By Patrick Fasolis
This year, April 25th marks the 80th anniversary of when Italy rid itself of Mussolini’s fascist government. Ever since that spring day in 1945, Liberation Day has been an important day to remind ourselves of a dark time in Italian history, a time in which a totalitarian regime was allowed to commit some of the most heinous atrocities mankind has ever seen. Remembering, however, cannot be possible without the extraordinary power of communication. Consciousness cannot be achieved in a vacuum, it requires access to freedom of speech and the freedom of press, as George Orwell wrote in his dystopian novel 1984: “Until they become conscious they will never rebel, and until after they have rebelled they cannot become conscious.”
Communication plays a pivotal role in helping people become conscious of their condition, which is why suppressing the press and the freedom of expressing ideas was the first thing the fascist party did when they rose to power. In 1929, Benito Mussolini established a High Commission for the press, forcing journalists to play their part in service of the “Fatherland” and allowing authorities to conduct violent raids on bookstores and attack those who contravened their informal interdictions.
The Ministry of Popular Culture as opposed to clandestine communication
Having been a writer and editor himself, Mussolini understood the power of ideas generally and the written word in particular. With the help of his son-in-law and head of his Press Office, Galeazzo Ciano, the fascist party centralised all propaganda efforts under the, nazi-inspired, newly established Ministry of Popular Culture. No longer would manipulation of the press and the suppression of certain ideas be undertaken in an ad hoc or reactive manner. Instead, the Fascist state would actively strategise and appropriate resources specifically for the tasks associated with thoroughgoing control of the literary and intellectual environment.
As this was occurring, the resistance movement began working toward their own form of communication to combat the Fascist regime. In Bergamo alone, two clandestine newspapers were operating in secret “Proleteriat Bergamo” and “Italians freeing themselves”. However, during the war, radio became the primary form of communication for the resistance. Despite Mussolini’s government also using the radio for propaganda, many Italians began tuning into foreign broadcasts, such as “Radio London”. In 1938, Mussolini declared that anyone listening to clandestine radio broadcasts would be sentenced to six months in prison, which later became 3 years during the war. These essential forms of communications helped resistance efforts and kept the fight alive even at the worst of times.
Fighting for our future
The free exchange of ideas and information is the backbone of any democracy. On Liberation Day we remember the importance of defending our right to express ourselves without fear of censorship and our right to the truth in our press. As the President of Italy signs into law the new Decreto Sicurezza, many scholars and journalists are concerned that the legislation may be crossing a democratic line. With more severe penalties for those who protest on the streets, the fear is that people’s freedom of speech and to protest the government could be limited.
As we prepare to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Liberation from oppression, it’s paramount we remember the power communication has and safeguard it at all times in order to avoid history repeating itself.
Debora Pasero 