First published in English in 1938 this book gives an account of Italian history in the years immediately following the first world war, culminating in the triumph of Mussolini. Arguing that Mussolini succeeded because he was much more ruthless than his opponents, he concludes that this is something that must be learnt from: ‘in point of material and military strength we must be superior to the fascists since that is the ground on which they are trying to force a decision.''