Benito Mussolini in 1932 said this, like all sound political conceptions, fascism is action and it is thought. Action in which doctrine is imminent. I want to repeat that statement. Action in which doctrine is imminent and doctrine arising from a given system of historical forces in which it is inserted and working on them from within. Again, that statement was made by Mussolini in 1932. As I was doing some research for my short study on fascism, I came across this small book that Benito Mussolini wrote in 1932 entitled The Doctrine of Fascism. Now, we often think of a lot of these political movements and all that as just a political movement. In reality, these are political movements that are based on doctrines of men. Even as Jesus dealt with the Pharisees in his earthly ministry, he emphasized this in Mark 7 and Matthew 15, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men. And of course, Jesus in that context is emphasizing the extra biblical ceremonial washings that the Pharisees had established as requirements for men. But again, the principle is true. Teaching for doctrines, the commandments of men. Colossians 2 verse eight says this, beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ. That's the verse I wanna emphasize as far as this study on the doctrine of fascism. But I wanted for us to look at the context of it as well. Verse six and following. I go to this passage often as I deal with false teachings related to philosophies of men. It says in verse six, as you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him, rooted and built up in Him, established in the faith as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware, beware, lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit. after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him, in Christ, dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." And when we think about the rudiments, the word rudiments means a first principle, that which must be first learned. Man-made traditions as we think about the traditions of men. Now, I believe this is a powerful verse for us to consider as we think of the doctrine of fascism. Thousands, yay, millions of people have followed the doctrines of fascism, and in some cases, they don't even realize that it's a doctrine of fascism that they're following. As we look at the writings of Benito Mussolini, I think it helps us to understand these rudiments of the world, these rudiments, these doctrines of fascism. Mussolini stated that in Milan, Italy, there was the first fascist school of propaganda. the rudiments of the world, these first principles that must be first learned even regarding fascism. As far as these traditions of man, these philosophies and vain deceit, first of all, I want you to consider as far as what Mussolini said about fascism, I'm gonna give several statements related to fascism that comes from his presentation of the doctrine of fascism. First of all, he says that it is a philosophic conception. Mussolini said that fascism is an idea, a doctrine, a realization is universal. Again, fascism as an idea, a doctrine, a realization is universal. It is Italian in its particular institutions, but it is universal in the spirit, nor could it could be otherwise. The spirit is universal by reason of its nature. Therefore, anyone may foresee a fascist Europe. Once you consider that his whole goal was not a fascist Italy, but a fascist Europe, yay, a universal fascism around the world. Now this was written in 1932 before World War II. And what was very interesting is Benito Mussolini allied with Adolf Hitler in World War II. Second of all, he said it's a spiritualized conception. As far as the doctrine of fascism, it is a spiritualized conception. He speaks of a mysterious divinity called the people. Listen to this other statement, another statement from the spiritualized conception. In order to understand the fascist movement, one must first appreciate the underlying spiritual phenomenon in all its vastness and depth. In point of fact, Italian, Fascism has not only been a political revolt against weak and incapable governments who allow state authority to decay, and were threatening to arrest the progress of the country, but also a spiritual revolt against old ideas which had corrupted the sacred principles of religion, of faith, of country. Fascism, therefore, has been a revolt of the people. Historically, both fascist Italy and Nazi Germany were aided by the papacy of Rome. It's a spiritualized concept built in religion. Number three, a positive conception of life as a struggle. And he gives examples of wars, economic battles, conflicts of ideas. Then he makes this statement as far as this positive conception of life as a struggle. He sees struggle as a positive thing. If a day come to pass when struggle ceased to exist, that day would be tinged with melancholy. It would be a day of ruin, the day of ending. He also said, peace will only come when people surrender to a Christian dream. Notice that a Christian dream of universal brotherhood. Number four, he says it is an ethical. and ethical conception. And he made this statement, comrades, this is still our program, fight. Life for the fascist is a continuous, ceaseless fight. Not the spiritual fight, not the spiritual warfare of scripture. We're talking about a pagan fight, fighting for supremacy. Number five, it's a religious conception. Again, I emphasize, he had no problems with Roman Catholicism. In fact, he used Roman Catholicism as a basis for his fascist ideology. Adolf Hitler did the same in Germany. Number six, it's an historical and realistic conception. Mussolini said this, tradition certainly is one of the greatest spiritual forces of a people in as much as it is a successive and constant creation of their soul. I remind you in our last lesson I mentioned a quote from Benito Mussolini that said that he was bending the souls of men. Similar to his father bending iron, he had a more difficult task of bending the souls of men. Historical and realistic conception. Then Mussolini said this, our battle is an ungrateful one, yet it is a beautiful battle since it compels us to count only upon our own forces. Revealed truths we have torn to shreds. Dogmas