Antonio Gramsci: The fascist leadership as modern reactionary Caeserism and the novelty of the corporative State

Abstract

Antonio Gramsci’s detention in fascist jails from 1926 to 1937 forced him to see, in a very unpleasant way, the full affirmation of fascism in the vital ganglia of the country. During this pivotal period Gramsci developed a complex analysis of fascism's approach to leadership. He addressed Mussolini’s charisma in relation to the unique aspects of the fascist regime as a corporative system, a feature that was fostered by the mobilization of the petit-bourgeoisie and the depoliticization of the masses. Gramsci refuted Michels’ thesis about charisma and developed his own autonomous path of research, applying Max Weber's study on German militarism in new contexts. It may not be possible to identify a definitive analysis of fascism by Gramsci, but two different visions come to light in the Prison Notebooks, both of which highlight Mussolini's leadership as essential to grasp the idea of fascism as a weak regime or – conversely – as a new state able to ‘Americanize’ the European system of production.