This article addresses some of the major debates, polemics and controversies that have surrounded the concept of "totalitarianism" since its first formulation by Italian anti-fascists in 1923. It is argued that "totalitarianism" represents a valid heuristic category for comparative analysis. Through philological analysis, we trace the semantic evolution of the concept between the 1920s and today. Only by keeping this evolution in mind can one understand the specific form of fascist totalitarianism with which Giovanni Gentile rationalized the myth of the totalitarian state – a state very different from the National Socialist and Bolshevik ones.
Il “totalitarismo fascista” tra vecchi e nuovi paradigmi: alcune chiarificazioni concettuali
Antonio Messina
2021-01-01
Abstract
This article addresses some of the major debates, polemics and controversies that have surrounded the concept of "totalitarianism" since its first formulation by Italian anti-fascists in 1923. It is argued that "totalitarianism" represents a valid heuristic category for comparative analysis. Through philological analysis, we trace the semantic evolution of the concept between the 1920s and today. Only by keeping this evolution in mind can one understand the specific form of fascist totalitarianism with which Giovanni Gentile rationalized the myth of the totalitarian state – a state very different from the National Socialist and Bolshevik ones.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
