Manifesto of the Anti-Fascist Intellectuals
Overview
 
The Manifesto of the Anti-Fascist Intellectuals, written by Benedetto Croce
Benedetto Croce
Benedetto Croce was an Italian idealist philosopher, and occasionally also politician. He wrote on numerous topics, including philosophy, history, methodology of history writing and aesthetics, and was a prominent liberal, although he opposed laissez-faire free trade...

 in response to the Manifesto of the Fascist Intellectuals
Manifesto of the Fascist Intellectuals
The Manifesto of Fascist Intellectuals , by the actualist philosopher Giovanni Gentile, formally establishes the political and ideologic foundations of Italian Fascism...

 by Giovanni Gentile
Giovanni Gentile
Giovanni Gentile was an Italian neo-Hegelian Idealist philosopher, a peer of Benedetto Croce. He described himself as 'the philosopher of Fascism', and ghostwrote A Doctrine of Fascism for Benito Mussolini. He also devised his own system of philosophy, Actual Idealism.- Life and thought :Giovanni...

, sanctioned the unreconcilable split between the philosopher and the Fascist
Italian Fascism
Italian Fascism also known as Fascism with a capital "F" refers to the original fascist ideology in Italy. This ideology is associated with the National Fascist Party which under Benito Mussolini ruled the Kingdom of Italy from 1922 until 1943, the Republican Fascist Party which ruled the Italian...

 government of Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....

, to which he had previously given a vote of confidence on October 31, 1922. The idea of an anti-Fascist
Anti-fascism
Anti-fascism is the opposition to fascist ideologies, groups and individuals, such as that of the resistance movements during World War II. The related term antifa derives from Antifaschismus, which is German for anti-fascism; it refers to individuals and groups on the left of the political...

 manifesto came to Giovanni Amendola
Giovanni Amendola
Giovanni Amendola was an Italian journalist and politician, noted as an opponent of Fascism....

, who wrote to Croce, a proclaimed anti-Fascist, for his opinions on April 20, 1925:
Croce replied a day later, saying that he would be more than willing to, but that the document ought to be short, "so as not to alienate the common folk."

The manifesto was published by Il Mondo on May 1, 1925, which was Workers' Day
Workers' Day
Workers' Day is a public holiday in at least the following countries : Angola, Bulgaria, China , Cuba, Namibia, Malta, Marshal Islands, Mozambique, Panama, Zambia and Zimbabwe...

, symbolically responding to the publication of the Fascist manifesto on the Natale di Roma, the founding of Rome
Founding of Rome
The founding of Rome is reported by many legends, which in recent times are beginning to be supplemented by scientific reconstructions.- Development of the city :...

 (celebrated on April 21).
Quotations

When I read something saying I've not done anything as good as Catch-22 I'm tempted to reply, "Who has?"

As quoted in The Oxford Dictionary of Literary Quotations (1997) edited by Peter Kemp, p. 303

It was love at first sight. The first time Yossarian saw the chaplain he fell madly in love with him.

Opening Lines

The Texan turned out to be good-natured, generous and likeable. In three days no one could stand him.

"Open your eyes, Clevinger. It doesn't make a damned bit of difference who wins the war to someone who's dead."

Clevinger was dead. That was the basic flaw in his philosophy.

"The enemy is anybody who's going to get you killed, no matter which side he's on."

He had decided to live forever or die in the attempt, and his only mission each time he went up was to come down alive.

 
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