It is necessary to avoid, when possible, definitely partisan sources of information; therefore I have turned to the works of Michele Rosi for the history of politics and to Frederick Windelband for the history of philosophy wherever general reading has proved inadequate or my memory failed. In conclusion I must offer special thanks to Sir Frank Fox for his careful reading of my manuscript and his invaluable suggestion with regard to it. I am also most grateful to the following whom I have consulted as to historical or philosophical accuracy—Professor G. A. Smith, Professor G. C. Webb, Mrs. Anne MacCormick, Miss Jamison, Miss Mary Coate and Mr. R. G. Collingwood. ALINE LION. _Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford._ Part I THE POLITICAL ANTECEDENTS OF FASCISM CHAPTER I IS FASCISM A REVOLUTION? If one may judge of the importance of a political event by the number of articles and books printed on the subject there is no question but that Fascism is one of the most important movements of the post-war world. Strange to say, however, the light thrown by most of these publications fails to illuminate the points most interesting to foreigners. This is probably due first of all to the fact that most of the writers have written either for or against it; moreover, this movement, being peculiarly Italian, is difficult for a foreign mind to grasp. In any case, it is a fact that in spite of all the good or bad will of the journalists this revolution is far from being understood. The lack of intelligent information regarding it is felt everywhere; and it would be difficult to say whether the misrepresentation is greater among those who admire it and, seeing in it a universal remedy for all modern woes, want to introduce its method in other countries; or among those who consider it just as a matter of incidental and local politics. I shall try to put it in its historical setting, and I shall consider myself fortunate if I can throw light on its relation to the political past of Italy, and to the present political conceptions of other countries. The first question that invariably arises is whether Fascism is or is not a revolution. This, however, must be answered by another: what is a revolution? No word stands in greater need of a sound, common-sense definition, yet a definition of it stands on the very threshold of any impartial research on Fascism. Is revolution merely a change of government? This is not sufficient. If it were, the fall of Louis Philippe from the throne of France would be a revolution; yet it is obviously by a license that one speaks of it as the Revolution of ’48. The form of government may change without any substantial alteration of the régime. Then does revolution imply a change of régime? Yes, but, again, what is exactly a change of régime?