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Fascio (; plural ''fasci'') is an
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...
word literally meaning "a bundle" or "a sheaf", and figuratively "league", and which was used in the late 19th century to refer to political groups of many different (and sometimes opposing) orientations. A number of
nationalist Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the state. As a movement, nationalism tends to promote the interests of a particular nation (as in a group of people), Smith, Anthony. ''Nationalism: Th ...
''fasci'' later evolved into the 20th century Fasci movement, which became known as ''
fascism Fascism is a far-right, authoritarian, ultra-nationalist political ideology and movement,: "extreme militaristic nationalism, contempt for electoral democracy and political and cultural liberalism, a belief in natural social hierarchy an ...
''.


Origin

During the 19th century the bundle of rods, in
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
called '' fasces'' and in
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...
''fascio'', came to symbolise strength through unity, the point being that whilst each independent rod was fragile, as a bundle they were strong. By extension, the word ''fascio'' came in modern Italian political usage to mean group, union, band or league. It was first used in this sense in the 1870s by groups of revolutionary democrats in
Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Ethnicity , demographics1_footnotes = , demographi ...
, to describe themselves. The most famous of these groups was the '' Fasci Siciliani'' during 1891–94. Thereafter, the word retained revolutionary connotations. It was these connotations which made it attractive, for example, to young nationalists who demanded Italian intervention in
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. The ''fasci'' they formed were scattered over Italy, and it was to one of these spontaneously created groups, devoid of party affiliations, Benito Mussolini belonged.By permission of author, ''Fascism'', Noël O'Sullivan, J. M. Dent & Sons, London, 1983. pg 207.


History


World War I

On 18 August 1914 Italian syndicalist
Alceste de Ambris Alceste De Ambris (15 September 1874 – 9 December 1934) was an Italian syndicalist, the brother of fascist politician Amilcare De Ambris. He had a major part to play in the agrarian strike actions of 1908 in Parma. Life De Ambris was born ...
, speaking from the rostrum of the Milanese Syndical Union (USM), began a ferocious attack against neutrality in World War I and urged intervention against
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and the necessity of aiding
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
and the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
. He equated the war with the
French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are considere ...
. This caused a deep split within the
Unione Sindacale Italiana Unione Sindacale Italiana (''USI''; ''Italian Syndicalist Union'' or ''Italian Workers' Union'') is an anarcho-syndicalist trade union. It is the Italian section of the International Workers' Association (IWA; ''Associazione Internazionale dei Lav ...
(USI). The majority opted for neutrality. The
Parma Labor Chamber Parma (; egl, Pärma, ) is a city in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna known for its architecture, music, art, prosciutto (ham), cheese and surrounding countryside. With a population of 198,292 inhabitants, Parma is the second most ...
, the USM, and other radical syndicalists left the USI and on 1 October 1914 founded the ''Fasci d'Azione rivoluzionaria internazionalista''. On October 5
Angelo Oliviero Olivetti Angelo Oliviero Olivetti (21 June 1874 – 17 November 1931) was an Italian lawyer, journalist, and political activist. Olivetti was born in Ravenna, Italy. In 1892 while a student at the University of Bologna he joined the Italian Sociali ...
published their manifesto in the first issue of a new series of ''Pagine libere''. Benito Mussolini shortly thereafter joined this group and took leadership.


Mussolini's split

On 11 December 1914 Mussolini started a political group, ''Fasci d'azione rivoluzionaria'', which was a fusion of two other movements: the above group, ''Fasci d'azione rivoluzionaria internazionalista'' and a previous group he started called the ''Fasci autonomi d'azione rivoluzionaria''. This new group was also referred to as the
Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
''fascio'', of which Mussolini was the leader. 24 January 1915 was the turning point in the history of the ''fasci'' as their leaders met in Milan and formed a national organization.


After World War I

In 1919, after the war had ended, Mussolini reconstituted the
Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
''fascio'', using the new name
Fasci italiani di combattimento The ''Fasci Italiani di Combattimento'' ( en, Italian Fasces of Combat, link=yes, also translatable as ''"Italian Fighting Bands"'' or ''"Italian Fighting Leagues"'') was an Italian Fascism, Italian Fascist organization created by Benito Mussolin ...
("Italian league of combatants"). Other ''fasci'' of the same name were created, with the common goal of opposing all those– including the
king King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...
and
state State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * ''Our S ...
– whose specific leanings were deemed to be depriving Italy of the fruits of victory in the war. According to
H. W. Schneider H is the eighth letter of the Latin alphabet. H may also refer to: Musical symbols * H number, Harry Halbreich reference mechanism for music by Honegger and Martinů * H, B (musical note) * H, B major People * H. (noble) (died after 1279 ...
, the new Milan ''fascio'' was formed of roughly the same people who had been members of the older ''fascio'' in 1915, but with a new name and a new objective.H. W. Schneider, ''Making the Fascist State'', NY, 1928, pg 56, cited in ''Fascism'', Noël O'Sullivan, J. M. Dent & Sons, London, 1983. pg 207. On 7 November 1921 the
Partito Nazionale Fascista The National Fascist Party ( it, Partito Nazionale Fascista, PNF) was a political party in Italy, created by Benito Mussolini as the political expression of Italian Fascism and as a reorganization of the previous Italian Fasces of Combat. The ...
(PNF), National Fascist Party, came into existence.


After World War II

In Italy, after
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the term ''fascio'' is used as pejorative for ''neo-fascista''.


Other Italian Fasci

*Fasci of the
Veneto Veneto (, ; vec, Vèneto ) or Venetia is one of the 20 regions of Italy. Its population is about five million, ranking fourth in Italy. The region's capital is Venice while the biggest city is Verona. Veneto was part of the Roman Empire unt ...
led by
Dino Grandi Dino Grandi (4 June 1895 – 21 May 1988), 1st Conte di Mordano, was an Italian Fascist politician, minister of justice, minister of foreign affairs and president of parliament. Early life Born at Mordano, province of Bologna, Grandi was a gr ...
and Pietro Marsich


References

{{Fascism Italian Fascism National syndicalism it:Fascio littorio#I fasci in epoca moderna