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"His fluency in socialist theory was, if not legendary, certainly impressive to everyone who knew him."<ref>''[[Liberal Fascism]]'', [[Jonah Goldberg]], Page 34</ref>
"His fluency in socialist theory was, if not legendary, certainly impressive to everyone who knew him."<ref>''[[Liberal Fascism]]'', [[Jonah Goldberg]], Page 34</ref>
Olindo Vernocchi declared Mussolini "not only the representative of the Romagna Socialist bu the ''Duce'' of all revolutionary socialists in Italy."<ref>''[[Liberal Fascism]]'', [[Jonah Goldberg]], Page 35</ref>
Olindo Vernocchi declared Mussolini "not only the representative of the Romagna Socialist bu the ''Duce'' of all revolutionary socialists in Italy."<ref>''[[Liberal Fascism]]'', [[Jonah Goldberg]], Page 35</ref>
==Rise to Power==
==Rise to Power==
===Capture and Death===
===Capture and Death===
Mussolini was later recaptured at the end of the war by partisans. He and his mistress Claretta Petacci were shot and hanged upside down.
Mussolini was later recaptured at the end of the war by partisans. He and his mistress Claretta Petacci were shot and hanged upside down.
==Beliefs==
===Benito Mussolini and Atheism===
''See also:'' [[Irreligion/religion and war]]
In his work entitled Mussolini Denis Mack Smith wrote:
{{cquote|From his father he [Mussolini] had learnt to be a thoroughgoing anti-clerical. He proclaimed himself to be an [[Atheism|atheist]] and several times tried to shock an audience by calling on God to strike him dead. He forcibly denounced those socialists who thought religion a matter for individual conscience or had their children baptised. [In Mussolini's opinion] Science had proved that God did not exist and the Jesus of history was an ignorant Jew whose family thought him mad, and who was a pigmy compared to the Buddha. Religion, he said, was a disease of the psyche, an epidemic to be cured by psychiatrists, and Christianity in particular was vitiated by preaching the senseless virtues of resignation and cowardice, whereas the new socialist morality should celebrate violence and rebellion."<ref>"Mussolini", by Denis Mack Smith, Vintage Books, 1983, page 8.</ref>}}
Though privately hostile to the [[Roman Catholic Church]], Mussolini oversaw the [[Lateran Treaties]] in 1929, which recognized the independence of the Vatican and even contained a provision that outlawed any display of disrespect for the [[Pope]]. In addition, all schools including Catholic schools had to honor Mussolini and his picture was prominently displayed in each classroom.<ref>[Per User:Jpatt's grandmother who went to school in Italy until age 7]</ref>
By February 1918, he was calling for the emergence of a leader "ruthless and energetic enough to make a clean sweep." In May, he hinted in a speech in Bologna that he might be that leader.
=== Mussolini and Darwinism ===
''See also:'' [[Irreligion/religion and war]]
Dr. David N. Menton wrote about the effect Darwinism had upon Mussolini:
{{cquote|Benito Mussolini, who brought fascism to Italy, was also greatly influenced by Darwinism, which he thought supported his belief that violence is essential for beneficial social transformation. Mussolini repeatedly used Darwinian catchwords in his speeches and ridiculed efforts at peace because they interfered with natural evolutionary process.<ref>[http://www.gennet.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=65:the-religion-of-nature-social-darwinism&catid=8:mac-speakers The Religion of Nature: Social Darwinism] by David N. Menton, Ph.D.</ref>}}
== War crimes ==
== War crimes ==