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agreed among themselves on certain points and upon programs ofaction. But socialism as a system of social structure with an organizedbody of doctrine was well understood. This was not true of fascism.Whether it was capitalist or anti-capitalist, labor or anti-labor, noone could say until the leaders themselves decided upon a course ofaction. It was improvised as the movement went along. Thereforewe cannot define fascism as a movement committed to the collectionof principles enunciated in its formal proclamation of principles andobjectives—the Eleven Points of San Sepolcro. Mussolini, being inpursuit of power, made that objective the mold by which his policieswere formed. Behold now the erection of the great fascist edifice.i. He had been a syndicalist and hence anti-capitalist. The originalprogram included a demand for confiscation of war profits, confiscationof certain church property, heavy inheritance and income taxes,nationalization of arms and munitions plants, and control of factories,railroads, and public services by workers' councils. These,Mussolini said, "we have put at the head of our program." But inpower he did none of these things. Signora Sarfatti quotes him assaying:I do not intend to defend capitalism or capitalists. They, like everythinghuman, have their defects. I only say their possibilities of usefulness are notended. Capitalism has borne the monstrous burden of the war and todaystill has the strength to shoulder the burdens of peace. ... It is notsimply and solely an accumulation of wealth, it is an elaboration, a selection,a co-ordination of values which is the work of centuries. . · . Manythink, and I myself am one of them, that capitalism is scarcely at the beginningof its story. 1On another occasion he said: "State ownership! It leads only toabsurd and monstrous conclusions; state ownership means statemonopoly, concentrated in the hands of one party and its adherents,and that state brings only ruin and bankruptcy to all." This wasindeed more in conformity with his syndicalist faith, but it completelynegatived the original fascist platform. The first point weshall have to settle, therefore, is that fascism is a defense of capitalistsociety, an attempt to make it function. This view, which Mussolinidid not entertain when he began, he came around to as he saw that*Uje of Benito Mussolini, by Margherita G. Sarfatti, Stokes, New York, i92j.49