Making the History of Fascism. Notes on a Recent Biography of Renzo De Felice

Abstract

This analysis discusses Perfetti's biography of Renzo De Felice, positioning the work of the famous historian of Fascism as part of the national cultural heritage. The core of De Felice's contribution is identified as the "historicization" of Fascism, an operation that places it within its historical time, distancing itself from the meta-historical and politicized readings of his critics. Crucial historiographical knots addressed by De Felice are examined, such as the controversial relationship between Jacobinism and Fascism and the concept of "emerging middle classes" as the social base of the regime. The article finally reflects on the complex question of Fascist totalitarianism, suggesting it should be understood not as a perfected system, but as an "imperfect totalitarianism" or a process in the making.

Historicization; De Felice; Fascism; Totalitarianism; Middle Classes.