things like that and perhaps wonder wheter you have gone too far? do you admire mussolini? i know you know your history. you've been a student of history. do you admire benito mussolini? but is it true that on mussolini's... the anniversary of mussolini's birthday last summer, you posted on social media the quote, "so many enemies, so much honour," which of course is an echo of course mussolini's own well—known saying, "many enemies, much honour." did you do that? but it is an interesting intellectualjourney you have made, because as a youth, you were a communist. now you are a member of one of europe's leading far—right political movements. for a long time you are a supporter of secession for the north of italy, a regionalist, now you claim to be an italian nationalist. it is quite hard to pin down what is the core of your philosophy. what is it that you actually, truly believe in? when it comes to your style of politics, i look at the people you seem to admire most and be closest to around europe and around the world, and it has to be said many of them appear to be authoritarian

, benito mussolini. where do did he get the phrase fascism? what does that mean? >> well, first of all, i decided that what i wanted to do about the book was to do, put it into historical context so that people could really understand what it's about. and mussolini was the first fascist, and it really came from a term the -- term of sticks and axe which had been an emblem that the romans had used. and they're called fascis. and so this group of people around mussolini took it as their emblem, and it's the toughness and going back to caesar. >> okay. now, as you point out in your book, mussolini came along before hitler, and mussolini was a politician but not all that successful initially. had some problems. didn't come from a wealthy family particularly. how did he rise up to get to the point where he could roulettely? did he -- rule italy? did he win an election? >> let me go back a little bit on this. one of the things that i wanted to look at is what is the environment that produces fascism. and without sounding like a professor, which i am, is that -- [laughter] really the historic

and i will follow you access restore the glory that was rome, bellowed mussolini. translator stop thinking and follow your god emperor, and japan will rule the world. and the people answered bonsai, bonsai. each system was alike in the constitutional lawmaking bodies gave up their power. the house of deputies in rome. the diet in tokyo he dashes tokyo. in these representatives became collections of stooges, rubberstamp organizations. applauding on to the words of leaders, each sent them and they got away with each system did away with the free press and substituted a press controlled by the party through their ministries of propaganda each controlled the affairs, the radio, every channel of information was controlled by the most important members of the party. each did away with free course and trial by jury. and substituted judges run by the party. each abolished labor unions and the right to bargain for wages. and under the pretext of patriotism establish the system of forced labor. each enforced is decreased by an army of secret police who held the power of life and death over

. in your book you talk about the person who first used the phrase fascism. not just mussolini. where did he get the phrase? what does that mean? >> first of all, i decided what i wanted to do about the book was to put it into historical context so people could really understand what it was about. it really came from a term at all mounds, which are kind of sticks and an ax that had been an emblem that the romans had used. and so, this group of people about mussolini ticket as their emblem of the toughness of going back to caesar. be back as you point out in your book, mussolini came around before hitler was a politician but not all that successful initially, had some problems. didn't come from a wealthy family particularly. how did he rise up to get to the point where he could rule steadily? did he win an election that got him to be the hub of italy? like what they go back on this. one of the things i wanted to look at was what is the environment that produces fascism and with outstanding blank the professor, which i yam, which the historical context is that there certainly have been

first date, we read that mussolini had attacked far off ethiopia. the disease seemed to be spreading, so congress assembled to insulate us against the growing friction of war. >> we want no war. we have no war, save in defense of our own people. >> toward this end, our chosen representatives past the neutrality act. no nation at war could buy a manufactured arms or munitions from the united states. 1936, when you were running around in jalopy's, we were disturbed by news from spain. in our newsreels, we saw german and italian air forces and armies fighting in spain and wondered what they were doing there. for the first time, we saw great cities squashed flat. civilians bombed and killed. ♪ in november, 1936, the american institute of public opinion, known as the gallup poll, asked a representative cross-section of the american people, if another war develops in europe, should america take part again? no, 95%. we the people had spoken. 19 out of 20 of us said, include us out. to further insulate ourselves, we added the cash and carry amendment to the neutrality act. not only wouldn'

mussolini saying was many enemies much on the how did you feel about i didn't know about that and if it happened probably it has you haven't heard about it now in the you know nothing about this no there was a national average in your own papers and well i only worry about silly if it is such a kind of communication this is not an appropriate one should not have done this and i hope we will clarify that there is there is nothing to do with this passive fastenings fasces apology vengeance us brother for or from your party is under secretary to the prime minister's office he said he warned against using slogans that relate to dark times in italian history you agree with i absolutely agree with chances by the vote is a good friend of mine in many time i support these battles and his position on defense of your parents in equal opportunities as and their secretary general for equal opportunities in italy and of course i think that all ministers of the government of every single government should be very careful on the communication they are using and to clarify that there is in any case any

celebrate, we will recognize the anniversary of the munich pack where hitler and mussolini got together and a chunk of czechoslovakia was seated to the nazis. it has very much the echoes of what happened with the crimean peninsula. putin was saying he wants to protect and all of the stuff. history doesn't repeat, but it does rhyme. were starting to see some shape of that. >> let's hear from dan in jackson heights new york. >> i read your stuff because a number of years i was involved in that area. i had the feeling that in the novel that i did there is an appreciation of how insightful the action is to feel that you are covering. and how the people who make things go or not the action people. and actually a lot of the people who started this i was wondering if you think you might be tucked in and this whole thing. the other thing it's pretty much known that the brain is a habit and insight. it might be very interesting to show how much they appreciate actions in that field then exactly how much is habit and how much is inside. the insight is this specificity. until you really grasp of this

where hitler, mussolini get together with neville chamberlain in france and a chunk of czechoslovakia was seated to the nazis. have a steady want to protect ethnic germans and it is very much the echoes of what happened with the crimean peninsula where putin was saying want to protect ethnic russians and all this kind of stuff. history does repeat but it does right. we're starting to see some shape of that and that catwoman into "spy master" ethel. >> host: dan in new york. >> caller: [inaudible] i read your stuff because a number of years involved in that area, and i had the feeling that in the novel that i did read, there is an initiation of how insightful rather than action is to feel, , the general feel you are covering. and how the people who make things go are not the action people, and actually a lot of the people who die in the end of the people who never started this whole operation. so i was wondering if you think that you might be a little -- with this whole thing. the other thing i want to say is, it's not pretty much known that the brain is a site -- insight. it might be