Italian economists saw a strong government as necessary once workers gained power

Evidence

Th ese campaigns’ resemblance to the endeavors of Blackett and Niemeyer on the British savings committee is striking. More than in Britain, however, the Italian economists were convinced that aft er the war the situation in their country had gotten completely out of hand. For all their core ineptitude, workers had actually gained economic and political power. It was clear that only a strong government could set things straight for capital accumulation. Here entered the Mussolini dictatorship. — Clara E. Mattei, The Capital Order, 1168

Categorization

• XREF: Direct antecedent to modern austerity’s framing that ‘strong’ technocratic governments are needed to discipline workers — connects to the reader’s broad austerity-as-class-weapon project. — connects to: Italian welfare arrived by executive decree to appease the working class quickly; Liberal economists endorsed Mussolini to enforce austerity on Italy’s workers — Clara E. Mattei, The Capital Order: How Economists…, 656; High Italian officials promised workers comprehensive social security coverage in 1919 — Clara E. Mattei, The Capital Order: How Economists…, 1660 (+1 more)
• DEFINE: Articulates the core mechanism linking austerity economics to dictatorship: once workers gain power, only strong government can restore conditions for capital accumulation.