The reality of the revaluation of the Lira was that it further squeezed the small business owners and those who had been relied upon as the popular mass base of fascism. This is evident by Paul Enzigs admission of such, stating the following about this.
Plural
Thus those who claim fascism is merely an italian movement while also citing Paul Enzig are at the very least inconsistent.
Economic Foundations of Fascism
Paul Enzig pg.7
Fascism is a phenomena recognizable elsewhere and not "strictly an Italian thing" at least in the context of using the word to mean anything of substance. It's clear that Paul Enzig means to say the fascism is in fact an authoritative populism at it's inception in the following quote.
"In other countries Fascism is still at the stage where it was in Italy before 1922; it is merely a political movement, whose economic aspects are usually ignored even by most of its followers."
Economic Foundations of Fascism
Paul Enzig pg.18 The cult of the leader could have more to do with the success than the system itself???
We pointed out in Chapter I. that the psychological factor has been decidedly in favour of the system. Signor Mussolini Magnetic personality, and the revival of Roman traditions, have contributed to no slight extent towards making the system work. It is, indeed, open to doubt whether, without Signor Mussolini's strength and outstanding ability, the system would not have failed both politically and economically.
Economic Foundations of Fascism
Paul Enzig pg.21 Expresses Paul’s distaste for any sort of statistical analysis
“We live in a disillusioned and cynical world, and official statistics are usually looked upon with distrust. Most people are, in any case, aware that there is hardly anything under the sun that cannot be proved by a skillful grouping of figures. The evidence provided by our senses is, however, above suspicion.”
^literally feelings over facts
Economic Foundations of Fascism
Paul Enzig pg.22 This quote tells you the lack of care on the authors analysis of the material benefit of "fascism" but rather aesthetic differences and universal changes in living standards.
"Hotels no longer attempt to overcharge foreign visitors. Tourists are no longer pestered by dozens of beggars, pedlars, and guides. The courtesy of those with whom tourists come in contact leaves nothing to be desired. These observations taken purely from the surface may be checked by anyone travelling in Italy. Their significance can be appreciated only by comparison with the state of affairs ten years ago and before the war. In itself, the external appearance of a country may be misleading. The fact that in Germany, for instance, streets and individuals in poor districts are tidy, often leads to the mistaken conclusion—by people who do not know that Germans have a talent for keeping tidy amidst the direst misery—that the extent of poverty in that country has been overstated. In Italy the remarkable improvement of the outward appearance of cities may be interpreted either as a sign of an improved standard of living, or as a sign of a favourable change in the character and habits of the nation. Whichever is the case, the progress is gratifying. Unfortunately, there is no reason to assume that it indicates any material improvement in the standard of living; it would, indeed, be too much to expect an improvement, considering that in practically every country there has been a more or less substantial deterioration. Although it would be a mistake to conclude that the improvement in the external appearance of Italy indicates a corresponding increase of prosperity, it is certainly safe to conclude that there has been no material deterioration."
Economic Foundations of Fascism
Paul Enzig pg.30 This is because ultimately these details reveal the true nature of fascism: The expansion of Monopoly Capitalism at the detriment of the popular base of fascism.
"It is not within our scope to go into the details of the administrative organization of the Corporate State, nor into the details of the rules governing their activities...What matters from an economic point of view is that within the framework of the system a feeling of solidarity between the apparently conflicting interests of various groups has developed."
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Economic Foundations of Fascism
Paul Enzig pg.38
Monopolization polices regarding land in italy
All their land was owned by Large landlords and such so they literally have to make more This increase has been brought about by a deliberate campaign, popularly called the "wheat battle". The Government has concentrated a great deal of its efforts upon increasing the production of wheat by land reclamation, the fertilization of hitherto sterile districts, and the encouragement of more intensive methods of cultivation.
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Reviewed Work(s): The Economic Foundations of Fascism by Paul Einzig Review by: Arthur W. Marget
"The author has an utter contempt for the use of statistics (p. 2I). The result is that when he comes to discuss the extent to which the Fascist regime has been able to realize in practice certain of the advantages which it may be said to have on paper, we are given, not the facts, but flat statements, completely without documentation of any kind, that may or may not be true. We are told, for example, that "wages [in Fascist Italy] are more elastic than in any other country" (p. 73). Perhaps so; but something more than a flat statement to that effect must be presented if the statement itself is to carry conviction. The same may be said with respect to statements to the effect that "unemployment in Italy is relatively more moderate than in any of the other industrial or semi-industrial countries" (p. 47). One would like to know also the precise basis for a declaration to the effect that "it may be said without exaggeration that the number of unemployed in Italy, which fluctuates around a million, would be about twice that figure but for the ambitious policy of capital expenditure undertaken by the Government" (p. 48)."
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