Italian Nationalist Association
Encyclopedia
The Italian Nationalist Association, Associazione Nazionalista Italiana (ANI) was Italy's first nationalist
political party founded in 1910. under the influence of Italian nationalists such as Enrico Corradini
and Giovanni Papini
. Upon its formation, the ANI supported the repatriation of Austrian held Italian-populated lands to the Kingdom of Italy
and was willing to endorse war with Austria-Hungary
to do so. The party had a paramilitary wing called the Blueshirts
. The authoritarian nationalist faction of the ANI would be a major influence for the National Fascist Party
of Benito Mussolini
formed in 1921. The ANI merged into the Fascist Party in 1923.
Corradini, the ANI's most popular spokesman, linked leftism with nationalism by claiming that Italy was a "proletarian nation" which was being exploited by international capitalism which had led to Italy being disadvantaged economically in international trade and its people divided on class lines, but instead of advocating socialist revolution, he claimed that victory against these oppressing forces would require Italian nationalist sentiment to succeed.
Corradini occasionally used the term "national socialism" to define the ideology which he endorsed. Though this is the same term used by the movement of National Socialism in Germany (a.k.a.Nazism
) no evidence exists to indicate that Corradini's use of the term had any influence.
In 1914, the ANI began to tilt towards authoritarian nationalism with its endorsement of the creation of an authoritarian corporate state, a radical idea created by Italian law professor, Alfredo Rocco
. Such a corporate state led by a corporate assembly rather than a parliament, which would be composed of unions, business organizations and other economic organizations that would work within a powerful state government to regulate business-labour relations, organize the economy, end class conflict, and make Italy an industrial state which could compete with imperial powers and establish its own empire.
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...
political party founded in 1910. under the influence of Italian nationalists such as Enrico Corradini
Enrico Corradini
Enrico Corradini was an Italian novelist, essayist, journalist and nationalist political figure.-Biography:Corradini was born near Montelupo Fiorentino, Tuscany....
and Giovanni Papini
Giovanni Papini
Giovanni Papini was an Italian journalist, essayist, literary critic, poet, and novelist.-Early life:...
. Upon its formation, the ANI supported the repatriation of Austrian held Italian-populated lands to the Kingdom of Italy
Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)
The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
and was willing to endorse war with Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
to do so. The party had a paramilitary wing called the Blueshirts
Blueshirts (Italian Nationalist Association)
The Blueshirts was the paramilitary wing of the Italian Nationalist Association....
. The authoritarian nationalist faction of the ANI would be a major influence for the National Fascist Party
National Fascist Party
The National Fascist Party was an Italian political party, created by Benito Mussolini as the political expression of fascism...
of 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....
formed in 1921. The ANI merged into the Fascist Party in 1923.
Ideology
The ANI's ideology remained largely undefined for some time other than it being nationalist. The ANI was divided between supporters of different kinds of nationalism - authoritarian, democratic, moderate, and revolutionary.Corradini, the ANI's most popular spokesman, linked leftism with nationalism by claiming that Italy was a "proletarian nation" which was being exploited by international capitalism which had led to Italy being disadvantaged economically in international trade and its people divided on class lines, but instead of advocating socialist revolution, he claimed that victory against these oppressing forces would require Italian nationalist sentiment to succeed.
“We are the proletarian people in respect to the rest of the world. Nationalism is our socialism. This established, nationalism must be founded on the truth that Italy is morally and materially a proletarian nation.” Manifesto of the Italian Nationalist Association, December 1910.
Corradini occasionally used the term "national socialism" to define the ideology which he endorsed. Though this is the same term used by the movement of National Socialism in Germany (a.k.a.Nazism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
) no evidence exists to indicate that Corradini's use of the term had any influence.
In 1914, the ANI began to tilt towards authoritarian nationalism with its endorsement of the creation of an authoritarian corporate state, a radical idea created by Italian law professor, Alfredo Rocco
Alfredo Rocco
Alfredo Rocco was an Italian politician and jurist.Rocco was born in Naples.He was Professor of Commercial Law at the University of Urbino and in Macerata , then Professor of Civil Procedure in Parma, of Business Law in Padua, and later of Economic Legislation at "La Sapienza" University of Rome,...
. Such a corporate state led by a corporate assembly rather than a parliament, which would be composed of unions, business organizations and other economic organizations that would work within a powerful state government to regulate business-labour relations, organize the economy, end class conflict, and make Italy an industrial state which could compete with imperial powers and establish its own empire.
Membership
A large number of the ANI supporters were wealthy Italians of right-wing authoritarian nationalist background, in spite of efforts by Corradini and left-leaning nationalists to make the ANI a nationalist mass movement supported by the working-class.Prominent members
(In alphabetical order.)- Francesco CoppolaFrancesco CoppolaFrancesco Coppola was prominent Italian journalist and politician in the twentieth century who associated with Italian nationalism and later Italian Fascism....
- Enrico CorradiniEnrico CorradiniEnrico Corradini was an Italian novelist, essayist, journalist and nationalist political figure.-Biography:Corradini was born near Montelupo Fiorentino, Tuscany....
- Luigi FederzoniLuigi FederzoniLuigi Federzoni was a twentieth-century Italian nationalist and later Fascist politician....
- Roberto Forges DavanzatiRoberto Forges DavanzatiRoberto Forges Davanzati was an Italian journalist, academic and politician. Initially a syndicalist he later became a nationalist and fascist....
- Ezio Maria GrayEzio Maria GrayEzio Maria Gray was an Italian politician and journalist.Gray, a staunch critic of socialism, was a founder member of the Italian Nationalist Association in 1910. He dropped out of politics to serve in the Italian Army during the First World War and afterwards in Dalmatia...
- Maurizio MaravigliaMaurizio MaravigliaMaurizio Maraviglia was an Italian politician and academic.A functionary in the Ministry of Public Information, Maraviglia was a member of the Italian Socialist Party until 1906. Moving to the right he became a supporter of nationalism and a founder member of the Italian Nationalist Association in...
- Giovanni PapiniGiovanni PapiniGiovanni Papini was an Italian journalist, essayist, literary critic, poet, and novelist.-Early life:...
- Alfredo RoccoAlfredo RoccoAlfredo Rocco was an Italian politician and jurist.Rocco was born in Naples.He was Professor of Commercial Law at the University of Urbino and in Macerata , then Professor of Civil Procedure in Parma, of Business Law in Padua, and later of Economic Legislation at "La Sapienza" University of Rome,...