EPILOGUE
the formation of European consciousness : c Young Italy'
could only fulfil itself in c Young Europe '.
Such conceptions take us far from fascism, while at the same
time explaining why the fascists mean to destroy the working-
class and socialist movement. Since the end of the nine-
teenth-century socialism has almost everywhere taken the
place of democracy in initiating the masses into national
life. They have taken their place in. the nation and state
on social grounds. This has brought difficulties in its train
and sometimes confusion and crisis, but it remains a great
historical fact that the masses brought the whole weight of
their needs and hopes with them into national life, and
thenceforward it was impossible for this life to be organized
on any but a higher level of conscience, liberty and individual
well-being. For the fascists, on the other hand, the people
are only the tool of their c will to power'. This is inspired
by a furious nationalism, which takes over the socialists'
demands only to adapt them to serve their own purposes.
The slogans of the class struggle in its narrowest sense become
the passwords of armed strife between nations : c young 3
nations versus old, e poor' nations versus * satiated',
4 proletarian * nations versus c plutocratic \ Hence in all
forms of national socialism the nationalism inevitably absorbs
the socialism, and in every fascistc armed nation ' the army
swallows up the nation,1
This leads equally to autarchy and war. The economic
difficulties and contradictions of the fascist regimes speed
up the process,2 but they are not the sole causes. The
fascist systems are not only * driven * into war, all their
activities lead up to it, and it provides the opportunities
and the atmosphere they need. Though choice there may
be, they cannot do otherwise than choose war. Preparation
for war at a given moment ceases to be a means, and
becomes an. end in itself, completely changing the economic,
social and political structure of the country. Fascism is
1 In fascist j argon, the very expression * armed nation' lias become suspect
and is being replaced by that of * military nation *, * warrior nation *, etc.
2 In his speech in the Chamber of May 26, 1934, Mussolini said : * Three-
quarters of the Italian economic system, industrial, and agricultural, is
supported by the state.. . . We touched bottom some time ago ; it would be
difficult for us to fall any lower*1 This situation must be considered one of the
immediate causes of the Italian attack on Ethiopia.