5. The “new Italian man” was defined and promoted under fascism
In Mussolini’s Italy, only a true supporter of Fascism was considered to be a true Italian, and fascist beliefs were the defining aspect of his character. But they were far from being the only aspect which defined the new Italian man. The new Italian man offered complete loyalty and obedience to the state, and only those who were members of the Fascist Party, and publicly endorsed its policies, were eligible for citizenship as Italians. Without evidence of membership in the Fascist party, employment was denied. The new Italian man rejected individualism and was presented as a single part of the great machine known as the state, to which he belonged and to which he owed his first and greatest loyalty. The new Italian man was expected to sacrifice everything to the state, including his life if the state demanded it, for the overall benefit of the state and the party. Pieces of machinery can be replaced.
The new Italian man exhibited the nobility and dedication of the centurions of Rome, and the symbolism of Roman dedication became the embodiment of Mussolini’s definition of Italian manhood. Physical fitness and the willingness to fight, not for individual beliefs and motives but when commanded by the state were traits which the Fascists promoted in their propaganda. Because manhood is preceded by boyhood, the vision of the ideal Italian man became part of the raising of children in Mussolini’s Italy, presented in schools and supported by the curricula of which the Fascists took control. Italian history classes concentrated on the age of the Roman Empire, while individual Italians such as Garibaldi and others were largely ignored. Education was recognized as critical to forging the new Italian man.