Much of the repair work had been done before Mussolini and the fascists had come into power in 1922. Mussolini himself actually never claims to have fixed the railroads in any of his books, but has still managed to take credit for stabilizing the railroad system. The myth of fascist efficiency had begun with Mussolini's railroad system, with the train as its symbol. The word was spread and Mussolini's railroad system became the envy of all of Europe; it was both dependable and punctual. Even though Benito Mussolini did not literally make the trains run on time, he got things done in the government. The "security" Mussolini provided to the Italian people justified the loss of liberties and human rights that took place during his years of leadership. Montagu and Darling wrote, "Mussolini may have done many brutal and tyrannical things; he may have destroyed human freedom in Italy; he may have murdered and tortured citizens whose only crime was to oppose Mussolini; but 'one had to admit' one thing about the Dictator: he 'made the trains run on time.'" I agree with this because he got things done in the government, and even though he was a brutal tyrant, the "ends justify the means." 503
Friday, March 5, 2010
Benito Mussolini
Did Italian dictator Benito Mussolini really make "the trains run on time"? Mussolini was a fascist dictator that is often credited with shaping fascism into what it is today. He is also recognized for the many atrocities that he and his supporters inflicted on Italians, Africans, and many innocent human beings. Mussolini created a police state in which citizens were tortured and women and children were held hostage, all in the name of order and control. Mussolini was a ruthless leader who demanded others to address him as "Il Duce," and was not afraid to show his brutality, by sentencing those who question his ideology and decisions to death. He even ordered a mass extinction in Libya and Ethiopia. Still, despite these atrocities, many people point out that Mussolini "Got things done," by transforming Italy from a country filled with instability and chaos into a strict, but efficient nation. The statement "At least Mussolini made the trains run on time," means that Mussolini's leadership in Italy was based on the "ends justifies the means." He did whatever it took to get power and to achieve his goals. It did not matter how many people got killed, as long has the job got done. Mussolini may have been a brutal tyrant, but at least he provided Italians with some protection from the instability of their previous governments. The saying "Mussolini made the trains run on time" promotes fascist Italy as stable and efficient while not showing the terrible things Mussolini has done. Mussolini tried to gain broad public support, because the greater his support, the greater his power. The Italian railway system had fallen into a sad state during World War I, and it did improve during the 1920's, but Mussolini was crafty in taking credit for the railroads.
Much of the repair work had been done before Mussolini and the fascists had come into power in 1922. Mussolini himself actually never claims to have fixed the railroads in any of his books, but has still managed to take credit for stabilizing the railroad system. The myth of fascist efficiency had begun with Mussolini's railroad system, with the train as its symbol. The word was spread and Mussolini's railroad system became the envy of all of Europe; it was both dependable and punctual. Even though Benito Mussolini did not literally make the trains run on time, he got things done in the government. The "security" Mussolini provided to the Italian people justified the loss of liberties and human rights that took place during his years of leadership. Montagu and Darling wrote, "Mussolini may have done many brutal and tyrannical things; he may have destroyed human freedom in Italy; he may have murdered and tortured citizens whose only crime was to oppose Mussolini; but 'one had to admit' one thing about the Dictator: he 'made the trains run on time.'" I agree with this because he got things done in the government, and even though he was a brutal tyrant, the "ends justify the means." 503
Much of the repair work had been done before Mussolini and the fascists had come into power in 1922. Mussolini himself actually never claims to have fixed the railroads in any of his books, but has still managed to take credit for stabilizing the railroad system. The myth of fascist efficiency had begun with Mussolini's railroad system, with the train as its symbol. The word was spread and Mussolini's railroad system became the envy of all of Europe; it was both dependable and punctual. Even though Benito Mussolini did not literally make the trains run on time, he got things done in the government. The "security" Mussolini provided to the Italian people justified the loss of liberties and human rights that took place during his years of leadership. Montagu and Darling wrote, "Mussolini may have done many brutal and tyrannical things; he may have destroyed human freedom in Italy; he may have murdered and tortured citizens whose only crime was to oppose Mussolini; but 'one had to admit' one thing about the Dictator: he 'made the trains run on time.'" I agree with this because he got things done in the government, and even though he was a brutal tyrant, the "ends justify the means." 503
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