Gentile and Fascist Education

This book examines the educational philosophy of Giovanni Gentile (1875-1944), whose educational theories and cultural policies shaped the ideological foundation of Mussolini’s fascist regime.

Adopting a cultural historical approach, it analyzes Gentile’s philosophy (known as “actualism”), revealing inherent conceptual confusion in his characterisation of Intellect and Will. By establishing a direct parallel between the teacher-student relationship and the citizen-state dynamic under fascist leadership, it demonstrates how Gentile's educational philosophy evolved into a political theology. Yet the fundamental contradiction at the heart of Gentile's project remains: the impossibility of educating for freedom through authoritarian methods. Tracing the structural ambiguities within actualist philosophy and their practical implementation, the book illuminates how Gentile's educational totalitarianism was destined for failure—a defeat that paralleled fascism's broader collapse. With contemporary relevance for understanding neo-actualist movements and emerging authoritarian tendencies, this work offers crucial insights into the relationship between educational theory and political power.

It is an essential reading for scholars of fascist ideology, educational philosophy, and twentieth-century European intellectual history.