Mussolini?

[Tezdrian]

Ehm... Interesting bone structure?

Quite. Anyways, I respect him as the Founder of Fascism, but he was certainly no hero.

So, wait ... Tagmatium asks who thinks of Mussolini as a hero, you answer, "Fascists everywhere," and now you only respect him as the founder of fascism but he's not a hero? Which is it?

Fascists Everywhere does not include me. While many, many, Fascists praise him as a hero, I only respect him.

[Farnhamia]

Even if he is comparatively better when compared to Hitler and Stalin, he was still a tyrant.

It's kind of like comparing different sorts of poo, really.

The way I see it, Mussolini was preferable to Hitler in the same way that testicular cancer is preferable to being set on fire.

Either way, you can't come back the way you were when you went.

[Tagmatium]

Leftist Lies.

I've heard quite a few right-wingers claim that Mussolini was in fact a socialist and therefore not representative of the right side of the political spectrum at all.

Might I ask you what you think of that accusation?

[North Suran]

Leftist Lies.

I've heard quite a few right-wingers claim that Mussolini was in fact a socialist and therefore not representative of the right side of the political spectrum at all.

Might I ask you what you think of that accusation?

It's a convienent way for modern day Fascists to distance themselves from the Axis and the negative connotations associated with the latter.

See for reference: people who claim that Nazi Germany was not actually Fascist because Nazi stood for "National Socialist".

[Maurepas]

Even if he is comparatively better when compared to Hitler and Stalin, he was still a tyrant.

It's kind of like comparing different sorts of poo, really.

The way I see it, Mussolini was preferable to Hitler in the same way that testicular cancer is preferable to being set on fire.

Idk...There's always "stop, drop and roll", whereas, Testicular cancer involves losing testicles...

I think I'll take the fire,

[North Suran]

Even if he is comparatively better when compared to Hitler and Stalin, he was still a tyrant.

It's kind of like comparing different sorts of poo, really.

The way I see it, Mussolini was preferable to Hitler in the same way that testicular cancer is preferable to being set on fire.

Idk...There's always "stop, drop and roll", whereas, Testicular cancer involves losing testicles...

I think I'll take the fire,

When I say "fire", I was more thinking along the lines of this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3ythpzsu18

[Tezdrian]

Leftist Lies.

I've heard quite a few right-wingers claim that Mussolini was in fact a socialist and therefore not representative of the right side of the political spectrum at all.

Might I ask you what you think of that accusation?

In the Beginning, he was a fiery socialist. Then, after learning Iron Discipline and Respect in his time in the military, he decided to create A philosophy based on those principles, thus Fascism Was Born.

[Tezdrian]

Leftist Lies.

I've heard quite a few right-wingers claim that Mussolini was in fact a socialist and therefore not representative of the right side of the political spectrum at all.

Might I ask you what you think of that accusation?

It's a convienent way for modern day Fascists to distance themselves from the Axis and the negative connotations associated with the latter.

See for reference: people who claim that Nazi Germany was not actually Fascist because Nazi stood for "National Socialist".

No, they're just Whackjobs.

[Maurepas]

Idk...There's always "stop, drop and roll", whereas, Testicular cancer involves losing testicles...

I think I'll take the fire,

When I say "fire", I was more thinking along the lines of this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3ythpzsu18

Well, when you put it that way, why not just shoot me?

[Farnhamia]

Ehm... Interesting bone structure?

Quite. Anyways, I respect him as the Founder of Fascism, but he was certainly no hero.

So, wait ... Tagmatium asks who thinks of Mussolini as a hero, you answer, "Fascists everywhere," and now you only respect him as the founder of fascism but he's not a hero? Which is it?

Fascists Everywhere does not include me. While many, many, Fascists praise him as a hero, I only respect him.

Uh huh. Why do I get the feeling that had people not immediately started mocking him, but praised him instead, you would have said something different? But hey, I could be jumping to conclusions.

At various times after 1922, Mussolini personally took over the ministries of the interior, foreign affairs, colonies, corporations, defense, and public works. Sometimes he held as many as seven departments simultaneously, as well as the premiership. He was also head of the all-powerful Fascist Party and the armed local fascist militia, the MVSN or "Blackshirts," who terrorised incipient resistances in the cities and provinces. He would later form the OVRA, an institutionalised secret police that carried official state support. In this way he succeeded in keeping power in his own hands and preventing the emergence of any rival.

Between 1925 and 1927, Mussolini progressively dismantled virtually all constitutional and conventional restraints on his power, thereby building a police state. A law passed on Christmas Eve 1925 changed Mussolini's formal title from "president of the Council of Ministers" to "head of the government." He was no longer responsible to Parliament and could only be removed by the king. While the Italian constitution stated that ministers were only responsible to the sovereign, in practice it had become all but impossible to govern against the express will of Parliament. The Christmas Eve law ended this practice, and also made Mussolini the only person competent to determine the body's agenda. Local autonomy was abolished, and podestas appointed by the Italian Senate replaced elected mayors and councils.

All other parties were outlawed in 1928, though in practice Italy had been a one-party state since Mussolini's 1925 speech. In the same year, an electoral law abolished parliamentary elections. Instead, the Grand Council of Fascism selected a single list of candidates to be approved by plebiscite. The Grand Council had been created five years earlier as a party body but was "constitutionalised" and became the highest constitutional authority in the state. On paper, the Grand Council had the power to recommend Mussolini's removal from office, and was thus theoretically the only check on his power. However, only Mussolini could summon the Grand Council and determine its agenda.

Very respectable.

[Tezdrian]

Even if he is comparatively better when compared to Hitler and Stalin, he was still a tyrant.

It's kind of like comparing different sorts of poo, really.

The way I see it, Mussolini was preferable to Hitler in the same way that testicular cancer is preferable to being set on fire.

