Mussolini as revealed in his political speeches (November 1914-August 1923)Mussolini, Benito
History
Mussolini as revealed in his political speeches (November 1914-August 1923)
Mussolini, Benito
Fascism -- Italy; Italy -- Politics and government -- 1914-1945; Mussolini, Benito, 1883-1945; Partito nazionale fascista (Italy)
In Dalmatia it is only possible for us to save the centres which have an
Italian majority, with guarantees for the safeguarding of those Italian
minorities scattered in the other centres. The eventual loss of
Sebenico, which had strategic and not national value, would be
compensated for by some other strategic point to be given to Italy.
Lansing said that this would be eventually sought for in the
Mediterranean.
Given this situation, it is no exaggeration to say that the general
Socialist strike is a real attempted crime against the nation. And note:
I could understand a strike which had as its object the setting up of
the Soviet in Italy, but I do not understand or admit this one, which is
without aim, object or justification. It must and will fail, because the
leaders themselves are in the _cul de sac_ of this dilemma: either
tragedy, because the State at this moment has its repressive machinery
in full working order; or comedy, in the event of a revolt on the part
of the workmen already outlined, and due to their being tired of serving
a Socialist Party mostly composed of middle-class elements.
Perhaps it is worth while in passing to confute the objection in the
_Stampa_ of Portogruaro, which would like to deny our right of rising up
against the strike on the ground that we were in favour of war. “What,”
it says, “is the damage done in two days of strike compared with that
done in four years of war?” We crush these gentlemen with the reply that
four years of neutrality would have damaged us more, besides having been
to our lasting and ineffaceable moral shame.
_Reactionaries and vice versâ._ For me revolution is not an attack of
St. Vitus’ dance or an unexpected fit of epilepsy. It must have force,
aims, and above all, method. In 1913, when the Socialist Party was
already rotten, it was I who put into circulation the words which made
the pulses of the big men of Italian Socialism beat: “This proletariat
is in need of a bath of blood,” I said. It has had it, and it lasted for
three years. “This proletariat is in need of a day of history.” And it
has had a thousand.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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