Socialism and nation in the historiography of Gioacchino Volpe

Abstract

This essay aims to retrace the historical-intellectual events of Gioacchino Volpe, with particular reference to his thought on the subject of socialism and nation. For the Abruzzo-born scholar, Fascism had the great merit of nationalizing the proletarian masses, which the liberal world had failed to do, that is, to place them in a context of full maturity of the Italian nation. At the moment of the military defeat and after disavowing Mussolini’s actions, Volpe then invoked the saving and regenerative mission of the monarchy in order to restore momentum and unity to a nation now fragmented and confused by factional spirit.