we have spat upon. We have rejected all theories of paradise. We do not believe in program, in plans, in saints or apostles. Above all, we believe not in happiness, in salvation, in the promised land. Number seven, the individual and liberty. According to the doctrine of fascism, the individual exists only insofar as he is within the state and subjected to the requirements of the state, and that as civilization assumes aspects which grow more and more complicated, individual freedom becomes more and more restricted. I'm gonna emphasize that again. This is the whole outcome, the end result of fascist doctrines. The freedoms of the individual becomes more and more restricted. Another statement, the sense of the state grows within the consciousness of Italians, for they feel the state alone is the irreplaceable safeguard as their unit and independence. Again, all of the emphasis on the state providing safety and security, so you lose liberty for the benefit of security and safety. The fascist state claims its ethical character. It is Catholic, but above all, it is fascist. In fact, it is exclusively and essentially fascist. Catholicism completes fascism, and this we openly declare. In our state, the individual is not deprived of freedom. In our state, the individual is not deprived of freedom, but he also talks about restrictions. In fact, he has greater liberty than an isolated man because the state protects him and he is part of the state. Number eight, conception of a corporative state. We have created the United State of Italy. What I think is very interesting is the pledge to our flag in America, written by a socialist, talks about the republic that is indivisible. Think about what Mussolini says there, we have created a united state of Italy. The formula that he expounded in this little book, this small book is everything in the state, nothing against the state, nothing outside the state. In other words, a state which controls all forces acting in nature, political forces, moral forces, economic forces. And then he refers to the ministry of corporations. This is one of the things I wanna emphasize and I wanna take a look at as far as America is concerned and fascism. The ministry of corporations. He said that all economic organizations acknowledged, safeguarded and supported by the corporative state exist within the orbit of fascism. Number nine, democracy. He said that the war, World War I, the war was revolutionary. That's why I said in our last study that he saw World War I as a revolution. He thought of it as a revolution, not as a conflict between nations. The war, World War I, was revolutionary in the sense that with the streams of blood, it did away with the century of democracy. The century of number, the century of majorities, and of quantities. Number 10, conception of the state. A people rise in as much as they are numerous, hardworking, and well-regulated. Again, the restrictions upon the individual freedoms. Power is the outcome of this threefold principle. Again, people rise in as much as they are numerous, hardworking, and well-regulated. The emphasis, again, he makes is power that comes from that threefold principle. The greatness of a nation is the compound of all these virtues and conditions. A nation is great when the power of the spirit is translated into reality. Number 11, dynamic reality. He said that it is fascism which has refashioned the character of the Italians, removing impurity from our souls, tempering us to all sacrifices, restoring the true aspect of strength and beauty to our Italian race. And it refers to a fascist levy. In 1927, Mussolini ordered a levy that brought their military up to 380,000 soldiers. In 1939, he mentions that that was the 13th levy. So a yearly levy, this 13th levy, all cities of the empire were included in this levy, and it coincided with the opening of the school years. There was a military ceremony in conjunction with the schools of Italy. And he said that the book and the musket go together. In summary, I wanna hit the high points of the doctrine of fascism. Number one, a spiritual view of life. Number two, the importance of tradition. Three, the rejection of individualism and the importance of the state. Fascism reasserts the rights of the state as expressing the real essence of the individual. Fascism is totalitarian. No individuals or groups outside the state. No political parties, economic unions, or social classes outside the state. The state creates the nation. Four, fascist state as a spiritual force. Fascism is an educator and a promoter of spiritual life. Five, rejection of pacifism. Mussolini said that there is no perpetual peace that is possible. Pacifism, he says, is a cloak for cowardice. Six, rejection of Marxism and socialism. Seven, rejection of parliamentary democracy as a sham and a fraud. He said fascism is an organized, centralized, authoritarian democracy. Speaking of the majority, falling into the state-controlled fascism. Eight, rejection of political and economic liberalism. Nine, the fascist totalitarian vision of the future. And number 10, the absolute primacy of the state. The state, he says, is the keystone of fascist doctrine. The state is absolute. Individuals and groups are relative. They're only admissible insofar as they come within the state. In relation to this, I wanna emphasize that fascism often begins as a patriotic movement. I want you to consider that statement in light of America today. Fascism often begins, starts as a patriotic movement, something that is good for the nation, the nation, the state. And I close with this statement from Mussolini, never before have the peoples thirsted for authority, direction, order as they do now. I wanna say that again because I believe we see a very important key to understanding what's going on in our nation and nations around the world. Never before have the peoples thirsted for authority, direction, order as they do now. 90 years later, It appears to be true yet today. The people are thirsting for authority, direction, and order. May the Lord give us discernment to understand and see these movements that are rooted in the philosophies of men after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ.