Hunting Down Social Darwinism Will This Canard Go Extinct

Socialismand Fascism 157

He wenton to talkwithappreciationandunderstandingof the various[tax-funded]

buildingundertakingsalreadywelladvanced...

Altogetherit wasan illuminatinghalf-hour,and whenMussoliniaccompaniedme to the

doorandkissedmy handin gallantItalianfashion.I understoodfor the firsttimean

unexpectedphaseof the manwhichmakeshim sucha powerin Italy.He mightbe—was,

I believed—a fearfuldespot,but he had a dimple.^36

Contraryto Tarbell’s assumptions,noneof whatshe describesis charming.Rockefeller,a
peaceableentrepreneur,wassubjectedto Tarbell’s vilificationwhereasa genuinelyvio-
lentdictatorreceiveda morecongenialdepictionfromher.Interestingly,Tarbellalso
opposedwomen’s suffrageto the veryendof her days.^37 AndSamuelS. McClure,the
proprietorof the veryMcClure’s magazinethatoriginallypublishedTarbell’s denuncia-
tionsof StandardOil,agreedwithhis reporter’s assessment.Subsequentto his own
sojournto Italyhe characterizedMussolini’s systemof ruleas “a greatforwardstepand
the first newidealin governmentsincethe foundingof the Americanrepublic.”^38
Incidentally,yet anotheracclaimedmuckraker,the pro-segregationRay StannardBak-
er, gushedoverthe sacrednessof the workof TarbellandSteffens,whomhe worked
alongsidein the newsroom.He foundthema “constantinspiration” andstated,“Never
shallI forgetthe memorableeditorialdiscussionsand conferenceswe had.”^39
As WilliamZebulonFoster(1881–1961)led the CommunistPartyof the USA(CPUSA),
he definitelyfavoredhis owncommunismoverMussolini’s fascism.Nonetheless,he
interpretedIl Duce’s transformationof Italy’s governmentas progresshasteningthe arri-
val of a perfectlyMarxiansociety.“By unmaskingcapitalistdemocracy,” Fosterstatedin
1922,“and by showingit up in its truecolorsas a heartlessdictatorship,the newrulersof
Italywill do a greatserviceby disillusioningthe confusedmassesof the Italianproletari-
at.... The fascisticoupis a longsteptowardthe ultimaterevolution.”^40 By that he meant
thatfascism’s betterqualitieswouldrevealgovernmentcontrol’s superiorityoverlaissez
faire,whereasfascism’s moreunattractiveaspects—suchas its failureto achieveabsolute
economicequality—wouldmotivatethe proletariatto achieveperfectionby meansof a
communistrevolt.
HerbertCrolyand the magazinehe co-founded,The NewRepublic, consistentlytooted
Mussolini’s horn.“Whateverthe dangerof fascism,” Crolyannouncedin 1927,“it has at
anyratesubstitutedmovementfor stagnation,purposivebehaviorfor drifting,andvi-
sionsof greatfuture for collectivepettiness anddiscouragement.”^41 For thatreason,
Americansshouldbe moreopen-mindedaboutfascismandpermitit a chanceto prove
itself.“Aliencriticsshouldbeware,” Crolystatedin anotherNewRepublicpiece,“of out-
lawinga politicalexperimentwhicharousedin a wholenationan increasedmoralenergy
and dignifiedits activitiesby subordinatingthemto a deeplyfelt commonpurpose.”^42
CharlesBeard(1874–1948),the collectivisthistorianwhoseworksinspiredMatthew
Josephson’sThe RobberBarons, proclaimedthatItalianfascism’s centraleconomicplan-
ningdeservedimitationin the USA.“Beyondquestion,” BeardwroteinThe NewRepublic,
“an amazingexperimentis beingmadehere,an experimentin reconcilingindividualism
andsocialism.... It wouldbe a mistaketo allowfeelingsarousedby contemplatingthe
harshdeeds... accomplished[in] the Fascistprocess... to obscurethe potentialitiesand
the lessonsof the adventure—no, not adventure,but destiny.. .”^43
OneunsignedNewRepubliceditorialcheeredthatfascismpromotedthe “national
cohesionandnationalwelfare... .” The“conscienceof the Italianpeoplewillinsiston
appraisingthe result.Thus,willy-nilly,Fascismis an experiment.... If the Italianpeople
are capableof politicalself-education,theywill preservethat partof the programwhichis
usefulto themand discardthat whichis not.”^44
JohnP. Digginswrites,“Whenthe politicalscholarRobertMacIveraskedtheNew
Republichowit couldprofessto be an ‘exponentof liberalprinciples’ and at the sametime