The Economist initially viewed Mussolini’s austerity program with sympathy as sane finance

Evidence

In November 1922 the Economist had noted that “Apparently the object of Signor Mussolini is to form a Government of the best men of his own choice, not at the dictation of the groups from which they come, and one of the fi rst planks in his programme is drastic cutting down of public expenditure… . Th e attempt to perform it will be watched with sympathy by observers of whatever nationality, who realise the crying need for sane fi nance in Europe” (“Th e Fascisti in Power,” Economist, November 4, 1922, 840ff .) — Clara E. Mattei, The Capital Order, 1723

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to how respectable financial opinion legitimates authoritarian austerity, a thread running through the whole book and relevant to modern technocratic justifications of austerity. — connects to: Mainstream economists applauded Mussolini’s austerity as sound fiscal discipline. — Clara E. Mattei, Escape from Capitalism, 14; Liberal economists endorsed Mussolini to enforce austerity on Italy’s workers — Clara E. Mattei, The Capital Order: How Economists…, 656; Liberal economists supported fascist austerity despite opposing dictatorship — Gary Mongiovi, Austerity Is an Antidemocratic Strategy…, 107 (+3 more)
• SEED: Possible article angle: how reputable financial media normalize fascist economics as ‘sane finance’ — the architecture of respectable complicity.

Broader Connections

• Mussolini’s austerity policies won applause from international experts #corroborates (0.92) — Clara E. Mattei, Escape from Capitalism, 14
• Liberal economists supported fascist austerity despite opposing dictatorship #corroborates (0.90) — Gary Mongiovi, Austerity Is an Antidemocratic Strategy…, 107
• Austerity served as proof of creditworthiness to international finance for the Fascist regime #expands (0.85) — Clara E. Mattei, The Capital Order, 1435
• Economic theory reinforced the Italian austerity economists’ classist worldview #expands (0.75) — Clara E. Mattei, The Capital Order, 1162