Learning from the Enemy: An Intellectual History of Antifascism in Interwar Europe

by Marco Bresciani

When democracy is under threat from authoritarianism, models of resistance must come to the fore. Giustizia e Libert�, founded by the Italian thinker and activist Carlo Rosselli in 1929, is one intriguing historical example. Operating both in exile and as part of a clandestine network at home, the organization fought against fascism and Nazism, while criticizing Stalinism. To defeat the enemy, the group aimed to go beyond the Marxist notion of class and to assert fresh concepts of nationhood and Europe. The book traces the group's trajectories and debates and follows its legacy to the present.

- 'Bresciani's book is a remarkable contribution to the current debate on the distinctive nature of fascism(s)' - CARLO GINZBURG, author of MACHIAVELLI, PASCAL
- 'The story that Bresciani tells with great finesse in this necessary book is the heroic history that accompanied the birth of democracy in Italy' - NADIA URBINATI, author of ME THE PEOPLE
- 'Bresciani has given a great gift to fascism's enemies everywhere ... a book of rare intelligence and inspiration' - JOSEPH FRONCZAK, author of EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE
- 'Learning from the Enemy is essential reading for anyone interested in the histories of antifascism, socialism, and liberalism in the twentieth century' - IAIN STEWART, author of RAYMOND ARON AND LIBERAL THOUGHT IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY

Genres: History, Politics, Italy, Nonfiction

332 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 18, 2024

Reviews

[A, Dean · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book mistaking it for a different book called "organize, fight, win" but I read it nonetheless. This is a good book but it is dense with many different italian names that are difficult to keep straight at one time, also I took a break in between this book and another book I was reading at the time. This book is focused on Intellectual antifascism there is very little actual praxis going on. In other words they discus ideas of what to do without actually doing anything much other than commenting on other left authors and the enlightenment as well as socialism, and contention with socialist/communist groups. It is an interesting read and their analysis of fascism is good but it brought down by their lack of class analysis.