Totalitarian Pedagogy and Italian Youth

Scholars have only recently begun to take the Fascist ‘new man’ myth seriously as it was long dismissed as simply a propaganda tool of the Regime. Past research focused mainly on the cultural characteristics of the ‘new man’ myth and less on the lengths the Fascist Regime went to in its mission to shape the bodies and forge the mindsets of Italians. Although some historiographical trends still strongly consider the creation of a ‘new man’ as a Utopian experiment, it seems important to try and determine whether – and to what extent – the myth became reality. Fascism promoted a new type of citizen, who completely identified with Fascist principles and was keen to subordinate his individuality to collective interests and the nation’s political-military goals. Youth played a central role in its project to create a ‘new man’. Indeed exploring the training that new generations underwent is crucial for analyzing the relationship between the ‘new man’ myth and the functioning of the totalitarian organizational machine. The National Fascist Party used every means possible to increase its chances of reaching out to every single child so as to educate them in Fascist principles. Its tools were the school, which was taken over and ‘renewed’ and its youth organizations. It is no longer credible that such feverish organization left no traces at all. This article assesses the effects and the legacy of the Fascist project of ‘anthropological revolution’ by examining the Italian Youth of the Lictor-generation’s’ deeds and choices as well as contemporary observers’ views on the effects of Fascist education.