Alessandro Mussolini
Encyclopedia
Alessandro Mussolini was the father of Italian Fascist
founder and leader Benito Mussolini
. He was an Italian revolutionary
socialist
activist with Italian nationalist
sympathies. Mussolini was a blacksmith
by profession. Mussolini was married to Rosa Maltoni
, a schoolteacher, who became the mother of Benito Mussolini. Mussolini exercised considerable influence over his son Benito's early political beliefs, even naming his son Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini after three socialist leaders: Benito Juárez
, Amilcare Cipriani
, and Andrea Costa
.
. Unlike his wife, Mussolini did not believe in God and hated the Roman Catholic Church, but this did not influence their relationship. Maltoni's father looked down upon her decision to marry Mussolini and did not approve of the marriage.
In 1883, Maltoni gave birth to their first son, Benito Mussolini
. Benito helped his father at the forge where Alessandro Mussolini worked as a blacksmith. Mussolini and his son Benito were close, he taught his son about revolutionary leaders he admired such as Karl Marx
.
Mussolini experienced a number of personal troubles; he had difficulty in finding employment and became an alcoholic.
, Italy. Mussolini became a member of local government and was known by authorities for controversy and political violence against opponents. Mussolini was ill-tempered towards his opponents and in 1878, police warned Mussolini to cease threatening his opponents with the destruction of their property. He was arrested in 1878 on the suspicion of taking part in revolutionary activities and remained under house arrest until authorities released him in 1882 so that he could attend his marriage to Rosa Maltoni.
Mussolini believed that the government should control the mode of production
, that working conditions needed to be improved, and supported the creation of a society run by the working-class.
Mussolini held Italian nationalist sentiments and idolized Italian nationalist figures with socialist or humanist
tendencies such as Carlo Pisacane
, Giuseppe Mazzini
, and Giuseppe Garibaldi
. Alessandro Mussolini's political outlook combined the views of anarchist
figures like Carlo Cafiero
and Mikhail Bakunin
, the military authoritarianism of Garibaldi, and the nationalism of Mazzini.
Italian Fascism
Italian Fascism also known as Fascism with a capital "F" refers to the original fascist ideology in Italy. This ideology is associated with the National Fascist Party which under Benito Mussolini ruled the Kingdom of Italy from 1922 until 1943, the Republican Fascist Party which ruled the Italian...
founder and leader Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
. He was an Italian revolutionary
Revolutionary
A revolutionary is a person who either actively participates in, or advocates revolution. Also, when used as an adjective, the term revolutionary refers to something that has a major, sudden impact on society or on some aspect of human endeavor.-Definition:...
socialist
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
activist with Italian nationalist
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
sympathies. Mussolini was a blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
by profession. Mussolini was married to Rosa Maltoni
Rosa Maltoni
Rosa Maltoni or Rosa Maltoni-Mussolini was the mother of Italian Fascist founder and leader Benito Mussolini. Maltoni was a devoutly Catholic schoolteacher who married Alessandro Mussolini. After Benito, Rosa had two more children, Arnaldo and Edvige...
, a schoolteacher, who became the mother of Benito Mussolini. Mussolini exercised considerable influence over his son Benito's early political beliefs, even naming his son Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini after three socialist leaders: Benito Juárez
Benito Juárez
Benito Juárez born Benito Pablo Juárez García, was a Mexican lawyer and politician of Zapotec origin from Oaxaca who served five terms as president of Mexico: 1858–1861 as interim, 1861–1865, 1865–1867, 1867–1871 and 1871–1872...
, Amilcare Cipriani
Amilcare Cipriani
Amilcare Cipriani was an Italian anarchist patriot.Cipriani was born in Anzio to a family originally from Rimini...
, and Andrea Costa
Andrea Costa
Andrea Costa was an Italian socialist activist, born in Imola.He co-founded the Partito dei Lavoratori Italiani in 1892 after renouncing his anarchist principles in 1879. It is probable that this happened due to his marriage to Russian Socialist Anna Kulischov...
.
Personal life
On January 25, 1882, Mussolini married Rosa Maltoni, a schoolteacher and devote Roman CatholicRoman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. Unlike his wife, Mussolini did not believe in God and hated the Roman Catholic Church, but this did not influence their relationship. Maltoni's father looked down upon her decision to marry Mussolini and did not approve of the marriage.
In 1883, Maltoni gave birth to their first son, Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
. Benito helped his father at the forge where Alessandro Mussolini worked as a blacksmith. Mussolini and his son Benito were close, he taught his son about revolutionary leaders he admired such as Karl Marx
Karl Marx
Karl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of social science and the socialist political movement...
.
Mussolini experienced a number of personal troubles; he had difficulty in finding employment and became an alcoholic.
Political activism and views
Mussolini entered politics in 1873 at the age of nineteen as a revolutionary socialist militant. In 1874, Mussolini took part in political disturbances in PredappioPredappio
Predappio is a town and comune in the province of Forlì-Cesena, in the region of Emilia-Romagna in Italy, with a population of 6,362. The town is best known for being the birthplace of Benito Mussolini, dictator of Italy from 1922 to 1943. Mussolini is also buried at Predappio, and his mausoleum is...
, Italy. Mussolini became a member of local government and was known by authorities for controversy and political violence against opponents. Mussolini was ill-tempered towards his opponents and in 1878, police warned Mussolini to cease threatening his opponents with the destruction of their property. He was arrested in 1878 on the suspicion of taking part in revolutionary activities and remained under house arrest until authorities released him in 1882 so that he could attend his marriage to Rosa Maltoni.
Mussolini believed that the government should control the mode of production
Mode of production
In the writings of Karl Marx and the Marxist theory of historical materialism, a mode of production is a specific combination of:...
, that working conditions needed to be improved, and supported the creation of a society run by the working-class.
Mussolini held Italian nationalist sentiments and idolized Italian nationalist figures with socialist or humanist
Humanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
tendencies such as Carlo Pisacane
Carlo Pisacane
Carlo Pisacane, Duke of San Giovanni was an Italian patriot and one of the first Italian socialist thinkers.-Biography:...
, Giuseppe Mazzini
Giuseppe Mazzini
Giuseppe Mazzini , nicknamed Soul of Italy, was an Italian politician, journalist and activist for the unification of Italy. His efforts helped bring about the independent and unified Italy in place of the several separate states, many dominated by foreign powers, that existed until the 19th century...
, and Giuseppe Garibaldi
Giuseppe Garibaldi
Giuseppe Garibaldi was an Italian military and political figure. In his twenties, he joined the Carbonari Italian patriot revolutionaries, and fled Italy after a failed insurrection. Garibaldi took part in the War of the Farrapos and the Uruguayan Civil War leading the Italian Legion, and...
. Alessandro Mussolini's political outlook combined the views of anarchist
Anarchism
Anarchism is generally defined as the political philosophy which holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, and harmful, or alternatively as opposing authority in the conduct of human relations...
figures like Carlo Cafiero
Carlo Cafiero
Carlo Cafiero was an Italian anarchist and champion of Mikhail Bakunin during the second half of the 19th century.-Early years:...
and Mikhail Bakunin
Mikhail Bakunin
Mikhail Alexandrovich Bakunin was a well-known Russian revolutionary and theorist of collectivist anarchism. He has also often been called the father of anarchist theory in general. Bakunin grew up near Moscow, where he moved to study philosophy and began to read the French Encyclopedists,...
, the military authoritarianism of Garibaldi, and the nationalism of Mazzini.