Idk...There's always "stop, drop and roll", whereas, Testicular cancer involves losing testicles...

I think I'll take the fire,

When I say "fire", I was more thinking along the lines of this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3ythpzsu18

[Tezdrian]

Ehm... Interesting bone structure?

Quite. Anyways, I respect him as the Founder of Fascism, but he was certainly no hero.

So, wait ... Tagmatium asks who thinks of Mussolini as a hero, you answer, "Fascists everywhere," and now you only respect him as the founder of fascism but he's not a hero? Which is it?

Fascists Everywhere does not include me. While many, many, Fascists praise him as a hero, I only respect him.

Uh huh. Why do I get the feeling that had people not immediately started mocking him, but praised him instead, you would have said something different? But hey, I could be jumping to conclusions.

At various times after 1922, Mussolini personally took over the ministries of the interior, foreign affairs, colonies, corporations, defense, and public works. Sometimes he held as many as seven departments simultaneously, as well as the premiership. He was also head of the all-powerful Fascist Party and the armed local fascist militia, the MVSN or "Blackshirts," who terrorised incipient resistances in the cities and provinces. He would later form the OVRA, an institutionalised secret police that carried official state support. In this way he succeeded in keeping power in his own hands and preventing the emergence of any rival.

Between 1925 and 1927, Mussolini progressively dismantled virtually all constitutional and conventional restraints on his power, thereby building a police state. A law passed on Christmas Eve 1925 changed Mussolini's formal title from "president of the Council of Ministers" to "head of the government." He was no longer responsible to Parliament and could only be removed by the king. While the Italian constitution stated that ministers were only responsible to the sovereign, in practice it had become all but impossible to govern against the express will of Parliament. The Christmas Eve law ended this practice, and also made Mussolini the only person competent to determine the body's agenda. Local autonomy was abolished, and podestas appointed by the Italian Senate replaced elected mayors and councils.

All other parties were outlawed in 1928, though in practice Italy had been a one-party state since Mussolini's 1925 speech. In the same year, an electoral law abolished parliamentary elections. Instead, the Grand Council of Fascism selected a single list of candidates to be approved by plebiscite. The Grand Council had been created five years earlier as a party body but was "constitutionalised" and became the highest constitutional authority in the state. On paper, the Grand Council had the power to recommend Mussolini's removal from office, and was thus theoretically the only check on his power. However, only Mussolini could summon the Grand Council and determine its agenda.

Very respectable.

Sounds like the ideal Fascist State.

[Auoul]

He was one of the more benign dictators, except for the whole take-over of Ethiopia.

[Tagmatium]

It's a convienent way for modern day Fascists to distance themselves from the Axis and the negative connotations associated with the latter.

See for reference: people who claim that Nazi Germany was not actually Fascist because Nazi stood for "National Socialist".

A fair answer, sir.

[Tezdrian]

He was one of the more benign dictators, except for the whole take-over of Ethiopia.

You Sir, win a prize.

[Chrobalta]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian-Ethiopian_War
Bad.

[Tezdrian]

I never said it wasn't.

[North Suran]

He was one of the more benign dictators, except for the whole take-over of Ethiopia.

And the bombardment of Corfu.

And the instatement of the Albanian puppet administration.

And the repression of his people.

And the consolidation of his power until he became almost near-unchallengeable.

And the disregard for any form of democratic process.

And the creation of an authoritarian police state.

And the brutal attacks by his Blackshirt minions.

And the...

[Czardas]

He was one of the more benign dictators, except for the whole take-over of Ethiopia.

And the invasion of Abyssinia.

And that whole war thing that went on in or around Addis Ababa, or however it was known back then, that was pretty bad too.

And the repression of his people.

And the consolidation of his power until he became almost near-unchallengeable.

And the disregard for any form of democratic process.

And the creation of an authoritarian police state.

And the brutal attacks by his Blackshirt minions.

And the...

Economic Right: 6.62; Social Authoritarian: 5.95

Seems perfectly consistent with that guy's views; hence, yeah, rather benign.

[Funk4ever]

Could have been lost to history as a semi-benevolent dictator...

Except for the whole Neo-Colonialism thing he had going there in Africa.

[Tezdrian]

As I said, Mussolini was no hero, I just respect him for founding Fascism. The most enlightened political philosophy of our times.

[Maurepas]

As I said, Mussolini was no hero, I just respect him for founding Fascism. The most enlightened political philosophy of our times.

Itd probably explain our numerous Fascist States in existence,

[North Suran]

The most enlightened political philosophy of our times.

How, pray tell, is Fascism "enlightened"?

It's just the obsolete autocracies of yesteryear combined with modern day nationalist sentiment.

Would you care to point out an example of Fascism being implemeneted on a nation-wide business and not producing a malign and brutal dictatorship that treats its own people like resources?

[Maurepas]

The most enlightened political philosophy of our times.

How, pray tell, is Fascism "enlightened"?

It's just the obsolete autocracies of yesteryear combined with modern day nationalist sentiment.

Would you care to point out an example of Fascism being implemeneted on a nation-wide business and not producing a malign and brutal dictatorship that treats its own people like resources?

The KMT? Although, modern Republic of China is closer to Western Democracy than anything else these days...

[North Suran]

The most enlightened political philosophy of our times.

How, pray tell, is Fascism "enlightened"?

It's just the obsolete autocracies of yesteryear combined with modern day nationalist sentiment.

Would you care to point out an example of Fascism being implemeneted on a nation-wide business and not producing a malign and brutal dictatorship that treats its own people like resources?

The KMT? Although, modern Republic of China is closer to Western Democracy than anything else these days...

Indeed.

Especially considering the KMT operates in a coalition with the other parties, which is rather incongruous with Fascist beliefs.