Benedetto Croce

"Benedetto Croce and Italian Fascism provides a unique analysis of the political life of the major Italian philosopher and literary figure Benedetto Croce (1866-1932). Drawing on a variety of resources rarely used before in Croce studies - including police documents, archival materials, and the private edition of Croce's diaries, the Taccuini, published in recent years - Fabio Rizi sheds new light on Croce and his influence throughout the Fascist era." "Tracing important events and influences in Croce's life, this biography clarifies misconceptions about his political contributions and his role in the resistance movement. Well-documented and insightful, Benedetto Croce and Italian Fascism offers a valuable contribution to Croce studies." --Book Jacket.

Originally published between 1921 and 1950 the volumes in this collection showcase many of the most important philosophical, political and literary works of Benedetto Croce. The volumes: Discuss key political, philosophical and aesthetic issues such as freedom and historical judgment, Reveal notes made by Croce from private meetings with Allied forces during 1943 and 1944, Examine and explain the literature of Dante, Goethe, Shakespeare, Ariosto and Corneille, Discuss the conception of liberty, liberalism and the relation of individual morality to the State.

The literary criticism of Benedetto Croce is considered by many to be the vital part of his thought. These essays, some of which appear for the first time in English, show the breadth and depth of Croce’s work as literary critic and presuppose his mature theory of art. The writings are here arranged chronologically according to their subjects, helping to lend coherence to the great variety of subjects Croce treated. Unlike other renderings, these works are annotated and include translations of Latin, Renaissance Italian, and German passages. Also included is a clear and cogent introduction to Crocean aesthetics and an up-to-date bibliography.

The literary criticism of Benedetto Croce is considered by many to be the vital part of his thought. These essays, some of which appear for the first time in English, show the breadth and depth of Croce's work as literary critic and presuppose his mature theory of art. The writings are here arranged chronologically according to their subjects, helping to lend coherence to the great variety of subjects Croce treated. Unlike other renderings, these works are annotated and include translations of Latin, Renaissance Italian, and German passages. Also included is a clear and cogent introduction to Crocean aesthetics and an up-to-date bibliography.

My reasons for believing that a new exposition of Vico's philosophy is required may easily be inferred from the observations on the effects of his work and the biographical notes which form respectively the second and fourth appendices to this volume. Here I merely wish to state that my exposition is not meant for a summary of Vico's writings work by work and part by part. It rather presupposes an acquaintance with these writings, and, where that is lacking, is intended to induce the reader to procure them in order to follow better and to check the interpretation and estimate of them here offered. On this supposition, though I have made free use of my author's actual words, especially in the chapters dealing with history, I have not thought it desirable to mark them as quotations except where it was important to emphasise the precise phrase of the original. I have in general combined such passages from fragments scattered over a wide field, sometimes abbreviating, sometimes amplifying, and always freely adding words and phrases of my own by way of commentary: and the continual use of quotation marks would merely have shown up in a manner more wearisome than valuable the reverse side of my embroidery, which any reader who so desires can study by the help of the references given at the end of the book. In my anxiety to show in every detail of my work, so[Pg viii] far as I could, the veneration due to the great name of Vico, I have endeavoured to be brief with the brevity at which he himself aimed as the hall-mark of sterling scientific thought. With this in view I have refrained even from controversy with his various interpreters, and have either contented myself with mere remarks, or more often left my details to be justified by the coherence of my view as a whole.

Originally published in English in 1950 this is one of the most revealing works by one of Italy’s foremost philosophers of the 20th century, who was also a courageous and effective opponent of Fascism. Following the Allied landing at Salerno, Croce was called upon by kings, princes, generals and politicians and asked to decide question of vital importance to Italy. This book records the notes Croce made on political matters in 1943 and 1944 and includes some of the many documents Croce possessed which referred to the attempt in Naples (noted in the Autumn of 1943) to form a Corps of Italian volunteers.

As president of the Italian Liberal Party, Benedetto Croce was one of the most influential intellectuals involved in Italian public affairs after the fall of Mussolini. Placing Croce at the centre of historical events between 1943 and 1952, this book details his participation in Italy’s political life, and his major contributions to the rebirth of Italian democracy. Drawing on a great amount of primary material, including Croce’s political speeches, correspondences, diaries, and official documents from post-war Italy, this book illuminates the dynamic and progressive nature of Croce’s liberalism and the shortcomings of the old Liberal leaders. Providing a year-by-year account of Croce’s initiatives, author Fabio Fernando Rizi fills the gap in Croce’s biography, covering aspects of his public life often neglected, misinterpreted, or altogether ignored, and restores his standing among the founding fathers of modern Italy.

Historical materialism is what is called a fashionable subject. The theory came into being fifty years ago, and for a time remained obscure and limited; but during the last six or seven years it has rapidly attained great fame and an extensive literature, which is daily increasing, has grown up around it. It is not my intention to write once again the account, already given many times, of the origin of this doctrine; nor to restate and criticise the now well-known passages in which Marx and Engels asserted the theory, nor the different views of its opponents, its supporters, its exponents, and its correctors and corruptors. My object is merely to submit to my colleagues some few remarks concerning the doctrine, taking it in the form in which it appears in a recent book by Professor Antonio Labriola, of the University of Rome. For many reasons, it does not come within my province to praise Labriola's book. But I cannot help saying as a needful explanation, that it appears to me to be the fullest and most adequate treatment of the question. The book is free from pedantry and learned tattle, whilst it shows in every line signs of the author's complete knowledge of all that has been written on the subject: a book, in short, which saves the annoyance of controversy with erroneous and exaggerated opinions, which in it appear as superseded. It has a grand opportunity in Italy, where the materialistic theory of history is known almost solely in the spurious form bestowed on it by an ingenious professor of economics, who even pretends to be its inventor.