The masterwork by Gentile fills a broad gap in the understanding of the origins of a major political movement of the 20th Century: fascism. This is the first detailed and definitive study of the development and initial success of fascism as it originated in Italy right after the First World War. the author traces each major influence and gives us a complete understanding of the birth of the doctrine that changed the face of Europe and found imitators of Mussolini around the world for decades.