of the masses, which was just beginning then and has now reached its mature phase.”
“M. Il figlio del secolo” is currently being translated into forty countries and will soon become a TV series.
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