Le bon and Mussolini: fascist propaganda and religion

Abstract

This article aims to indicate in what sense fascism can be seen as a form of "religion" and what role propaganda plays within this movement and related extremisms. I understand the term "religion" in the sense employed by Gustave Le Bon (1841-1931), an author who, by relating politics and mass behavior, decisively inspired Benito Mussolini, especially regarding the propaganda model of the movement he founded. In this sense, the objective is to show how religion and propaganda constitute the core around which many of the theses and tactics of fascist supporters revolve. To support this argument, the article relies on two main sources:The Psychology of Crowds, published in 1895 by Gustave Le Bon, which explores collective behavior and its susceptibility to charismatic leaders. The Doctrine of Fascism, an essay written by Benito Mussolini and philosopher Giovanni Gentile, published in 1932 in the Italian Encyclopedia.However, before presenting the central argument of this study, I will conduct a sort of conceptual groundwork, clarifying the meaning of the term "fascism" as used here. Additionally, I initially introduce aspects of the approaches of Theodor Adorno and Sigmund Freud regarding mass psychology, as these authors are fundamental to understanding the scope and limitations of Le Bon's ideas about crowds.